History of Air Canada in Timeline

Air Canada is Canada's largest airline and flag carrier, established in 1937. Headquartered in Montreal, it operates scheduled and charter flights for passengers and cargo to 222 destinations globally. As a founding member of the Star Alliance, Air Canada maintains major hubs at Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto–Pearson, and Vancouver airports. The airline plays a significant role in connecting Canada domestically and internationally.

1936: Creation of Trans-Canada Air Lines

In 1936, the Canadian federal government created Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA), which later became Air Canada.

April 1937: Creation of Trans-Canada Air Lines as a CNR Subsidiary

On April 11, 1937, Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA), Air Canada's predecessor, was created by federal legislation as a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway (CNR).

September 1937: Passenger flights begin

On September 1, 1937, passenger flights began, with an Electra carrying two passengers and mail from Vancouver to Seattle, a $14.20 round trip.

1937: Air Canada Founded

In 1937, Air Canada was founded as the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada, providing scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo.

July 1938: First Flight Attendants Hired

On July 1, 1938, TCA hired its first flight attendants.

1938: First transcontinental flight routes

In 1938, Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) began operating its first transcontinental flight routes.

April 1939: Transcontinental Routes Launched

On April 1, 1939, transcontinental routes from Montreal to Vancouver began, using 12 Lockheed Model 14 Super Electras and six Lockheed Model 18 Lodestars.

January 1940: Employee Count

By January 1940, the airline had grown to about 579 employees.

1942: Merger Proposal and Regulation

In 1942, Canadian Pacific Airlines (CP Air) suggested a merger with TCA, but the proposal was rejected, and legislation was introduced regulating TCA as the only airline allowed to provide transcontinental flights.

1949: Headquarters Moved to Montreal

In 1949, the federal government moved TCA's headquarters from Winnipeg to Montreal.

1953: Introduction of ReserVec

In 1953, TCA became the first airline in the world to use a computer reservation system with remote terminals, with the development of the ReserVec.

1964: Logo Used

Design aspects from the Air Canada logo used between 1964 and 1992 were included in the new aircraft livery launched in February 2017.

1964: Proposed Name Change to Air Canada

In 1964, Jean Chrétien submitted a private member's bill to change the name of the airline from Trans-Canada Airlines to Air Canada.

January 1965: Name Change to Air Canada Takes Effect

On January 1, 1965, the name change from Trans-Canada Airlines to Air Canada took effect.

1965: TCA renamed Air Canada

In 1965, Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) was officially renamed Air Canada, following government approval.

1975: Headquarters Location

In 1975, Air Canada was headquartered at 1 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal.

1976: Air Canada Becomes Independent Crown Corporation

In 1976, with reorganization at CNR, Air Canada became an independent Crown corporation.

1976: CEO and President

Since 1976, the following have been CEO and President of Air Canada, after being a department of the Canadian National Railway (CNR).

1978: The Air Canada Act

In 1978, The Air Canada Act ensured that the carrier would compete on a more equal footing with rival regional airlines and CP Air, and ended the government's direct regulatory control over Air Canada's routings, fares, and services. Also, in 1978 Judy Cameron became the first female pilot hired to fly for any major Canadian carrier when she was hired to fly by Air Canada.

1985: Government Indicates Willingness to Privatize Air Canada

By 1985, the Canadian government was indicating a willingness to privatize Air Canada.

December 1987: Fleet-wide Non-Smoking Policy

On December 7, 1987, Air Canada became the first airline in the world with a fleet-wide non-smoking policy.

1987: Deregulation of Canadian Airline Market

In 1987, the deregulation of the Canadian airline market, under the new National Transportation Act, officially opened the airline market in Canada to equal competition.

1987: No-Smoking Flights Enacted

In the spring of 1987, Air Canada enacted no-smoking flights between Canada and New York City as a test, later extending the ban after a survey showed strong passenger support.

1988: Air Canada Privatized

In 1988, Air Canada was privatized, and 43% of shares were sold on the public market, with the initial public offering completed in October of that year.

