Air Canada talks transborder, Cuba, A350-1000s and more in earnings call
Air Canada talks transborder, Cuba, A350-1000s and more in earnings call
https://www.travelweek.ca/news/airlines/air-canada-talks-transborder-cuba-a350-1000s-and-more-in-earnings-call/
Publish Date: 2026-02-13 11:31:00
TORONTO — Air Canada delivered a “strong 2025 … and an exceptional Q4,” said President and CEO, Michael Rousseau, in the airline’s full-year and fourth-quarter earnings call this morning.
Air Canada hit record operating revenues of $5.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, reaching $22.4 billion for the full year. The airline flew 45.3 million passengers last year, with a 0.8% YOY increase in capacity.
Rousseau thanked Air Canada’s team for getting through a demanding year – one that included strike action by flight attendants in August 2025 – and also praised employees for their resilience through recent record cold and snowfall across much of Canada. “Managing through severe weather effectively … is no easy feat,” said Rousseau on this morning’s call.
TRANSBORDER TRAFFIC & CUBA FLIGHTS
In a sign of the times, as Canada’s airlines have adapted to transborder travel’s new normal, questions about Air Canada’s U.S. routes weren’t front and centre like on past calls. Canada-to-U.S. travel is still down, but so far it’s plateaued. Rousseau noted that transborder traffic “has remained relatively steady from a trend perspective over the past year.”
Air Canada’s repatriation flights bringing Cuba vacationers back to Canada continue, and Rousseau said the airline expects “minimal financial impact.” Earlier this week aviation industry expert John Gradek said airlines including Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat would be faced with redeployment questions as aircraft are suddenly pulled off high season Cuba routes.
A350-1000 DELIVERIES START IN 2030
Air Canada’s fleet will get a big boost with the A350-1000. Air Canada has ordered eight A350-1000s, as announced this week, with deliveries scheduled to start in the second half of 2030. With a range of up to 9,000 nautical miles, the A350-1000 is expected to support nonstop services from Canada to high-growth markets across the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia…
