Air Canada seeks five new international cargo routes

Air Canada is seeking government approval to add five new destinations in Europe and South America to its air freight network starting 1 June, seeking to take advantage of demand for cargo capacity even as passenger travel demand remains stagnant. If approved, the Canadian flag carrier would operate air freight deliveries from its hub in Montreal to Bogota, Lima, Amsterdam, Dublin and Madrid. The carrier added that scheduled commercial flights could support cargo capacity, but it has not operated passenger flights to those cities since March, according to Cirium schedules data. Air Canada on 27 May announced it would operate the air freight routes with four Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and three Airbus A330-300s that have been converted to carry cargo in passenger cabins. Air Canada says it has operated 1,200 cargo-only flights since the end of March when airlines began to trim capacity as Canada and other nations began quarantine restrictions. The carrier says it is seeking opportunities to add additional all-cargo flights.<br/>