Air Canada Innovations
  • Oxygen Systems (1930s)
    Air Canada was one of the first airlines to have its entire fleet of unpressurized aircraft equipped with fixed oxygen systems for use by flight crew and passengers, using the rebreathing bag principle.

  • Numbering Control (Beginning in 1940)
    Air Canada developed and used a standard format and numbering control for the preparation of technical instructions which was adopted in principle by the Air Transport Association of America and issued on June 1, 1956

  • Black Box (1958)
    Air Canada pioneered the development of the multi-channel flight recorder to be installed on DC-8/Vanguard aircraft. The multi-channel recording system of greater capability which was eventually widely adopted by the industry - as the "black box".

  • By-pass engine (April 1, 1960)
    Air Canada was the first airline to recognize the validity of efficiency claims for the by-pass engine principle and the first airline to use the by-pass engine in civil operation

  • De-icing - Electric de-icing (1961)
    Air Canada introduced in Canada of aerodynamic surfaces with the introduction of the Vanguard aircraft in 1961.

  • Reservations Automation (1961)
    Air Canada implemented in 1961 the first stage in automation of reservation inventory which was a world first as well as a Canadian original, fostering tremendous growth in computer/communications airlines processes.

  • Jet Freighter (October 1963)
    Air Canada was the first airline to operate a jet freighter with the introduction of the DC-8.

  • All-turbine fleet (April 12, 1963)
    Air Canada became the first major airline with an all turbine fleet which allowed an increase in productivity and reduction in maintenance costs.

  • Non-Smoking Airline (December 7, 1987)
    Air Canada became the first airline in the world to introduce a system-wide Non-Smoking policy

  • Airbus A320 (January 1990)
    Air Canada was the first airline in Canada to operate the Airbus A320.

  • Telephones at arm's reach (1992)
    Air Canada became the first airline in the world to offer all its customers telephones at arm's reach on all of its aircraft.

  • Electronic ticket (December 1995)
    The Electronic ticket made its debut in Canada when Air Canada began testing the service on selected Canadian routes. It was phased in across Canada and on transborder routes during 1996.

  • Airbus A319 (December 1996)
    Air Canada was the first North American carrier to operate the Airbus A319, the first of which was introduced on the Toronto-Boston route.

  • E-mail sell-offs (February 12, 1997)
    Air Canada became the first major airline in Canada to offer E-mail sell-offs with AC WEBSAVER.

  • Electronic ticket (January 23, 1997)
    Air Canada led the way in bringing electronic ticketing to travel agents.

  • Express Check-in (August 30, 1999)
    Air Canada became the first airline to introduce self-service Express Check-in Kiosks in Canada.

  • Interline electronic ticket (June 14, 2000)
    Air Canada and United Airlines introduced the world's first interline electronic ticket.

  • In-flight E-mail (December 2000)
    Air Canada became the first commercial airline to enable passengers to send and receive e-mail on their laptops while in flight, as well as surf websites.

  • Simplified fare structure (May 2003)
    Air Canada is the first North American carrier to simplify its fare structure for bookings made online across its entire domestic network.

  • Multi-trip Flight Passes (April 2004)
    Air Canada's self-managed online multi-trip Flight Passes are an industry first, leading to the creation of fixed monthly payment subscription passes for unlimited travel.

  • Personal Seatback Entertainment Systems (June 2005)
    Air Canada is the first carrier to introduce personal seatback entertainment systems in smaller jet aircraft for short-haul flights.

  • A la carte fare options (October 27, 2006)
    Air Canada's innovative à la carte fare options, available at aircanada.com™, allow customers to pay for perks they want and get discounts for those they don't want.