Air Canada will now offer complimentary beer, wine and Canadian-made snacks to all passengers across its network.
The new service, which started last month, is available on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz, the airline told TPG. It includes both domestic and international flights that provide a beverage service, including to Mexico and the Caribbean.
The move comes “as North American airlines face passenger pushback over fees for extra baggage to legroom,” Reuters noted.
“Food and beverage just tend to have a disproportionate impact on customer satisfaction, more than any other attribute of our products and services,” Scott O’Leary, Air Canada’s vice president of loyalty and product, said in an interview with Reuters.
He also noted that Air Canada has become the only traditional “legacy” carrier in North America to offer free alcohol across all flights in economy.
However, fellow Canadian carrier Porter Airlines — which launched as a regional boutique carrier but has expanded into a true national competitor — has similarly offered free beer and wine on its flights for years, along with “premium snacks” from several Canadian producers. Options include Jackson-Triggs wine from Ontario, Moosehead Canadian Lager from New Brunswick and Hardbite kettle chips from British Columbia.
“Hello Air Canada, our beloved competitor. We’ve noticed you recently started offering free beer, wine & snacks everywhere we fly — just like Porter always has,” the airline wrote in a recent Instagram post. “Cheers to joining us, as our passengers actually enjoy economy. It’s pretty nice up there.”
Porter flies across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica and the Caribbean. Last month, it partnered with American Airlines to allow AAdvantage members to earn miles and loyalty points when flying.
As for Air Canada, O’Leary described his airline’s move as “part of our commitment to elevating the onboard experience.”
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“These upgrades offer something for everyone and proudly showcase Canadian brands so that our customers can sit back, relax and kick-start their travels no matter where they’re going,” he added in a release announcing the move.
On morning flights before 10 a.m., passengers can munch on MadeGood Mornings Cinnamon Bun Soft Baked Oat Bars from the Canadian snack company along with TWIGZ Craft Pretzels from Alberta and Leclerc’s Celebration cookies from Quebec. The airline will also offer Greenhouse ginger wellness shots as part of its premium snack baskets and on its bistro menu, which has been expanded to include more Canadian-made products like Summer Fresh hummus and crackers.
Passengers can quench their thirst with Ontario-based Creemore Springs Premium Lager and Molson Canadian, as well as a nonalcoholic Heineken 0.0 beer. (Air Canada said it is the only North American airline to serve a nonalcoholic beer on its flights.)
When it comes to wine, Air Canada offers French red and dry white pours from Paul Mas.
On international flights, the airline provides meals from red Thai chicken with rice to chicken cacciatore with roasted potatoes and bell peppers. And in Air Canada’s Signature class, passengers can feast on four-course meals featuring roasted salmon in teriyaki sauce and butter chicken with basmati rice.
Air Canada is a member of the Star Alliance along with United Airlines. Recently, the carrier moved to a revenue-based model to qualify for elite status with its Aeroplan program. Members earn 1 Aeroplan point per Canadian dollar (about 72 cents) spent on their base fare.
The airline’s updated menus come on the heels of a major strike that forced Air Canada to cancel thousands of flights. The airline reached an agreement with its flight attendants’ union in August.
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