CLEVELAND — Air Canada says it is "temporarily suspending" its nonstop service from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to Toronto's Pearson International Airport starting in October.
While the last flight from CLE to Toronto will be on Oct. 13, the good news is that Air Canada says it "looks forward to restarting service at the beginning of May next year."
Currently, Cleveland passengers can fly to Toronto three times daily, often using the service as a springboard to get to international destinations in Europe, Asia, and other parts of Canada.
So why is this happening? A spokesperson for Air Canada tells 3News that the airline made the decision for "commercial reasons."
As several outlets, including 3News' media partner Cleveland.com, are reporting, Air Canada is suspending routes from Toronto to six U.S. destinations this winter. Alongside Cleveland, that list includes Columbus, Cincinnati, Hartford, Indianapolis, and Kansas City.
While it is reducing flights to U.S. cities in the Midwest and Northeast, Air Canada announced last week that it is increasing its "winter sun network" with 50 flights departing Canada every day, serving a total of 55 "Caribbean and US Sun vacation destinations."
The suspension of Air Canada service in Cleveland will temporarily knock down the number of carriers at Hopkins Airport to 10. Sun Country Airlines began its Cleveland-to-Minneapolis St. Paul service in May.
"The airline industry is facing myriad challenges that can negatively impact capacity," Hopkins Airport officials told 3news in a statement. "This seasonal reduction in Air Canada service affects several U.S. markets. Air Canada has served Northeast Ohio via Cleveland Hopkins International Airport for many decades and we look forward to that partnership continuing for years to come."
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