Airlines
Air Canada Celebrates The Spirit Of The Season
Air Canada welcomed between 150 to 200 of its VIP travel partners to its offices at 20 Queen St. W in downtown Toronto last night. It was a festive atmosphere as the top executives from the airline thanked its partners for their support and – of late – their patience as Air Canada works out a few kinks in its brand new Amadeus Altéa Suite Passenger Service System. In welcoming the crowd, Lisa Pierce, Air Canada's managing director, Canada & USA sals, noted that 2019 has been “an amazing year” and “we couldn't have done it without you.” EVP & Chief Commercial...
The Deal Is Done
Onex Corporation and its affiliated funds (the “Onex Group”) and WestJet Airlines Ltd. have announced that they have completed their transaction (the “Arrangement”) valued at approximately $5 billion including assumed debt. The closing comes following the receipt of the final regulatory approval by the Canadian Transportation Agency of its determination under the Canada Transportation Act. Pursuant to the Arrangement, shareholders of WestJet are entitled to receive $31.00 in cash for each share held at the effective time of the Arrangement. A form of letter of transmittal...
AC Holiday Video Brings Loved Ones Closer Together
Air Canada is celebrating the holidays with the launch of a new ad spot called “Lost Reindeer.” The cinematic ad embraces the magic of the season, tapping into the emotional connection of being with loved ones for the holidays. The story follows a group of children who come across a lost reindeer. After discovering the reindeer is far more special than they could have imagined, the group works together to help the reindeer harness its magic and find its way home. “We wanted to create an ad that reflected the magic and celebration that takes place during this time...
Swoop Launches Winnipeg-Puerto Vallarta Service
Low-fare carrier Swoop, a subsidiary of WestJet Airlines Ltd., has launched its inaugural flight from Winnipeg to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It is Swoop’s second route from Winnipeg to Mexico, offering travellers the choice to vacation on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos from Manitoba’s capital. Having just launched a series of new routes from YWG, including Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay and Las Vegas, Winnipeggers have a total of nine destinations through Swoop’s year-round and seasonal operations. “Our route map is constantly expanding, working towards our mission...
To Give Or Receive: A WestJet Christmas Miracle
WestJet's new Christmas Miracle video, To Give or Receive, highlights real acts of giving and receiving, with a twist. This year, families visiting a market in Toronto were invited into a life-size WestJet blue Santa hat for an experience they would never forget. WestJet left it up to them, with help from a holographic, interactive Blue Santa and his newest co-star, Ebeniza Scrooge, to determine whether to give or receive the presents waiting under the Christmas tree. Richard Bartrem, WestJet vice-president marketing communications, said: “The conversation around giving and...
IATA Reports ‘Modest’ Slowdown
IATA reports that while global passenger traffic date for October 2019 showed a 3.4% rise in demand compared to a year ago, it was a “modest” slowdown from the 3.9% growth recorded in September. The airline industry association says that this is the result of softer traffic performance in domestic markets. October capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) increased by 2.2% and load factor climbed 0.9 percentage point to 82.0%, which was a record for October. Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, said: “Traffic growth continues to be depressed compared...
Porter Airlines Takes Off To Mont-Tremblant
Porter Airlines is resuming its seasonal service between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Mont-Tremblant International Airport today (Dec. 6). Flights will be available until March 30, 2020, with service up to four times weekly. Connecting flights are also available from numerous Porter locations in Canada and the U.S. Located in the heart of the Laurentians, Mont-Tremblant is home to some of the country's best winter attractions. In addition to downhill skiing and snowboarding, winter in Tremblant offers an array of exhilarating outdoor activities such as dog sledding,...
Exclusive: Forecast 2020
So what's next? That's essentially the question that every end-of-the-year forecast is asking. It's a question that can be phrased in many different ways and by doing so, elicit many different answers. This year, Canadian Travel Press kept it simple, asking close to a dozen industry experts to pick three trends to watch in the coming 12 months. Their responses, while perhaps differing in the descriptors they used, definitely focused on some clear trends in the marketplace based on the changing consumer demands that they are seeing. Certainly, luxury or premium travel is a trend...