Airlines
Help DownUnder
Reports from Australia indicate that the government there has launched a $928 million stimulus package for the country’s travel and tourism industry. The package includes air ticket subsidies for travellers; low-cost loans for small tour companies and financial aid for Australia’s airlines in an effort to support the industry until foreign tourists return. In 2018-2019, tourism generated A$60.8 billion in GDP and employed about 5% of the country’s workforce. Qantas and Virgin Australia will receive A$200 million for the period of April to October to assist them to maintain...
IATA Travel Pass Has Successful International Trial
IATA is celebrating the arrival of the first traveller using the IATA Travel Pass app to manage their travel health credentials at London’s Heathrow Airport. Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, said that: “The successful implementation of IATA Travel Pass in this trial with Singapore Airlines passengers demonstrates that technology can securely, conveniently and efficiently help travelers and governments to manage travel health credentials. The significance of this to re-starting international aviation cannot be overstated.” JoAnn Tan, Acting Senior Vice...
IATA Postpones AGM To October
IATA is postponing its 77th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit until October. Now, the event -- hosted by JetBlue Airways – will take place from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5, 2021 in Boston. Originally, the 77th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit was slated to take place from June 27 to June 29 in Boston. Commenting on the change, IATA’s director general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac said: “We believe that it is vital to do all we can to meet as an industry face to face. Doing so will affirm that airlines can safely connect the world, demonstrate our...
Net Zero By 2050
Air Canada has unveiled details of its long-term commitment to advancing climate change sustainability throughout its business. The carrier has set ambitious climate targets to realize a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) throughout its global operations by 2050. To reach this, Air Canada has set absolute midterm GHG net reduction targets by 2030 in its air and ground operations compared to its 2019 baseline, and has committed to investing $50 Million in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and carbon reductions and removals. Michael Rousseau, President and Chief...
2020: A Year When The Sun Forgot To Shine
Across the Caribbean, the impact of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry has been more than apparent; in fact that impact was particularly evident during the April to mid-June period when there was literally no activity in some Caribbean destinations -- empty hotels and restaurants; deserted attractions; shut borders; laid-off workers; grounded airlines; and crippled cruise lines. While the region saw some fluctuations in the levels of visitors for the remaining months of the 2020, the Caribbean Tourism Organization's newly released 2020 Performance Review makes it clear that...
Welcome News
IATA is praising the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council’s approval of the latest recommendations from its Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART). The Council approved recommendations for: Temporary liberalization of cargo flights Considering priority vaccination of air crew Increased cooperation among governments to implement CART recommendations and guidance As well, it provided updated guidance for: Testing certificates COVID-19 risk management including vaccination and its interdependencies Dangerous goods guidelines for the carriage of...
Air Transat Extends Flight Suspension To June 14
Air Transat is advising agents that due to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, it is extending the suspension of its flights until June 14, 2021. The company said that the ‘difficult decision’ stems from the travel restrictions still in place both in Canada and in the destinations to which we fly and as a result, “a resumption of flight operations prior to this date is simply not feasible.” Air Transat’s message continues: “All of your clients who had a trip planned between May 1 and June 13 will receive a refund made in the method of payment on the file. If the...
An Anniversary No One Wants To Celebrate
One year. I have been thinking about the passage of time. In those early days, it passed like a dripping tap … drip … drip … drip … we left our offices, closed our businesses, abandoned our daily routines and barricaded ourselves in our homes because we needed to stay away from each other. As we scurried to our safe place, we searched frantically for toilet paper, paper towels, antiseptic wipes, masks, gloves and other supplies that we bought in bulk, believing by doing so we'd be protected from something that couldn’t be seen, but we all knew was out there. At home,...