Air Canada retires last Boeing 767 after 37 years
Air Canada has retired its last Boeing 767 after a 37-year run with the airline, part of a broader retirement of jets from its fleet because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Montreal-based carrier flew its last scheduled passenger flight with a 767-300ER from Montreal (YUL) to Toronto Pearson (YYZ) on Tuesday (June 2), Air Canada said Wednesday. The flight, AC439, landed in Toronto at 7:32 p.m. local time.
Air Canada is also retiring the 25 767-300ERs at its budget subsidiary Rouge.
Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more airline news!
The crisis has fallen hard on the 767, once a medium-haul workhorse of airline fleets. In addition to Air Canada, American Airlines accelerated the retirement of its 767s and United Airlines is considering retiring its 767-400ERs.
"9/11 killed the 727 and maybe Corona will kill the 767?" said Marty St. George, the former commercial chief at JetBlue Airways, on Twitter in March.
For now in North America, Delta Air Lines, United and WestJet plan to continue flying some of their 767s. Other operators include All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL) and bankrupt LATAM Airlines in Chile.
Related: Air Canada Rouge to retire Boeing 767s, focus on narrow-body jets post-coronavirus
In May, Air Canada outlined plans to retire its 767s, putting them among 79 jets that are leaving its fleet due to the crisis. The move included accelerating the departure of the remaining five aircraft in its mainline fleet, as well as removing all of the 767s at Rouge.
Air Canada does not plan to replace any of the 767s with other aircraft, said CEO Calin Rovinescu in May.
The airline introduced its first 767, a smaller 767-200, on Feb. 14, 1983. The jet flew for both Air Canada and Canadian Airlines International, which merged into Air Canada in 2001. The last 767-200s were retired in 2008.
Related: Air Canada resumes US flights, will serve fewer than half its destinations this summer
Air Canada also flew its last scheduled passenger flight with an Embraer E190 on May 31, according to Routes Online. The retirement of the E-Jets pre-dates the coronavirus, but was accelerated as a result of the crisis.
However, the carrier is adding some new jets. Air Canada will take delivery of all 14 Airbus A220-300 aircraft scheduled to arrive in later in 2020, executives said in May. The jets were first introduced in January and feature the airline's latest onboard product, including inflight entertainment screens at every seat, USB-C charging ports and high-speed Wi-Fi.
"All in all, the Air Canada A220 is a joy to fly," said TPG's Zach Griff after flying on Air Canada's inaugural A220 flight.
Related: First look onboard Air Canada's first Airbus A220
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.