Airlines
Brainstorming In Calgary
WestJet welcomed members of its Travel Agent Advisory Board (TAAB) to its head office in Calgary for two days of interactive feedback, planning and discussion last week. The two-day conference was attended by 40 TAAB members representing 35 travel agencies across Canada. Corporate and leisure agents had the opportunity to meet with WestJet employees, share their feedback about upcoming initiatives and attend presentations by vice president of sales and distribution, Chuck Crowder and agency sales director, Jane Clementino. There were brainstorming sessions and in-depth workshops...
Reason For Celebration
In its first year of operation, WestJet Link carried over 195,000 passengers between Calgary and five cities in British Columbia and Alberta. Since its inception last June, WestJet Link has operated over 7,000 flights between WestJet's home and largest hub in Calgary to Cranbrook, Lethbridge, Lloydminster, Medicine Hat and Prince George. Guests from these areas have benefitted from more choice, lower fares and better connectivity through the service. Brian Znotins, vice-president network planning and alliances for WestJet, said: “WestJet Link is working the way it was designed to...
Air Canada Salutes Its Indigenous Employees
Air Canada marked National Indigenous Peoples Day by highlighting the achievements and contributions of its Indigenous employees. This week, AC185 from Toronto to Vancouver, operated with Air Canada's flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was flown by an all-Indigenous full crew of two pilots and nine flight attendants. The flight was also supported by Indigenous employees on the ground. And you can check out a video – https://vimeo.com/343369521 – that features the crew and the flight's traditional Musqueam welcome on arrival at Vancouver is here. Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, senior...
Dynamic Year For Ukraine International
Ukraine International Airlines says its first year of serving Toronto has been a success, a sentiment echoed by some of the tour operators it works with. A Wednesday celebration at Toronto's Pearson International Airport saw Karl Muller of Airline pros, which works with Ukraine International Airlines, tell the audience that the carrier decided to switch planes from a B767 to the larger B777 on its Toronto-Kiev this summer to accommodate demand. “It's truly been a dynamic 12-month period...,” he said. “We'd like to thank all our friends and supporters from the travel industry...
Halifax Welcomes Back American Airlines
American Airlines has re-introduced service from Halifax to Philadelphia. The non-stop service allows American travellers to easily visit the Maritimes, while offering Maritimers an opportunity to access all that Philadelphia and its connecting cities have to offer. “We’re happy to have American Airlines back in Halifax, serving our region once again,” said Joyce Carter, president and CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA). “Having destinations like Philadelphia and New York LaGuardia... provides more options for travellers, with the added benefit of boosting...
Sunwing Updates Operational Changes
Due to the extension of the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, Sunwing has taken measures to optimize its operations by investing in additional flying capacity and re-configuring its schedule without this aircraft type until further notice. Schedule changes for departures up to and including Sept. 2 have now been made and are reflected in the carrier's flight times on its web site and across the reservation system. If a customer’s travel plans have been affected, Sunwing will communicate this directly to their travel agent. “We are currently still finalizing any...
WestJet Unveils Refreshed On-Board Experience
Following the successful launch of WestJet's Dreamliners from Calgary to London (Gatwick), Paris and Dublin, guests travelling across WestJet's global network can now experience the airline's elevated amenities and on-board experience. Tailored to showcase WestJet's authentic Canadian story, enhanced service offerings and products are featured across WestJet's Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 767 and 737 transatlantic service. Guests can expect to see updates continue to roll across the WestJet fleet throughout 2019 and 2020. “Our guests are going to love our uniquely Canadian products and...
Agents’ Choice: Two Decades Of Tracking Trends
For 20 years, Baxter Media has worked diligently to make the Annual Agents’ Choice Readership Survey the most-trusted and authoritative travel industry poll in Canada. And the result, Canadian travel agents have made it their own, voting for their favourite suppliers in growing numbers, year-after-year. Over two decades, we've learned a lot by listening to agents across the country because, no matter how you slice it, Agents' Choice is their survey. It's our way of giving them an opportunity to let suppliers know how well they're doing from one year to the next. So here it...