Glasgow Airport welcomed a new service to Toronto – Canada’s most visited city.
The route, operated by airline partner WestJet, touched down on Saturday morning and will operate four times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, connecting Scottish leisure and business travellers to the capital city of the Ontario province.
Glasgow’s Operations Director Ronald Leitch said: “Toronto has always been a popular destination for our passengers, so we were thrilled to welcome WestJet’s new service to Glasgow Airport.
“Our recovery, and that of the wider aviation industry, is continuing at pace and we are keen to continue to re-connect with our North American cousins after what has been a long absence.
“As a gateway to Scotland, we are also keen to welcome once again the tens of thousands of Canadians who travel through Glasgow Airport each year to explore all our country has to offer.”
The Toronto route will not only deliver fantastic access to one of North America’s most visited destinations, but it will also provide further onward connectivity across Canada thanks to WestJet’s extensive network from the city’s Toronto Pearson Airport.
Earlier this month WestJet resumed its Halifax route at Glasgow Airport with three services operating per week.
Both routes will operate using WestJet’s latest generation Boeing 737 fleet, which delivers an enhanced guest experience, improved fuel efficiency and is 40% quieter than the previous aircraft.
“The launch of service between Toronto and Glasgow, marks another milestone in recovery as we rebuild our network and strengthen transatlantic connectivity between our two countries,” said John Weatherill, Chief Commercial Officer, WestJet.
“These connections are critical to the recovery of international travel and tourism and we look forward to stimulating business and leisure travel between both destinations as we work towards restoring our network to pre-pandemic levels this summer.”
Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth, said: “I welcome the launch of WestJet’s new service between Glasgow and Toronto, which is a real demonstration of confidence in the Scottish aviation market, as well as another significant milestone in the recovery of our international connectivity.
“Canada is a very important market to us when it comes to tourism and business, and this is also great news for passengers in Scotland who now have another option to connect directly to Toronto.
“The aviation industry has been severely impacted by COVID-19, so I’m pleased to see these signs of connectivity recovering given the vital role the sector plays in our economy. I wish Glasgow Airport and WestJet every success with this service.”
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland said: “Congratulations to Glasgow Airport and WestJet on Saturday’s inaugural flight which is warmly welcomed by Scotland’s tourism industry.
“Before the pandemic, Canada was one of our top international markets for visitors and growing. We have worked hard to keep Scotland top of mind here but the return of direct services from Halifax and this new service from Toronto is crucial and will help to support the long-term recovery of our industry.
“VisitScotland has enjoyed a very positive partnership with Glasgow Airport and WestJet and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them promoting this additional service.
“We know there is pent-up demand among Canadians to travel. Our message and that of the Scottish tourism industry is simple we are open and cannot wait to welcome back Canadian visitors.”