Montreal-based Air Transat has released its network plans for the upcoming winter season as it continues to rebuild a schedule that has been decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The airline, which resumed commercial operations on July 23 following a 112-day shutdown, intends to fly to 40 destinations from Nov. 1, many of which are holiday resorts in the the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico and the US.

International service will be from Montreal (YUL), Quebec (YQB) and Toronto (YYZ), while the carrier will also provide domestic service to Vancouver (YVR) from YYZ and YUL. However, all other routes previously slated to operate from western airports Calgary (YYC), Edmonton (YEG), Victoria (YYJ), Winnipeg (YWG) and YVR are being dropped.

“Even though the entire tourism industry has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the desire to go abroad for a change of scenery and for new discoveries is still very much alive in travelers,” Transat COO Annick Guérard said.

“Now, more than ever, this program of more than 40 destinations allows us to redesign our future one step at a time and to renew our mission, which is to brighten the everyday of our passengers.”

Air Transat will operate direct flights to six destinations in Cuba, five in the Dominican Republic, three in the US, three in Mexico, and two in Costa Rica. It will also serve Colombia, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Panama, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten.

Eighteen destinations in the south will be available from YYZ and 10 from YUL.

In addition, Air Transat will offer direct flights between YUL and Lisbon (LIS), Malaga (AGP) in Spain and Paris (CDG). Transatlantic service from YYZ will be to Portguese destinations Faro (FAO), LIS and Porto (OPO) as well as Glasgow (GLA), Manchester (MAN) and London Gatwick (LGW) in the UK, while a YQB-CDG route will also operate for a limited time.

According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, Air Transat flew from 65 destinations during the winter 2019/20 season, offering more than 2.5 million seats.

Photo credit: Air Transat