Airlines
FLYGTA Announces Global Rollout of GDS Partners
FLYGTA has announced the global rollout with GDS partners Travelport and Amadeus. Partner integration is scheduled in two stages with Travelport’s Apollo and Galileo cores coming online today, and with Amadeus set for June 15. This marks the first time that an airline has been able to successfully distribute whole booked private jets and charter aircraft through a global distribution network, saying goodbye to the complexities travel agents and consumers faced when booking through email and custom quote requests. The first GDS flights are expected to commence with 20-plus...
Air Transat Partners with 4Ukraine.ca
Air Transat proudly is partnering with 4Ukraine.ca to help relocate Ukrainians displaced by war coming to Canada. The carrier will be providing available seats to Ukrainian nationals on their flights operated from Paris and London mainly to Montréal or Toronto. 4Ukraine.ca will be covering taxes and airport charges. In addition to operating a donation-based airfare program, 4Ukraine.ca includes a rigorous vetting process, host family background checks, and job prospecting for Ukrainians relocating to Canada. 4Ukraine.ca co-founder and director, Anna Chif said: “We are thrilled...
WestJet Launches Toronto-Edinburgh Service
WestJet has taken off to Edinburgh from Toronto. The carrier now offers non-stop service to five European destinations from Toronto this summer that along with Edinburgh includes Glasgow, Dublin, London-Gatwick and Barcelona, Spain. John Weatherill, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer, said of the launch of the new Edinburgh service: “We are thrilled that Edinburgh is the final European connection to inaugurate from Toronto this summer, rounding out the restoration of our network and strengthening our offerings from Toronto. These cities are some of the world's most vibrant and...
CTA Rules Flair Airlines Is Canadian
The Canadian Transportation issued its final determination yesterday, finding that Flair Airlines is Canadian. The CTA requires that air carriers holding certain licences issued by the Agency be Canadian, as defined in subsection 55(1) of the CTA. This is a requirement that must be complied with at all times. On March 3, 2022, the Agency issued a preliminary determination that pointed to a number of factors which indicated that 777 Partners LLC (a non-Canadian company) may in fact have control of Flair. Those factors included: 777's control of Flair's Board of Directors ...
Reducing Airport Wait Times
In a joint statement Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino provide an update on actions the federal government is taking to reduce wait times at Canadian airports: The ministers said that: “The Government of Canada recognizes the impact that significant wait times at some Canadian airports are having on travellers. It is great news that more and more Canadians are choosing to travel. As travel volume surges, there are reports of delays in many aspects of travel: Canadian customs, United States customs, airport security screening, luggage...
ACITA Briefs Transport On Concerns
The Association of Canadian Independent Travel Advisors (ACITA) met with senior staff of Transport Minister Omar Alghabra last week to provide an update on the landscape of the segment of the travel industry that has been overlooked by the government during the past two years -- namely, Independent Travel Advisors. ACITA notes that “We are seeing an increase in bookings for our clients, but due to the nature of our revenue model, travel advisors do not receive any revenue until after our clients depart. So, although many people are booking getaways, cruises and bucket list trips...
Scotland Reconnects With Canada
Despite being separated by 3,000 miles of ocean, Scotland and Canada have enjoyed a long-standing connection for centuries through ancestry, history, trade, culture and much more. This spring/summer the two countries are being brought even closer together thanks to new and returning air routes across the Atlantic, connecting Scotland’s largest cities to Toronto and Halifax. Over recent weeks, routes connecting Glasgow to Halifax and Toronto have returned with WestJet and on June 2, the airline’s inaugural flight between Toronto and Edinburgh will take off. Air Canada...
WestJet Ratifies 10-year Deal With Flight Dispatchers
WestJet has announced that WestJet flight dispatchers, represented by the Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA), voted more than 90% in favour of a 10-year agreement. This ratified agreement starts June 1, 2022 and expires on May 31, 2032. Diederik Pen, WestJet Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, said that: “As our industry continues to recover, this 10-year agreement will help the long-term sustainability of WestJet and demonstrates our commitment to our WestJetters, our guests and the communities we serve. Our flight dispatchers exemplify true...