MONTREAL, May 9, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Transat, named the 2018 World's Best Leisure Airline, is pleased to announce that it will add New Orleans, Louisiana, to its portfolio of fall and winter destinations. Beginning in November 2019, the airline will offer two direct flights a week from Montreal, giving travellers a chance to experience the festive atmosphere of jazz clubs or a contemplative stroll along the Bayou.

"With the steady demand for New Orleans, Air Transat is pleased to be the only airline to offer non-stop service from Montreal to this unique vacation destination, and to be enhancing its offering for next winter with this distinctive option," says Annick Guérard, Chief Operating Officer, Transat. "Adding this new route strengthens Air Transat's status as a Canadian leader in leisure travel while also providing greater flexibility to business travellers visiting Louisiana, who will have the option of extending their stay."

"We are extremely pleased to welcome this first direct connection to New Orleans from Montréal," said Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal. "Thanks to Air Transat, travellers will be able to discover a vibrant and culturally rich destination. Known as the birthplace of Jazz, New Orleans is definitely worth the trip! With this new link, YUL is further enhancing its air service and now offers a total of 152 direct destinations."

"We are thrilled to have Air Transat provide this convenient direct connection between New Orleans and Montreal—two great North American cities with rich cultures and shared historical ties to France," said Kevin Dolliole, Aviation Director for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. "The addition of this new flight brings us to a total of 8 international destinations, which allows us to connect more and more people from around the world to everything New Orleans has to offer."

"Tourisme Montréal is delighted with this first non-stop route between Louisiana and our metropolis, which will certainly help us reach our objective of welcoming 13.5 million tourists annually by 2022. Each year, more and more travellers visit us from the United States. This important addition opens up a promising market of people, which will certainly be open to discovering Montreal's authenticity and creativity. I would like to congratulate Air Transat for its dynamism and its contribution, year after year, to the development of tourism in Montreal and Quebec, "said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

Air Transat will fly twice a week to New Orleans, on Thursdays and Sundays, beginning November 3, 2019. Details of Air Transat's 2019 winter flight program will be announced shortly.  

About Air Transat
Air Transat is Canada's number one holiday airline. It flies to some 60 destinations in more than 25 countries in the Americas and Europe, offers domestic and feeder flights within Canada, and carries some 5 million passengers every year. Based in Montreal, the company employs 3,000 people. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., a leading integrated international tourism company specializing in holiday travel and offering vacation packages, hotel stays and air travel. Transat was awarded Travelife certification in 2018 in recognition of its commitment to sustainable development.

Recent distinctions and awards (2018)

• Named World's Best Leisure Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards
• Voted Best Leisure/Charter Airline at the Agents' Choice Awards presented by Baxter Travel Media
• Voted Best Airline at the Trophées Uni-Vers awards organized by the Association des Agents de Voyages du Québec

SOURCE Transat A.T. Inc.