Celebrating Canada

I wrote this letter for the July issue of Sky magazine, which features Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the cover. You can read it on any Delta flight, but I thought I'd also share it with my LinkedIn colleagues.

While globalization brings us closer to distant lands like Africa, Australia and Asia, our familiar neighbor to the north is a critical part of Delta's ever-growing international expansion. We're proud to feature Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on our cover this month as we celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary and highlight the nation’s role as a major destination for business and leisure travel.

I took the opportunity to chat with Steven Larkin, Delta's Toronto-based director of sales for Canada, about the importance that Canada plays in our global network.

Ed Bastian: Steve, you spend a lot of time with Delta customers on both sides of the border. Why is the Canadian market so important?

Steven Larkin: It starts with our history of service. Delta has flown to and from Canada since 1934, and today we connect 11 Canadian cities coast to coast, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Victoria, British Columbia, to the Delta network in the U.S. and the world beyond.

EB: What’s new for our customers in the market?

SL: Last year we added Toronto to Salt Lake City and Victoria to Seattle. And over the past few years we have seen more mainline service entering Canada, such as the Boeing 717 on our Toronto-Atlanta flights. Additionally, we’ve launched Ottawa to New York-LaGuardia just this year, now linking Canada’s capital to the Big Apple. 

We are also looking forward to welcoming the Bombardier C series to Delta’s fleet next year. Bombardier is a proud Canadian company with headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, and they are also a great Delta customer.

EB: How is our service in Canada different than what we offer in the U.S.?

SL: Much of our service in Canada is tied to the power of our global network and strategic partnerships. Along with our joint venture partners such as Air France, KLM and Alitalia, as well as our strategic partner Westjet, we can offer our Canadian customers a wide array of convenient destinations worldwide. And we similarly can bring travelers from points across the globe to Canada to experience all that nation has to offer to business and leisure travelers alike.

EB: You know Canada very well. Do you have a favorite destination?

SL: That's a tough question! The country is so large, it provides something for everyone. For a first-time visit, I would suggest Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta. They have fantastic skiing in the winter and are an equally great summer destination, particularly for nature lovers. If you're a foodie, Montreal is where it's at, not to mention a great array of summer festivals. And I have to mention Toronto, my home city. It's a diverse city of neighborhoods that can be fascinating to explore, like Chinatown, Little India and Greektown, just to name a few.

EB: It's clearly a great time for a first visit to Canada, and for those that have been there, there is always something new to discover. And Delta is a great way to get there.

Thanks Steven for giving us an insider's view of Canada. And to our readers, thank you for flying Delta.