Mr. Duncan Bureau reports

AIR CANADA DEVELOPS VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE TO SHOWCASE ITS UNIQUE DREAMLINER OFFERING

Air Canada is the first Canadian airline to use virtual reality technology to simulate the experience of flying on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner for travel agents and potential customers. Through a fully immersive, interactive experience, users can explore all three cabins of service offered on board the aircraft, including enjoying a virtual international business class meal complete with wine in an executive pod.

"Air Canada is always developing new ways to enhance the customer experience and to engage partners such as the travel agent community, which plays a key role in helping our customers select the travel options best suited to them. Virtual reality enables us to familiarize thousands of travel agents and potential customers with Air Canada's offerings through the magic of an interactive, virtual tour," said Duncan Bureau, vice-president, global sales, at Air Canada. "We have already seen an increase in bookings since we began using this technology."

With the headset on and controls in hand, the journey begins with an overview of Air Canada's global route network, followed by an exploration of the new Air Canada livery. On the trip, users can experience all three cabins: economy, premium economy or international business. Amenity kits, an Air Canada enRoute magazine, tray tables and in-flight entertainment are just some of the elements that can be touched, opened and moved, guided by an audio-based flight attendant. Interactive experiences such as dinner service add an extra element of fun.

To complement the virtual reality experience, Air Canada has produced 360-degree videos of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner cabin that can be accessed on a mobile device or desktop on the Air Canada website.

Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliner virtual reality experience will be available at the following events:

• Air Canada Pop-Up Poutinerie, Shoreditch, London, United Kingdom, until Nov. 11, 2017;
• True Patriot Love Gala, Toronto, Nov. 9, 2017;
• Bazar Ed, Santiago, Chile, Nov. 22 to Nov. 26, 2017;
• WX Top 100 Leadership Summit, Toronto, Nov. 23, 2017;
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Gala, the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, Nov. 30, 2017.

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 200 airports on six continents. Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and, in 2016, served close to 45 million customers. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 64 airports in Canada, 57 in the United States, and 98 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America.