Airlines
UPDATED – Air Canada Rewards Excellence
Air Canada has announced the agency recipients of the 2019 Circle of Excellence (COE) Awards, through which the airline recognizes its top supporting agencies from across Canada. COE qualification took place from October 2017 to September 2018. To be recognized, agencies had to achieve a number of metrics during the period, including revenue targets. As well, winners demonstrated through their ongoing performance a clear commitment to Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations as their preferred supplier. Inclusion in the COE means agencies are rewarded a number of benefits. Virgilio...
Swoop Adds Cancun From Hamilton
Swoop has inaugurate service between John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) and Cancun International Airport (CUN). The four-hour non-stop flight departs Hamilton at 8:00 a.m. EST and arrives Cancun at 11:59 a.m. EST. The Cancun International Airport and tourism partners are welcoming travellers upon landing with a water arch, live mariachi band, refreshments and gift bags. This marks Swoop's third inaugural flight to Mexico this month with service to Puerto Vallarta kicking-off from Hamilton and Abbotsford last week. Swoop will celebrate one more inaugural on Jan. 20,...
AC Reaches New Jazz Agreement
Air Canada has announced an agreement to amend and extend the Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) with Jazz Aviation LP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Inc., under which Jazz currently operates certain regional Air Canada Express flights. The amendments should provide long term stability for Chorus, reaffirming Jazz as Air Canada's most significant Express carrier well into the future, as well as enabling growth on Chorus' leasing business through Air Canada's equity investment and the predictability of Jazz's cashflow from CPA operations until 2035. The amendments will...
IT’S TIME TO VOTE!
Are you ready to pick your favourites? Well it's that time again as Baxter Media launches the 2019 Agents' Choice Readership Survey this week. Agents' Choice is Canada's original and most authoritative travel industry poll and each year it asks Canadian travel agents to pick their favourite suppliers in over 40 different categories – ranging from airlines to tour operators; cruise lines to destinations; coach operators to car rentals; and a whole lot more. Numbers matter and in 2018, 6,027 Canadian agents voted for their favourite suppliers in the annual poll. In 2019, the...
Air Canada Completes Acquisition of Aeroplan Program
Air Canada has announced the successful closing of its purchase of Aimia Canada Inc., owner and operator of the Aeroplan loyalty business, from Aimia Inc. Air Canada also confirmed that Aeroplan Members' Miles will be honoured on a one-to-one basis in Air Canada's new loyalty program when it launches in 2020. “Air Canada is creating an industry-leading loyalty program that aims to provide unmatched flexibility, choice and convenience for customers when it debuts in 2020. With today's purchase of Aeroplan, we are taking a major step forward on this transformational initiative by...
November Sees Moderating Passenger Demand: IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports healthy, but moderating global passenger traffic results for November 2018. Total revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) rose 6.2% compared to November 2017, a slight deceleration from 6.3% growth in October. Capacity (available seat kilometres or ASKs) increased by 6.8% over the year-ago period, and load factor dipped 0.4 percentage point to 80.0%. It was only the third time in two years that load factor fell on a year-to-year basis. “Traffic is solid. But there are clear signs that growth is moderating in line with the...
Swoop Inaugurates Hamilton-Puerto Vallarta Service
Swoop is celebrating its first of four inaugural flights to Mexico today (Jan. 8). Flight WO660 departed John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) at 8 a.m. this morning and arrives at Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) at 12:28 p.m. CST. It is the first time an airline has offered service to Puerto Vallarta from Hamilton. The airline is also offering flights from Hamilton to Cancun beginning Jan. 14 and Abbotsford to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán beginning Jan. 12 and Jan. 20, respectively. “Not only are we celebrating Swoop's entry into its fourth country in...
WestJet Launches Calgary-Montego Bay Service
Jamaica bound. WestJet launched its new, non-stop flight from Calgary to Montego Bay, Jamaica, yesterday (Jan. 3). To mark the occasion, the Jamaica Tourist Board Canada partnered with the Calgary Airport Authority to hold an inaugural event at Calgary International Airport. The new flight will run until April 27. For the inaugural flight, WestJet passengers received special luggage tags and hats to commemorate the milestone. Additionally, they were treated to a true Jamaican send-off with live music from PowerHouze, a Calgary-based reggae band. WestJet’s flight WS 2228 departs...