Air Transat celebrates inaugural flight to Berlin from Toronto Pearson

Passengers boarding Air Transat’s nearly sold-out inaugural flight to Berlin Thursday evening (June 19) were treated to a surprise pre-flight spread of German pretzels, bratwursts and potato pancakes at Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 3.  

The new direct route further solidifies Transat’s reputation for pushing into underserved markets. It will run June 19th through to October 24th with flights on Thursdays and Sundays.

(Air Transat is also the only Canadian airline that offers non-stop direct service between Toronto and Berlin).

READ MORE: Berlin’s open invitation: Germany’s “cool capital” reaches out with Air Transat

In attendance at Thursday night’s launch event were Kurush Minocher, interim chief commercial officer at Toronto Pearson, Sebastian Ponce, chief revenue officer at Air Transat, Barbara de Tschaschell, acting consul general of Germany in Toronto, and a handful of media. 

Berlin represents a sizeable strategy shift and important market for both business and leisure travel. In the past, travellers typically had to connect through one of many different hubs to get to Berlin.

“Thanks to our partners at Air Transat, passengers now have a non-stop option that brings Canada and Germany a little bit closer together,” said Minocher.

Additionally: “We’re the first carrier serving direct flights from Toronto to Berlin,” added Ponce.

All eyes on Berlin

Berlin has a mix of culture, fun and many sites to visit. From its imperial palaces and castles to the scars left by the World Wars and the Cold War, Berlin is literally a living classroom of modern history.

It’s a destination for tourism, but also a destination for Torontonians visiting family.  Part of the strategy is to connect Transat flights from Montreal, but also with their partners at Porter, opening up connections to and from major Canadian cities, including Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Halifax.

“We may increase frequency in the summer time and extend operations in the future. But that will take time,” said Ponce. “Demand in September and October is pretty high between Canada and Berlin.  The last part of the summer is less seasonal than what you could have in Italy or warmer parts of Europe, but it is still considerable.”

Why Berlin?

“It’s always about figures,” said Ponce. “We have data and that gives us an advantage to take on the demand that’s not being tackled elsewhere in Canada or internationally. We’re taking the opportunity to propose direct flights for passengers connecting from Frankfurt and Munich.”

And it seems like Air Transat has the right idea. “We have good sales for the time being. It’s ahead of expectations. Our first flight is full, we have two seats left.  We’re very happy with the first month of sales,” said Ponce.

Transat is operating the well-appreciated Airbus 321 LR, a single aisle plane with Atlantic capabilities known for its efficiency. It will travel the 6,472 km to Berlin, and every economy ticket includes a hot meal, a glass of wine and a carry-on bag, as well as in-flight entertainment with over 200 options.

There’s also Air Transat’s popular Club Class, a premium cabin experience with enhanced comfort and services. It features wider, reclining seats, priority services, gourmet meals, and a selection of beverages and snacks.

And if you passengers needed any more convincing, Barbara de Tschaschell, acting consul General of Germany in Toronto, gave it her stamp of approval.

“Now I’m totally convinced that I’ll take Air Transat to Berlin. This is for sure,” she said. “A glass of wine? That helps. It’s a long-distance flight, and a new plane helps as well. It’s a great achievement that our capital is now directly connected to Toronto. That’s really good for us as diplomatic members, but also for Canadians who have more than Frankfurt and Munich as German travel options.”

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