1989: Fully Privatized

Air Canada became fully privatized in 1989, and its variable voting shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:AC).

1989: Air Canada Completely Privatized

In 1989, Air Canada became completely privatized.

1990: Headquarters Moved

In 1990, the airline moved its headquarters to the airport to cut costs.

1992: First Canadian President since Claude Taylor

Calin Rovinescu became the first Canadian President since Claude Taylor in 1992.

1992: Logo Used

Design aspects from the Air Canada logo used between 1964 and 1992 were included in the new aircraft livery launched in February 2017.

1992: enRoute Card Business Sold

In 1992, Air Canada sold the enRoute card business to Diners Club.

1994: Air Canada Returns to Profitability

By 1994, Air Canada returned to profitability. In 1994, the carrier also winning route access to fly from Canada to the new Kansai Airport in Osaka, Japan.

1995: Expansion of Trans-border Routes

In 1995, taking advantage of a new US-Canada open skies agreement, Air Canada added 30 new trans-border routes.

May 1997: Founding Member of Star Alliance

In May 1997, Air Canada became a founding member of the Star Alliance, launching codeshares with several of the alliance's members.

September 1998: Pilots' Strike

On September 2, 1998, pilots for Air Canada launched the company's first pilots' strike, demanding higher wages.

1999: Aviation Regulation Relaxation and Takeover Bids

At the end of 1999, the Canadian government relaxed some aviation regulations, aiming to consolidate the Canadian airline industry. Also in 1999, American Airlines in conjunction with Canadian financial company Onex Corp, launched takeover bids for ailing rival Canadian Airlines and Air Canada, spurring Air Canada to submit a competing offer for its largest rival.

1999: Consistent profits for the airline

The second half of the 1990s saw the airline earn consistent profits, totaling $1 billion for the 1997 to 1999 period.

January 2000: Air Canada Acquired Canadian Airlines International

In January 2000, Air Canada acquired Canada's second-largest air carrier, Canadian Airlines International, merging the latter's operations and becoming the world's twelfth-largest airline.

January 2000: Air Canada Takes Over Canadian Airlines

On January 4, 2000, Air Canada took over its largest rival, Canadian Airlines.

January 2001: Pledge to Improve Service

In January 2001, Air Canada officials pledged to improve service following integration efforts that led to flight delays and luggage problems in the summer of 2000.

November 2001: Air Canada Tango Launched

On 1 November 2001, Air Canada launched Air Canada Tango, designed to offer no-frills service and lower fares using a dedicated fleet of 13 Airbus A320s.

2001: Regional Carriers Consolidated

In 2001, Air Canada consolidated its wholly owned regional carriers Air BC, Air Nova, Air Ontario, and Canadian Regional Airlines into Air Canada Regional Incorporated.

2002: Air Canada faced aviation market downturn and increased competition.

In 2002, Air Canada faced aviation market downturn and increased competition, posting back-to-back losses in 2001 and 2002.

2002: Zip Launched

In 2002, Air Canada launched a discount airline named Zip to compete directly with WestJet. Zip operated ex-Canadian Airlines International 737-200s.

2002: Air Canada Jazz Created

In 2002, the consolidation of regional carriers was completed with the creation of a new brand, Air Canada Jazz.

2002: New Cargo Terminal Completed in Toronto

In early 2002, a new cargo terminal was completed in Toronto which featured modernised inventory and conveyor systems.

April 2003: Files for Protection Under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act

On April 1, 2003, Air Canada filed for protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act.

2003: Bankruptcy

Calin Rovinescu was Air Canada's chief restructuring officer during its 2003 bankruptcy; he resigned that year after unions rejected his demands.

2003: Air Canada Files for Bankruptcy Protection

In 2003, Air Canada filed for bankruptcy protection.

2003: Deutsche Bank Financing Package

In 2003, Deutsche Bank unveiled an $850 million financing package for Air Canada, contingent on cost reductions.

2003: James Farley Presided Over Bankruptcy

In 2003, James Farley presided over Air Canada's bankruptcy.

