A petition has been launched urging Air Canada to change its flight schedule for Bermuda to make it easier for passengers to make connections.

While Air Canada is expected to resume service between Bermuda and Toronto next month, the flight is scheduled to land in Toronto at 11.15pm in May and 11.35pm in June.

An online petition launched last week by Jennifer Campbell urged the airline to reconsider the timing of the flight because the schedule would make it difficult to travel to areas outside Toronto.

As of yesterday afternoon, the petition had received more than 590 signatures.

The petition said: “It is not possible any more to get to Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland in one day and this adds to the cost of the trip because travellers have to overnight in Toronto.

“It is certainly not helping in attracting Canadian tourists in Bermuda and Canadians going home for a visit.”

Several people who signed highlighted the number of Bermudian students who attend university in Halifax who would be required to stay overnight in Toronto because of the proposed schedule.

In a letter sent to Air Canada passed on to The Royal Gazette, another member of the public said the proposed schedule had already cost the island visitors.

He wrote: “I am personally aware of a large group of 20 or more Canadians from New Brunswick who cancelled their trip to Bermuda in mid-April to attend the St George Peppercorn Ceremony because of the poor connection and expense of an overnight stay in Toronto.

“My own travel to New Brunswick, Canada this summer may be booked through Delta via Bangor, Maine.

“The Air Canada pricing and connections with an overnight stay more than double the price of that alternative.

“Please, I ask that you review the scheduling of these flights. Increase the number of seats available and schedule them so making reasonable connections is possible.”

Air Canada has been contacted for a statement.