Air Canada to suspend JWA flights

Six months after bringing the first international commercial service to John Wayne Airport, Air Canada will stop flying to and from the Orange County gateway altogether, an airport official confirmed Monday.

The Canadian carrier told JWA officials last week that it would stop its once daily non-stop flights from John Wayne to Toronto by Oct. 31, said JWA spokeswoman Jenny Wedge.

“They basically feel that it’s not viable for them at this time,” Wedge said.

Earlier this year, Virgin America airways stopped its service at John Wayne. Air Canada’s departure leaves the airport with nine airlines serving 20 destinations, Wedge said.

According to Air Canada’s online booking system, the airlines’ last non-stop flights to Toronto before Oct. 31 are scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

Flight AC786 is scheduled to leave John Wayne at 12:40 p.m. on both days. Other than those two direct flights to Toronto aboard Air Canada, passengers travelling to the Canadian city from JWA will have to use other carriers, including United Airlines and Continental Airlines, connecting with onward flights in San Francisco, Denver, Chicago or Newark.

—Imran Vittachi