Air Canada Keeps U.S. Bourbon on Business Class Flights Amid Trade Boycott Calls

Air Canada confirmed that its business-class cabins still carry U.S. bourbon, such as Jack Daniel’s, alongside a deliberate increase in Canadian wines and spirits. The carrier argues that, as a global airline serving passengers to and from the United States, it must stock internationally recognised products that customers expect. Porter Airlines said it partners exclusively with Canadian brands and does not serve American alcohol on its flights, which include routes to the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica and the Caribbean.

The issue has surfaced as federal and provincial leaders press citizens to “buy Canadian” following stalled trade talks, while Ontario’s liquor board maintains a boycott of new American imports. Political scientists explain that Air Canada buys liquor from global distributors under federal jurisdiction, benefiting from a duty-free loophole that exempts airport-stored alcohol from taxes on international flights, making a complete boycott financially burdensome. Other carriers such as WestJet and Air Transat have not commented on the matter.