Air Canada has added three new sports channels to its available selection of live TV channels, just in time for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

These channels come in addition to the existing live TV channels available on select Air Canada flights, which were introduced in November 2022.

Air Canada Adds Three New Sports Channels to Live TV Selection

Air Canada has added three new sports channels to the roster of live TV stations available on select flights.

As of April 19, 2024, passengers can enjoy Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet East on eligible Air Canada flights. In May, TVA Sports will be added to the selection, too.

This announcement comes just prior to the beginning of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which passengers will be able to enjoy on eligible flights.

Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet East provide extensive coverage of the NHL, as well as the Toronto Blue Jays and the Toronto Raptors, and more. These channels will only be available on domestic flights.

TVA Sports provides extensive French-language coverage of NHL hockey, tennis, Major League Baseball, Euro 2024, and more. This channel will be available on domestic and transborder flights.

John Moody, the Managing Director of Onboard Product at Air Canada, had this to say about the new live TV options:

We are extremely excited, as the only Canadian airline with Live TV, to show the Stanley Cup Playoffs onboard. Hockey is an integral part of the Canadian identity, so it only makes sense that we offer it in French and English to our customers as part of our extensive in-flight entertainment. These new channels further cement our dedication to Canada’s game. Our commitment to hockey includes flying all seven Canadian teams, being a jersey sponsor of the Montreal Canadiens, and as official airline of the PWHL.

These channels join Air Canada’s existing live TV options, which were introduced in November 2022. As it stands, passengers travelling on flights equipped with live TV can choose from the TSN, RDS, CTV News Channel, LCN, and BNN Bloomberg, as well as Sportsnet One, Sportsnet East, and (soon) TVA Sports.

Air Canada offers live TV on select domestic and transborder flights, which is available on 100 aircraft in its fleet.

Air Canada Enhances In-Flight Entertainment Offerings

In the past couple of years, Air Canada has made a number of investments to its in-flight entertainment offerings.

As mentioned above, live TV was introduced by the airline in November 2022. Since then, Air Canada has also expanded the amount and types of content available, including a partnership with Mattel to provide more family-friendly options, as well as adding Apple TV+ programming to the list of available options.

Last year, Air Canada and Bell launched a partnership, offering Aeroplan members on Air Canada flights free in-flight messaging on eligible flights.

Personally, I’ve always found Air Canada’s in-flight entertainment selection to be excellent, and as a hockey fan, it’s great to know that I won’t have to miss out on any playoff games while I’m in the air.

Aside from the updates to the in-flight entertainment system and the recent expansion of food and beverage offerings, it’ll be interesting to keep an eye on Air Canada’s ongoing retrofit of its Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. 

The project is ongoing, but it’ll bring Air Canada’s domestic and transborder fleet in line with its modern cabins available on the Airbus A220 and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

Plus, Air Canada plans to retrofit its Embraer E175 and Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft with new cabins, which will perhaps debut this year, and it expects to begin taking delivery of new Airbus A321XLR aircraft beginning in 2025.

Conclusion

Air Canada has added three new sports channels to its roster of live TV channels, just in time for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Passengers travelling on select domestic flights will have access to Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet East, and beginning in May 2024, passengers on select domestic and transborder flights will have access to the French-language TVA Sports.

These sports channels come in addition to the existing live TV channels available on Air Canada flights, which debuted in November 2022.