WORLDCHOICE conference 2025: Air Canada to extend season with the A321XLR

Blaithin O'Donnell of Air Canada speaking at Worldchoice conference 2025 — Blaithin O’Donnell of Air Canada speaking at Worldchoice conference 2025

Blaithin O’Donnell of Air Canada told the 2025 Worldchoice conference at Johnstown Estate in County Meath that Dublin-Montreal resumes on 15 May 2026 with four weekly flights, starting with the new A321XLR aircraft for the first two weeks before switching to Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner. Dublin-Vancouver returns on 1 May 2026 and runs until end-October on 787-900 series. Earlier starts support Alaska cruise connections. Winter sun routes via Toronto include Cancun, Punta Cana, Montego Bay (impacted by recent hurricane), Nassau, and San Jose in Costa Rica, alongside other Caribbean islands.

O’Donnell displayed photographs from sales visits, noting visits to agencies like K Travel and Collided Travel. She paid tribute to colleague Paul Adolphus, who died in August 2025 after joining Air Canada in 1973. Adolphus attended every Holiday World Show and trade event in Ireland, describing Irish agents as the most kind and welcoming he encountered. He received tea, home-baked scones, and takeaway packs during visits.

The speaker emphasised emotional intelligence as a core asset for travel agents, distinguishing human service from artificial intelligence. Agents understand client needs beyond stated requests, whether for farmers seeking holidays or families planning once-in-a-lifetime trips after trauma. O’Donnell urged retention of this skill and warmth toward trade partners.

Ms O’Donnell shared experiences from a recent two-week sales mission across Ireland during Canadian Thanksgiving. Air Canada operates year-round Dublin-Toronto flights, reduced to five weekly in winter from this week. Summer 2025 brings a 7pc capacity increase over 2024, extending seasonal services into shoulder periods.

Key takeaways from her talk the extension of seasonal flights with new A321XLR aircraft base din Montreal, winter Caribbean connections via Toronto, and the irreplaceable value of agent emotional intelligence in an AI-driven industry. The presentation closed with a salute to Paul Adolphus.

“The late Paul Adolphus told me that the Irish travel agents were the most kind, generous, welcoming travel agent that he ever had the pleasure of meeting. That emotional intelligence is irreplaceable, that you have not just for us as trade people when we come and visit you, but also for all of the clients that you deal with on a day to day basis is immeasurable”