Airlines
IATA Urges Governments To Avoid Quarantines
IATA is urging governments to avoid quarantine measures when re-opening their economies. Instead of such measures, the airline industry association is promoting a layered approach of measures to reduce the risk of countries importing COVID-19 via air travel and to mitigate the possibility of transmission in cases where people may travel while unknowingly being infected. Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, explained that: “Imposing quarantine measures on arriving travellers keeps countries in isolation and the travel and tourism sector in lockdown. Fortunately,...
Let’s Talk About Racism In The Travel Industry
Shalene Dudley can list off too many examples of the times she’s experienced racial discrimination while travelling — like being completely ignored in the check-in line for priority seating for flights or having to provide additional ID to prove her business platinum AMEX truly belongs to her. “A DMC representative in Cancun that I pre-arranged my transfer with, refused to believe that my final destination was the luxury five-star I showed him documentation for. I waited for over an hour until they received a phone confirmation. Even after this, he insisted that I must be a...
Air Canada Completes Financing Transactions
Air Canada said that it recently closed two additional financing transactions for net proceeds of $1.23 billion. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020, Air Canada has raised $5.5 billion of liquidity. On June 22, 2020, Air Canada completed a private offering of $840 million aggregate principal amount of 9.00% Second Lien Secured Notes due 2024 (the "2024 Notes"), which were sold at 98% of par. The 2024 Notes are secured obligations of Air Canada, secured on a second lien basis by certain real estate interests, ground service equipment, certain...
Air Canada, Aeroplan Members Celebrate
Air Canada is kicking off summer by offering a broad selection of entertainment content free to Aeroplan members in Canada. The carrier is making over 200 titles, including films, shorts and other video from its Canadian partners, available for streaming at no charge until July 22. Andrew Shibata, managing director of brand at Air Canada, said that: “With summer’s arrival, together with respected Canadian cultural partners, we are making a selection of acclaimed entertainment available at home through streaming to all Aeroplan members based in Canada. Through the great content...
Staying Healthy At Toronto Pearson
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) -- which operates and maintains Toronto Pearson – has launched its "Healthy Airport" commitment, a comprehensive program that outlines the steps the airport and its partners are taking to be ready for the new realities of air travel, and to lead the aviation industry in advancing the future of healthy travel corridors. In announcing the new program, the GTAA indicated that the initiative also includes a strategic partnership with BlueDot, a leader in advanced data analytics and technologies to predict and monitor infectious disease...
Travel Safety Barometer Reveals Confidence Is Growing
In Wave 5 of its Travel Safety Barometer report, MMGY Global found that travellers perceptions of safety are rising across all sectors, from domestic and international travel to lodging, cruising, dining & entertainment, transportation and business travel. MMGY Global’s Travel Safety Barometer measures American travellers’ perceptions of how safe it is to engage in specific travel behaviours on a scale of 0 (Extremely Unsafe) to 100 (Extremely Safe). With all states in the U.S. currently in some phase of reopening and international destinations also reopening, it appears to...
A Few Adjustments From Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines has made adjustments to its ticketing. The carrier says that for "booking flexibility and peace of mind we have implemented and expanded the following ticket options": For passengers with tickets issued on or after March 1 until Aug. 31 * Ethiopian Airlines is extending our offer to waive the change fee on tickets issued for travel between March 1, 2020 to Sept. 30 2020 and extend the validity of the ticket for travel until Dec. 31, 2021. Changes and reissues are permitted with a waiver of reissue fee. Passenger can travel during summer 2020 booked in...
Air Bridges Offer Hope, But Barriers Remain
GlobalData reports that air bridges are providing tour operators in the United Kingdom with new hope of resuming some form of service this summer, but as overnight domestic travel is still not possible it is clear there that the current situation is as bleak as it has ever been for operators. The data and analytics company points to TUI and Jet2holidays as just two of the operators to be first to announce that holidays will resume from July 1, 2020 – this followed an extension of cancellations. GlobalData notes, as well, that it is likely that further cancellations will occur...