Toronto Pearson Welcomes Hainan Airlines

Hainan Airlines and Toronto Pearson celebrated the arrival of the Hainan's first flight on its new Beijing-Toronto route on November 27, 2010. The new service will offer passengers direct flights to China three times per week, on Hainan's A340 aircraft. Total flying time will be 13 hours and 40 minutes enroute to Toronto and 14 hours and 15 minutes enroute to Beijing.

"We are very excited to welcome Hainan to Toronto," said Lloyd McCoomb, President and CEO of the GTAA. "This new service represents a major milestone as Chinese tourism to Canada is about to take off in a significant way. Toronto Pearson is ready and willing to work with airlines to add service between Toronto and China."

"China is an important market for Ontario and we are proud to welcome Hainan Airlines to Toronto Pearson," said the Honourable Michael Chan, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism and Culture. "With the Chinese government recently extending Approved Destination Status to Canada and with our Open Ontario plan, we expect more of our friends from China to come and enjoy our province's welcoming culture, natural beauty, and dynamic cities."

In Ontario alone, there is a Chinese population of 644,000, which has increased from 365,000 just 10 years ago according to the most recent Canadian census. The Conference Board of Canada expects Chinese travel to Canada to jump 50 per cent by 2012.