Tomorrow, Air Transat, Canada’s leading holiday travel airline and a subsidiary of Transat A.T. Inc., will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its first flight, which took wing on November 14, 1987. On that day, some 360 passengers left Montreal for the sunny skies of Acapulco on board a Lockheed L-1011.

“Since then, Air Transat has gone on to become the leading carrier in its category, thanks among other things to its highly qualified flight crews, excellent customer service, exceptional value, special services for families and young travellers, Club Class and one of the industry’s best on-time records,” said Air Transat President and CEO Allen B. Graham. “It’s not too surprising that, since 1987, no fewer than 35 million passengers have chosen to fly and see the world with Air Transat.”

In 2007, Air Transat has some 300 pilots, more than 1,100 flight attendants, 290 specialized technicians and more than 300 office staff. The company makes approximately 12,000 flights per year, departing from every region of Canada.

Air Transat is also the main partner of the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. Since 2004, through its “Change for Kids” program, the company has helped grant the fondest wishes of numerous children coping with serious illness. To date, the company has raised $ 2.3 million for the Foundation through donations from passengers and employees.

Air Transat would like all of its customers to share in its 20th anniversary celebrations. From November 12 to 18, check-in counters at the airline’s eight principal locations —Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Paris and London— will take on a festive air, emblazoned with the 20-year anniversary colours. Passengers flying with Air Transat on November 14 will also have a chance to win various prizes drawn on board. A bit of historyIn June 1987, a Quebec-based tour operator called Trafic Voyages, today Transat A.T. Inc., set out to expand the organization and launch its own airline: Air Transat. To do so, the company made an initial public offering, which raised about $8 million.

Over the next 20 years, Transat A.T. quickly grew to join the ranks of the top international tour operators, with annualized sales of approximately $3 billion (annualized), 6,000 employees in eight countries, and products in over 60 destination countries. Air Transat, in turn, has become Canada’s leading charter airline, carrying some 2.6 million tourists to approximately 30 sun destinations every year and offering direct flights to about 30 European cities in more than 10 countries.

About Air Transat
Air Transat is Canada's leading holiday travel airline. It carries some 2.6 million passengers annually to nearly 60 destinations in 25 countries. Air Transat has a fleet of 16 Airbus A330s and A310s. The company employs approximately 2,000 people. Air Transat is a subsidiary of Transat A.T. Inc., an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries.