Emirates airline and Air Canada have boosted their partnership, with the two now sharing a home at Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3.
The first Air Canada flight to land at Terminal 3 touched down on Wednesday just before 7pm.
Flying in from Toronto, the jet's arrival at one of the largest airport terminals in the world is a sign of a growing partnership between the two airlines.
Air Canada, which previously operated from Terminal 1, is only the fourth airline to fly out of Terminal 3 after Emirates, flydubai and United Airlines.
Passengers flying with Air Canada can now use all the facilities at Emirates' home terminal, including children's play areas, showers, restaurants and bars. There are also speciality lounges such as Their Patio, a co-working space, Sleep'n'Fly, the largest sleeping lounge at Dubai International Airport, and Game Space, the Middle East's first airport gaming lounge.
Easier transit in Dubai for Emirates and Air Canada passengers
Having both airlines in Terminal 3 will make connecting for travellers flying with either airline easier.
It means that passengers transiting in Dubai between the Americas on Air Canada, or between the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, South-East Asia and Africa on Emirates, will no longer have to switch terminals in Dubai.
“We are delighted to welcome Air Canada to Emirates Terminal 3 in Dubai, which marks another step forward in our strategic partnership to deliver even more value to travellers,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ chief commercial officer.
“Co-locating at T3 means Air Canada customers can enjoy a smooth connection experience when transiting in Dubai on to Emirates' global network, and those eligible can enjoy access to Emirates' signature Business Class Lounges and other hub facilities in Dubai prior to their flight,” he added.
In October, Canada's largest airline will introduce four weekly flights between Vancouver and Dubai, the only non-stop flights from western Canada to any destination in the Middle East.
This month, Emirates launched non-stop flights from Dubai to Montreal, the UAE airline's second destination in Canada. The airline now operates a daily Boeing 777 service to the second-largest city in the North American country, with flight times of just over 13 hours.
Canada is an important destination for DXB. The airport services 14 weekly flights to Toronto and seven to Montreal. Last year, more than 345,000 passengers flew through Dubai International to destinations across Canada, according to Dubai Airports.
Emirates and Air Canada have been enjoying a stronger partnership since November last year, when the airlines expanded their codeshare to more than 40 destinations. They have also introduced reciprocal loyalty programmes so travellers can earn and redeem points when flying with either airline.
