Airlines
Setting A Course To Normal
Air travellers are becoming increasingly frustrated with COVID-19 travel restrictions, according to a new survey commissioned by IATA of 4,700 respondents in 11 markets in September 2021 and also found that there is confidence that the risks of COVID-19 can be effectively managed and that the freedom to travel should be restored. The IATA-commissioned survey found that: 67% of respondents felt that most country borders should be opened now, up 12 percentage-points from the June 2021 survey. 64% of respondents felt that border closures are unnecessary and have not been effective...
AC Set To Launch Toronto Island-Ottawa Daily
Air Canada is launching a new service between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Ottawa beginning Oct. 31, 2021. Initially, the route will offer four return trips daily, increasing to up to eight return trips daily starting in summer 2022. Mark Galardo, senior vice president, network planning and revenue management at Air Canada, said that the “new service from Toronto Island to Ottawa will conveniently link Canada's capital directly with the centre of the country's leading business centre.” Galardo continued: “This new route is designed to meet customer demand in this...
COVID Takes The Stage At IATA AGM
It came as little surprise that the major topic of discussion at this year’s hybrid IATA annual general meeting in Boston was the ongoing Coronavirus endemic and its devastating effect on global aviation. Last year’s AGM, slated for Amsterdam, was cancelled while this year’s version was both face to face and on-line. The 2022 AGM, which will be held in Shanghai June 17 to 19, will be strictly face-to-face. At the beginning of the Boston AGM, IATA noted. “We are still in the deepest crisis in our history and it is more important than ever to have this meeting to serve as a...
Porter Is Back In All Its Destinations
Porter Airlines has officially returned to all 18 of its year-round destinations, with the addition of Fredericton, Saint John, N.B., Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins and Windsor. The carrier initially restarted on Sept. 8, after suspending service due to the pandemic. Destinations were progressively added over the past month. Michael Deluce, president and CEO, Porter Airlines, observed: “It’s a significant milestone in our recovery, as we return to all of our year-round markets. We’re looking forward to seeing more of our passengers in these destinations. Over 1,000 Porter...
Feds Make Vaccinations Mandatory For Travellers
It came as no surprise that the federal government announced that it was moving ahead with its plans to require COVID-19 vaccination across the federal public service and federally regulated transportation sectors. Nor was it a surprise that it also announced that travellers departing from Canadian airports, and travellers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains, will be required to be fully vaccinated, with very limited exceptions, effective Oct. 30, 2021. In making the announcement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also indicated that the federal government is working with the...
WestJet Launching Toronto-Dublin Service
WestJet is launching Toronto-Dublin flights in the spring of 2022. The new non-stop seasonal flights are set to operate four-times weekly, beginning on May 15, 2022 and will increase to daily by June 2, 2022. John Weatherill, chief commercial officer for WestJet, explained that: “As demand increases, we know travellers are looking for convenient and affordable options for travel between Canada and Europe.” Weatherill continued: “As we continue to focus on expanding our network from our Toronto hub where we offer 33 international destinations, these flights will...
Make It Simple
Wildly inconsistent COVID-19 travel restrictions are stalling the recovery of air transport and IATA is urging governments to put an end to those restrictions by implementing simplified regimes to manage the risks of COVID-19 as borders re-open to international travel. Willie Walsh, director general of IATA, said that: “Travel restrictions bought governments time to respond in the early days of the pandemic. Nearly two years later, that rationale no longer exists. COVID-19 is present in all parts of the world. Travel restrictions are a complex and confusing web of rules with very...
Happy Holidays From Flair
Flair Airlines is introducing nonstop service between Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) and Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) beginning Dec. 15, 2021. Flair is the only airline offering non-stop service on the route this holiday season. Stephen Jones, president and CEO, Flair Airlines, said: “We see a vibrant future filled with opportunities as we expand and bring nonstop service between the Greater Toronto Area and the Coachella Valley. Our low fares and nonstop routes are changing the travel game for Canadians. We cannot wait to bring more travelers to these popular...