Airlines
Air Canada plans to launch service to Lagos in 2027
In welcoming the expanded Air Transport Agreement between Canada and Nigeria, Air Canada said that it intends to launch scheduled service to Lagos in 2027, noting that it is starting the process to obtaining the necessary government approvals to operate commercial flights to Nigeria. Mary-Jane Lorette, Vice President, Revenue Management, Partnerships, and International Affairs at Air Canada, said that: “We welcome this expanded Air Transport Agreement and look forward to obtaining the necessary government approvals to begin service to Lagos, Nigeria in the coming...
Flair Airlines expands its relationship with Elavon
Flair Airlines is expanding its relationship with Elavon, adopting Elavon’s managed chargeback services across Flair’s payments environment. Sumanth Rao, Chief Financial Officer of Flair Airlines, said that: “Effective chargeback management is an important part of maintaining a strong and reliable payments environment.” And Rao continued: “Expanding our relationship with Elavon helps strengthen our approach to dispute management, improve operational efficiency, and support a more resilient payments experience long term.” The airline said that the expanded...
Air Canada extends suspension of Dubai, Tel Aviv flights
Air Canada has announced that it has extended the suspension of its flights to and from both Dubai and Tel Aviv. The carrier said that the extension of the suspension was due to the situation in the Middle East, and as a result, its flights to and from Dubai (DXB) and Tel Aviv (TLV) will remain cancelled until mid-January...
WestJet reaches tentative agreement with its flight attendants
WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing WestJet Cabin Crew, have reached a tentative agreement, bringing an end to the work stoppage and network-wide operational disruption, and withdrawing both the strike and lockout notices. The agreement will now go to WestJet Cabin Crew for a ratification vote. In a statement, CUPE 8125 President, Alia Hussain said: “This tentative agreement represents meaningful progress. It evolves the flight credit system by recognizing more of the work cabin crew are required to perform and with general increases to...
Flight attendants on strike as WestJet, CUPE fail to reach deal
Early this morning (Aug 2), CUPE 8125 – the union representing WestJet’s 4,400 flight attendants – announced that its members have “officially gone on strike.” CUPE 8125 President, Alia Hussain said in making the announcement that: “We tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do. WestJet's offer did not go far enough.” Hussain continued: “We are on strike because we believe we deserve better. We are ready to go back to the table to settle. We hope the federal government will not interfere and will let the...
As potential labour disruption looms, WestJet begins parking 737 aircraft
In an update on negotiations with CUPE, the union representing its 4,400 flight attendants, WestJet is advising that as “negotiations have not resulted in an agreement and as a labour disruption approaches, WestJet must begin the difficult process of parking 737 aircraft.” The company said that: “This necessary step allows the airline to maintain operational control and protect the integrity of the broader network. Most importantly, this proactive measure minimizes the risk of stranding guests and aircraft.” Westjet’s update continued: “We remain active at the...
IATA reports air passenger demand drops in June
IATA is reporting that air passenger demand dropped by 1.7% in June of this year. Highlights of the global airline association’s new data show that: Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was down 1.7% compared to June 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand declined by 0.6%. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), decreased 1.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 84.2% (-0.4 ppt compared to June 2025). International demand fell 0.9% compared to June 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 1.1%. Capacity was down 0.6%...
The clock is ticking as WestJet flight attendants issue strike notice, company responds with lockout notice
WestJet’s flight attendants, represented by CUPE 8125, have issued a 72-hour strike notice, with WestJet responding by issuing a 72-hour lockout notice. In announcing its strike notice, CUPE 8125 president, Alia Hussain said that: “We have been clear about what needs to change, and we have worked hard to reach a fair deal.” The WestJet Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Alexis von Hoensbroech said that for its part: “The decision to issue a lockout notice, in response to the actions taken by the union, was not one that was made lightly. We sincerely regret the inconvenience...