September 2004: Emerges from Bankruptcy Protection

On September 30, 2004, Air Canada emerged from protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, 18 months after filing.

October 2004: Celine Dion Becomes the Face of Air Canada

In October 2004, Canadian singer Celine Dion became the face of Air Canada to relaunch the airline and draw in a more international market. Celine Dion recorded her single "You and I" which subsequently appeared in several Air Canada commercials.

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October 2004: End of Boeing 747 Service and New Aircraft Color Scheme

On October 31, 2004, the last Air Canada Boeing 747 flight landed in Toronto, ending 33 years of service. On 19 October 2004, Air Canada unveiled a new aircraft colour scheme and uniforms.

2004: New Air Canada Uniforms

Between 2004 and 2017, Air Canada uniforms used a midnight blue colour designed by Debbie Shuchat. Celine Dion helped debut the new image.

2004: Tango Service Dissolved

The Air Canada Tango service was dissolved in 2004.

2004: Zip Disbanded

Zip, Air Canada's discount airline to compete directly with WestJet, was disbanded in 2004.

November 2005: Widebody Fleet Renewal Agreement

On November 9, 2005, Air Canada agreed to renew its widebody fleet by purchasing 16 Boeing 777s (10 -300ERs, 6 -200LRs), and 14 Boeing 787-8s, with options for more.

2005: Aeroplan Spun Off

Aeroplan, Air Canada's loyalty marketing program, was spun off from Air Canada in 2005.

July 2006: Project XM: Extreme Makeover

Started in July 2006 and since completed, Project XM: Extreme Makeover, was a $300 million aircraft interior replacement project to install new cabins on all aircraft.

November 2006: Air Canada Jazz Spun Off

Air Canada Jazz was spun off in November 2006.

March 2007: Deliveries of Boeing 777s Began

In March 2007, deliveries of the Boeing 777s began.

April 2007: Exercise of Boeing 787 Dreamliner Options

On 24 April 2007, Air Canada exercised half of its options for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

November 2007: Lease of Additional Boeing 777-300ER

In November 2007, Air Canada leased an additional Boeing 777-300ER.

2007: Pension Shortfall Growth

In 2007, Air Canada's pension shortfall grew to $1.2 billion, contributing to a liquidity risk cited in a later report.

June 2008: Layoffs and Capacity Cuts Announced

In June 2008, Air Canada announced it would lay off over 2,000 employees and cut its capacity by 7 percent by the first quarter of 2009 due to high fuel prices and the Great Recession.

March 2009: Montie Brewer Resigned

Montie Brewer resigned on 30 March 2009.

July 2009: Financial Aid Received

In July 2009, Air Canada received CA$1 billion in financial aid from a consortium, including the Canadian government, ACE, and Aeroplan. Only CA$600 million was a loan; the rest came from sale-leaseback accounting and savings.

2009: Capacity cut

Air Canada cut its capacity by 7 percent by the first quarter of 2009 due to high fuel prices and the Great Recession.

2009: Pension Payment Moratorium Request

In 2009, Air Canada requested a moratorium on its pension payments due to a significant Q1 loss, despite being obligated to contribute $650 million to the pension fund.

December 2010: ACE Sells Air Canada Shares

In December 2010, ACE sold 44 million Air Canada shares.

2010: Cash Conservation for 2010 Operations

In 2010, Air Canada required new financing and pension "relief" to conserve cash for its operations.

June 2011: Air Canada Jazz Brand No Longer Marketed

As of June 2011, the Air Canada Jazz brand is no longer being marketed as all regional operators adopted the Air Canada Express name.

September 2012: Air Canada unveiled "Air Canada Altitude" frequent flyer status program

On 20 September 2012, Air Canada unveiled its new frequent flyer status program named "Air Canada Altitude" to supplement Aeroplan. Aeroplan remained the frequent flyer rewards program.

November 2012: ACE Sells Remaining Shares

In November 2012, ACE sold its remaining 31 million Air Canada shares to Cormark Securities Inc.

