Airlines
Get Bright About The City Of Light
Paris will be in the spotlight in an upcoming webinar for Canadian travel agents hosted by Atout France Canada and Air France. Set for June 10 at 1 pm, the training session will provide agents with the latest updates on the City of Light, along with details of Air France's programs and safety protocols. Catherine Guillemart, executive vice president Air France-KLM Canada and Mélanie Paul-Hus, director Atout France Canada will open the session and greet travel advisors and members of the trade. Webinar participants will also have a chance to hear from partner suppliers, including...
Do It Now
Lay out an implementation plan based on the recommendations by the COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel report and do it now. That’s pretty much the message that the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable has for the federal government, and pointing out in the process that Canadians are doing their part in getting vaccinated so it’s now time to provide clear, timely, and safe guidance on reopening travel and reuniting families and friends. The Expert Panel recommends eliminating quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers, implementing changes to testing and...
Transat Takes All Of TraficTours
Transat A.T. Inc. – the 70% shareholder of TraficTours Canada Inc. -- has now acquired the 30% minority interest in the incoming tour operator held by the minority shareholder, following a mutual agreement between the two parties. The purchase price is for an amount lower than the amount booked in Transat's financial statements on account of the option to purchase such minority interest. The minority shareholder had the option to require Transat to purchase the minority interest since 2019. The manager of TraficTours and its subsidiaries remains in place to ensure the operations...
Competitiveness at Risk
Aviation and business leaders are making it clear that without a strong federal commitment to a comprehensive aviation recovery plan, both the air sector and Canada’s overall competitiveness face considerable risk. During a late May forum that looked at post-COVID air connectivity and passenger costs, participants emphasized the importance of the air transportation industry in this country, facilitating, as it does, the movement of people and cargo, and is a catalyst for other industries such as tourism. Currently, the sector accounts for 256,000 direct jobs and contributes $23.4...
It’s Happening
According to research from ForwardKeys people are travelling to the United States to receive a vaccination against COVID-19. ForwardKeys says that the trend is most pronounced in travel from Peru, and other parts of Latin America, especially to Arizona, Florida and Texas. Up to May 18, ForwardKeys’ analysis of flight tickets issued reveals a substantial uplift in international bookings to Texas and Florida, during the fortnight after those destinations opened up vaccinations to all adults, including visitors. Bookings from all origin markets to Florida rose from 44% of 2019...
Aeroplan, Rocky Mountaineer Team Up
Air Canada has announced that Aeroplan members can now earn and redeem points – along with enjoying premium benefits -- when booking rail trips with Rocky Mountaineer. The new partnership with Rocky Mountaineer allows Aeroplan members to earn up to 20,000 bonus points for each eligible traveller booked with the scenic rail company. Mark Nasr, senior vice president, products, marketing and eCommerce, Air Canada, said: “While spectacular from 30,000 feet above, the Rocky Mountains are even more breathtaking from the ground. Air Canada is pleased to offer Aeroplan members an...
It Will Just Be Chaos
IATA is warning of potential airport chaos unless governments move quickly to adopt digital processes to manage travel health credentials (COVID-19 testing and vaccine certificates) and other COVID-19 measures. The global airline industry association outlined a number of impacts: Pre-COVID-19, passengers, on average, spent about 1.5 hours in travel processes for every journey (check-in, security, border control, customs, and baggage claim). Current data indicates that airport processing times have ballooned to 3.0 hours during peak time with travel volumes at only about 30% of...
A Responsible Path Forward
WestJet and the National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) are both welcoming the findings outlined in the Health Canada Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel in the Border Measures Report that was released yesterday (May 27). Ed Sims, WestJet’s president and CEO, said following the report’s release: “Over the past 15 months, WestJet has been requesting science-based travel guidance and this report represents a responsible path forward.” Sims continued: “These findings are evidence-based recommendations that are proportionate and reduce risks. We ask that the...