Airlines
Travelport, Emirates Reach Surcharge Deal
Travelport and Emirates have reached a commercial agreement that will allow Travelport-connected travel agencies to avoid the airline’s surcharge on bookings via Global Distribution Systems (GDS) that was introduced on July 1, 2021. The companies also unveiled details of a new long-term agreement to enable the distribution of Emirates NDC content via Travelport’s next-generation platform, Travelport+, and an extension to its longstanding IT agreement. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates said: “We are pleased to have reached key agreements with Travelport that...
Flair Adds Lift From Victoria, Montreal
Flair Airlines continues its grow its service from Victoria International Airport (YYJ), with the addition of non-stop flights to Kitchener-Waterloo, Calgary, and Edmonton. The ultra-low-cost carrier has also announced that it is expanding its service from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), introducing non-stop flights to Vancouver, Abbotsford, Halifax and Toronto. Stephen Jones, president and CEO of Flair Airlines, observed that: “Additional competition in the Victoria market is critical to ensuring a sustainable future of low-fares remains available for people in...
Porter Set To Take Off On Sept. 8
Close to 18 months after suspending its flights due to the COVID-19 public health and travel restrictions, Porter Airlines resume its flights on Sept. 8. The carrier indicated that its flight schedule will return in phases, with the initial group of Canadian destinations being Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, St. John’s, NL, Thunder Bay and Toronto. U.S. destinations in Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington follow on Sept. 17. Michael Deluce, president and CEO, Porter Airlines, observed: “This is the moment our team members, passengers and the communities...
Direct Toronto Flights Resume From Nanaimo Airport
Direct flights to Toronto are scheduled to resume on a limited basis in July at the Nanaimo Airport. The Air Canada flights are part of a measured reopening of the economy and will boost Vancouver Island’s vital tourism and hospitality sectors and make it easier for Islanders to visit and host family and friends from Eastern Canada via the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Dave Devana, president and CEO of Nanaimo Airport Commission, said: “Air Canada is a valued partner that supported Nanaimo Airport during the pandemic and continues to support us during reopening. We...
Are We Ready For Takeoff?
In its newly released “Recovery Insights: Ready For Takeoff?, Mastercard takes a look at some of the key trends in air and ground travel around the world. Developed by the Mastercard Economics Institute, the report draws on aggregated and anonymized sales activity across the global Mastercard network to better understand the next phase for travel, its drivers and challenges. This includes the balance between leisure and business, local and long distance, and saving and spending; and it also looks at the spending categories seeing an uptick and what they signal for travel...
Porter Signs Loan Deal With Federal Government
The parent company of Porter Airlines -- Porter Aviation Holdings Inc. -- has reached an agreement with the Canadian government for loans of up to $270.5 million. That amount includes $20.5 million for additional reimbursements for passengers on flights canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Porter’s president and CEO, Michael Deluce said: “Porter is using this money primarily as a capital reserve during the recovery period from the pandemic.” Deluce explained: “We intend to draw on these funds as needed to support the recovery of operations during an uncertain period of...
Air Canada Picks AmEx GBT
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has signed an agreement with Air Canada to become the carrier’s employee global travel booking tool and travel management provider. Effective June 28, 2021 GBT will support the carrier’s employee corporate hotel accommodation and ground transportation bookings. The relationship will also extend to hotel consulting, and meetings and events (M&E). Neo, GBT’s proprietary online booking platform was a key factor in Air Canada’s decision to select GBT. Patrick Doyle, Vice President and General Manager at GBT Canada, said: “We...
American Airlines Celebrating 80 To Canada
American Airlines is celebrating 80 years of service to Canada. The airline’s first-ever international passenger flight operated from Buffalo, New York, to Toronto, Canada. The aircraft operating this historic flight was a Douglas DC-3 aircraft with 21 customers onboard. Eighty years later, and despite the toughest year on record for the aviation industry due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), Canada remains an integral part of American's international network. The carrier has provided critical service during the pandemic from four airports: Calgary (YYC), Montreal (YUL), Toronto...