December 2012: Air Canada Rouge Launched

Launched in December 2012, Air Canada Rouge is a subsidiary of Air Canada that serves predominantly leisure destinations.

2012: Began to be Profitable

Air Canada had been loss-making for several years, but began to be profitable from 2012.

December 2013: Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft Ordered

In December 2013, Air Canada ordered 61 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle narrow body aircraft to replace its existing fleet of Airbus A320 series aircraft.

February 2014: Decision to Leave Sports Charter Business

In February 2014, Air Canada decided to leave the sports charter business.

May 2014: Deliveries of Boeing 787s Began

In May 2014, deliveries of the Boeing 787s began.

March 2015: Agreement with NHL Teams

On 17 March 2015, Air Canada announced an agreement with several NHL teams to provide charter services under the Air Canada Jetz brand for six years starting from the 2015–2016 NHL season.

July 2016: OTCQX International Premier Listing

Since 29 July 2016, Air Canada's variable voting shares are traded on OTCQX International Premier in the US under the single ticker symbol "ACDVF".

2016: Charter Services Under Air Canada Jetz Brand

Air Canada provided charter services under the Air Canada Jetz brand for six years starting from the 2015-2016 NHL season.

2016: Embraer E190s Retired and Purchased by Boeing

In 2016, Air Canada retired 25 Embraer E190s, which were then purchased by Boeing as part of a deal.

February 2017: New Aircraft Livery Launched

On 9 February 2017, a new retro red and black aircraft livery was launched, coinciding with Air Canada's 80th anniversary and Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation. The update included design aspects from the logo used between 1964 and 1992, with an overall white colour scheme, a black underside, a tail fin with a red maple leaf rondelle, black "Air Canada" lettering with a red maple leaf rondelle underneath, and a black "mask" surrounding the cockpit windows.

February 2017: New Uniform Scheme Unveiled

On 9 February 2017, a new uniform scheme coinciding with Canada's 150th and Air Canada's 80th anniversaries was unveiled. Air Canada partnered with Vancouver-born fashion designer Christopher Bates to design the new uniforms which incorporate a base colour of black or grey with red lettering and the famous maple leaf.

May 2017: Air Canada to launch new loyalty program

In May 2017, Air Canada announced its plans to launch a new loyalty program in 2020, that would replace Aeroplan and Altitude.

July 2017: Premium Economy Reintroduced

In July 2017, Air Canada reintroduced Premium Economy on its North American wide-body flights.

November 2017: First MAX 8 Variant Delivered

On 2 November 2017, Air Canada took delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 variant aircraft.

2017: New Air Canada Uniforms

Between 2004 and 2017, Air Canada uniforms used a midnight blue colour designed by Debbie Shuchat. Celine Dion helped debut the new image.

April 2018: International Business Class Rebranded

In April 2018, Air Canada rebranded its international business class cabin as Air Canada Signature Class. Passengers could expect an enhanced menu, including the new Air Canada Signature Cocktail, new amenity kits, a chauffeur service (using BMW vehicles) and access to the Air Canada Signature Suite at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

May 2018: Taiwan Listed as Part of China

In May 2018, Air Canada listed Taiwan as part of China to comply with a requirement of China's civil aviation administration.

June 2018: Joint Venture Signed with Air China

On 6 June 2018, Air Canada and Air China signed a joint venture, which was the first joint venture between a North American and Chinese airline.

2018: Tango Fare Class Renamed

As of 2018, Air Canada has renamed the Tango fare class to Standard fare.

January 2019: Aeroplan Re-Purchased

In January 2019, Air Canada re-purchased Aeroplan from Aimia Inc.

January 2019: Air Canada re-acquired Aeroplan

On 10 January 2019, Air Canada re-acquired Aeroplan from Aimia.

February 2019: Air Canada mobile app's privacy issues

In February 2019, TechCrunch reported that the Air Canada mobile app in the iOS App Store incorporated session-replay software from Glassbox, which recorded users' activities and transmitted the data, including unredacted credit card data and passport numbers, to remote servers without the users' informed consent.

