Airlines
Beautiful Bermuda
Pink sand beaches and turquoise waters mixed with a touch of British, North American and Caribbean cultures make Bermuda uniquely attractive to travellers from around the world, writes assistant editor, Greg Coates in this week's issue of Travel Courier. Discovered in 1505 by the Spanish, Bermuda was later colonized and settled by the English in 1612. The former capital, St. George, currently stands as one of the earliest English settlements of the New World. It is now recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Hamilton has been the capital of Bermuda since 1815. Bermuda offers...
Oh What A Flight
British Airways' new Airbus 350-1000 took off from Toronto Pearson to London Heathrow on Oct. 1, marking the aircraft's first North American long-haul service. With passenger capacity of 331, including 56 Club Suite compartments, the A350 began long-haul service with Dubai last month, and will add Tel Aviv and Bangalore this winter. The A350 has already flown over 15,400 miles between London and Madrid, completing 40 take-offs and landings to put the aircraft through its paces, test all aspects of the technical performance and familiarize crew with service delivery. Luckily for...
Croyle Retiring From WestJet
Tim Croyle, vice-president, WestJet Vacations and Cargo is retiring. Croyle said that: “The decision has been made with careful consideration and with mixed emotions. I would like to thank all of WestJet's travel trade, hotel and destination partners for the support and loyalty they have shown for more than a decade. I look forward to watching the great things that WestJet's global aspirations will bring to Canada and the world.” Croyle joined WestJet in 2003, as manager-airports projects holding a variety of roles before moving to WestJet Vacations in 2010 where he built a...
KLM Celebrates Its 100th
KLM is officially celebrating its 100th birthday today (the airline was founded on Oct. 7, 1919) in Amsterdam and PressToday’s Greg Coates is on hand for the festivities. Watch for upcoming issues of Canadian Travel Press and Travel Courier for more. The Dutch airline is also celebrating its 70th year in Canada this year. Pictured is KLM president and CEO Pieter Elbers during a morning...
WestJet Opening Flagship Lounge in Calgary
WestJet reports that work has begun on its first proprietary flagship lounge at the Calgary International Airport. Construction of the lounge underscores WestJet's ongoing commitment to growing its premium presence and guest experience in Calgary. “As WestJet continues its accelerated journey to becoming a global network carrier our new flagship lounge in Calgary will give top-tier WestJet Rewards members, Business cabin guests and select partner travellers a home within our home in Calgary,” said d'Arcy Monaghan, WestJet's vice-president, Loyalty. “This lounge will showcase...
Swoop Adds London-Las Vegas Route
Swoop, a low-fare subsidiary carrier of WestJet Airlines Inc., celebrates its inaugural flight from London International Airport (YXU) to McCarran International Airport (LAS). Flights to Las Vegas will operate twice weekly on Thursday and Sundays. “The addition of the London-Las Vegas route provides the opportunity for more Canadians to travel throughout North America at a price that works for them,” said Steven Greenway, president, Swoop. “We are excited to continue to expand our network as Canada's preferred ultra-low fare airline. Our unbundled model helps keep fares low...
Transat To Offer Direct Montreal-Copenhagen Service
Air Transat will offer direct flights between Montreal and Copenhagen, Denmark, next summer. The new service will operate twice a week from June 16 to Sept. 20. Passengers will fly on the Airbus A321neoLR, a next-generation aircraft recently added to the Air Transat fleet that delivers an improved inflight experience. “Air Transat is proud to be the only air carrier to offer non-stop service to Copenhagen out of Montreal,” says Annick Guérard, chief operating officer, Transat. “This brings the number of European destinations we will be offering next summer to 27. The...
Air Canada Fan Flight Returns
As the puck drops on another NHL season and fans from coast to coast cheer for their favourite teams, Air Canada has announced the return of Fan Flight (#ACFanFlight) – a season-long program that rewards deserving fans with a VIP game experience, including the opportunity to see their team play either at home or on the road. Fan Flight rewards fans in a number of ways, including in-arena giveaways during promo nights and by flying lucky fans to away games. It also recognizes deserving young sports fans, nominated by the Air Canada Foundation, who are making their mark in their...