Québec City, October 1, 2009 – Passengers will soon have more reason than ever to fly out of Québec City: Air Transat will be offering new nonstop flights to Bordeaux and Marseille starting summer 2010. The carrier, which already operates flights to Paris and a number of flights every week to the south from Québec City, has made the move to boost its presence at the airport and offer clients enhanced service.
“We are especially pleased to see our development efforts pay off and to be able to meet passenger needs in concrete terms. The modernization of the terminal has clearly been a worthwhile investment and a key factor in our success,” said president and COO Pascal Bélanger. “Our modern and efficient infrastructure has added to the airport’s appeal and vitality and allows us to attract and keep partners who, like Transat, are consolidating their presence to the benefit of our clients. These two new connections will help us continue to spur the region’s growth and economic development by making it easier for passengers to travel back and forth between France and Québec City.” Mr. Bélanger marked the occasion in the presence of the Transat A.T. president and CEO, the mayor of Québec City, and other socioeconomic stakeholders from the region.
Starting June 23, 2010, and until October 13, 2010, Air Transat will be operating one flight a week between Québec City and Marseille, as well as seven other flights to Bordeaux on June 22, 2010, and from September 7 to October 12, 2010. According to Québec City Tourism, the number of French tourists visiting Québec City was up by 15% in 2008. A large number of them already come from outside the Paris area, but the new connections will no doubt help convince French travelers to come to Québec’s capital in even greater numbers.
Chairman of the board Gaëtan Gagné took the opportunity to reiterate that despite today’s difficult economy, Aéroport de Québec was continuing its expansion, with transborder and international traffic rising by 15.8% and 23.4% respectively over the past few months. “The airport is a first-rate economic engine. We must now go even further to maintain our growth, cope with increased traffic, and meet rising expectations,” said Mr. Gagné, pointing to the expansion of the international area and the construction of a covered parking lot.
Since November 1, 2000, Aéroport de Québec inc. has been responsible for the management, operation, maintenance, and development of Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport. Thirteen carriers offer multiple flights to North America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, including over 40 direct, nonstop daily flights to major hubs in eastern Canada and the United States, notably Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, New York, Detroit, and Chicago, and over 40 weekly charter flights (in winter) to holiday destinations in the south, as well as Paris and Nantes.