May 2019: Exclusive Talks to Buy Transat A.T.

On 16 May 2019, Air Canada announced it was in exclusive talks to buy Transat A.T., the parent company that owns Air Transat, for CA$520 million.

June 2019: Agreement to Purchase Transat A.T.

On 27 June 2019, Transat A.T. agreed to be purchased by Air Canada for CA$13 per share.

August 2019: Purchase Price of Transat A.T. Raised

On 11 August 2019, Air Canada raised the purchase price of Transat A.T. to CA$18 per share, making the overall value of the deal $720 million. On 23 August 2019, 95% of Transat A.T. shareholders approved the acquisition by Air Canada on that basis.

2019: Air Canada Passenger Count

In 2019, Air Canada flew 51.5 million passengers.

2019: Agreement with Bombardier Aerospace

In 2019, Air Canada signed an agreement with Bombardier Aerospace to replace the E190s with Airbus A220/CSeries aircraft.

2019: Financial Performance

In its first quarterly financial report, Air Canada announced it had lost CA$1.05 billion, compared to a profit of CA$345 million in Q1 2019.

March 2020: Flight Suspensions Announced

On 18 March 2020, Air Canada announced it would suspend most of its flights by 31 March due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 2020: Revised Downwards Acquisition Agreement

In October 2020, the agreement to purchase Transat A.T. was revised downwards to CA$5 per share, reflecting the challenges posed to the airline industry by the COVID-19 pandemic.

November 2020: Air Canada Altitude renamed as Aeroplan Elite Status

On 8 November 2020, Air Canada Altitude renamed as Aeroplan Elite Status. Altitude Qualifying Miles (AQM), Segments (AQS), and Dollars (AQD) have been replaced by Status Qualifying Miles (SQM), Segments (SQS), and Dollars (SQD).

2020: Loss-Making Again Due to COVID-19

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Canada was again loss-making in 2020.

2020: Air Canada Altitude and Aeroplan merged

In 2020, Air Canada Altitude and Aeroplan merged, with Aeroplan as the surviving entity.

February 2021: Government of Canada Approved Takeover

On 11 February 2021, the Government of Canada approved the takeover of Transat A.T. by Air Canada.

April 2021: Government of Canada Ownership Stake

As of April 2021, the Government of Canada owns approximately 6.4% of Air Canada.

April 2021: Takeover Dropped

In April 2021, the takeover of Transat A.T. by Air Canada was dropped following a failure to secure European Commission approval.

October 2021: Government of Canada Acquires Stake in Air Canada

In October 2021, the Government of Canada acquired 6.4% of Air Canada in return for financial support to mitigate the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 2022: Flight Cancellations Announced

In June 2022, Air Canada announced it was cancelling over 150 daily flights in the summer due to unprecedented and unexpected pressure in the aviation industry after the provincial governments across the country began lifting pandemic-era restrictions.

September 2022: Government's Decision Welcomed

In September 2022, Air Canada welcomed the Government of Canada's decision to lift remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including requirements for wearing masks on aircraft, testing and quarantine, and the compulsory use of ArriveCAN.

October 2022: Elimination of ArriveCAN

In October 2022, the Canadian government eliminated the compulsory use of ArriveCAN.

April 2023: Grand Theft at Cargo Terminal

On 17 April 2023, a grand theft occurred at the Air Canada cargo terminal at Toronto Pearson International Airport. A container containing gold bars and currency valued at over C$20 million was stolen, with two Air Canada employees allegedly involved.

January 2024: Air Canada Destinations

As of January 2024, Air Canada flies to 64 domestic destinations and 158 international destinations across Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania.

May 2025: Air Canada Fleet Composition

As of May 2025, the Air Canada fleet consists of 205 mainline passenger aircraft, a mix of Airbus and Boeing narrow-body and wide-body jets.

2025: Wi-Fi Rollout to Aeroplan Members

Starting in 2025, Air Canada, in partnership with Bell Canada, will roll out fast and free Wi-Fi to Aeroplan members on Wi-Fi-equipped planes flying within North America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.