Updated: Wed Nov. 18 2009 15:28:29

ctvcalgary.ca

Starting this spring, Air Canada will be offering direct flights from Calgary to Tokyo.

The airline says they are offering the route because of business and public demand.

The Calgary Airport Authority (CAA) is thrilled at the news and says it would like to see more direct flights to Asia.

"We definitely would like to see a Chinese connection and we've been speaking to Air Canada about this and when the time comes we would look at the routes to Beijing and Shanghai eventually but this will be dictated by the economic development of the city and region," says Stephan Poirier from the CAA.

Air Canada's direct flights to Tokyo start on March 27th.