New Ottawa-Paris flight to take off June 27

Air France is launching a direct flight between Ottawa and Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris this summer, the Ottawa International Airport announced in a news release Thursday.

The flight, which takes off June 27, marks the first return of transatlantic routes departing Ottawa since early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.

Airport CEO Mark Laroche said Air France hasn't flown through Ottawa in at least 10 years, calling this an important announcement "especially as part of the recovery following the pandemic."

In 2019, an average of nearly 14,000 passengers travelled through the airport each day and there was service to 45 destinations.

In 2020 and 2021, the daily average dropped to 3,735 and 3,200 passengers respectively.

Nearly three million travellers used the airport in 2022, an average of 8,198 per day.

The Ottawa-Paris flights will run five times a week, though Laroche said Air France could be interested in adding more.

"If the market responds appropriately, they're going to increase their frequency and they're going to stay here for a long time," he said.

Laroche said he expects Charles de Gaulle to become a gateway to Europe for travellers departing the capital.

"It's a great airport because it's a mega hub, so that means that going beyond is much easier," he said. "There's so much to offer in connection and to other destinations from there."

The news comes after Porter Airlines announced the addition of a new route to Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

"We're on a good track right now," Laroche said.