The continued grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has prompted Air Canada to suspend its planned daily direct flights between London and Calgary.
The seasonal non-stop service from the London International Airport was slated to begin June 24 and continue until mid-October. However, the airline said in a statement the planned route would be shelved until next summer as it makes further adjustments to its schedule to accommodate the temporary loss of the Boeing 737 MAX.
Transport Canada grounded the jets over safety concerns following the March 10 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which killed all 157 people on board. It was the second fatal flight involving the aircraft in just over four months.
"Since the Boeing 737 MAX fleet was grounded on March 13, Air Canada has successfully protected 96 per cent of planned flying through strategic commercial adjustments. This includes optimizing the current fleet, consolidating flights on larger aircraft and extending leases on aircraft planned to exit the fleet," Air Canada Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Lucie Guillemette said in a statement.
Other seasonal direct routes being temporarily suspended this summer due to Air Canada's schedule shuffle include Toronto to Shannon, Ireland and Toronto to Abbotsford, BC.
The direct London-to-Calgary flight was announced by Air Canada in February and put the carrier in competition with WestJet, which also offers daily service to the Alberta city from the London airport.
