Airlines
Flair Airlines Launches New Website
BC's Flair Airlines has unveiled a new website and online flight booking system. The new site has been designed to provide a user-friendly experience with improved navigation and functionality throughout the site. Agents and travellers will be able to access detailed information about destinations, products/fares and flight tracker information. “We know that more and more of our customers are booking their flights with their mobile devices, and they have asked that the process to book their flights be streamlined, and this site delivers just that,” said Chris Lapointe,...
AC, Sky Regional Conclude 10-Year Extension Agreement
Air Canada and Sky Regional Airlines have concluded a 10-year extension to their existing capacity purchase agreement (CPA), effective April 1, 2017. “This 10-year extension to the existing capacity purchase agreement with Sky Regional Airlines underscores our confidence in our Air Canada Express partner to provide a seamless operation and customer experience on behalf of Air Canada in a number of our key domestic and transborder regional markets on a cost competitive basis,” said Kevin Howlett, senior vice-president, Regional Markets and Government Relations at Air Canada. “With...
Amazon’s Alexa Joins Air Canada Team
Air Canada is expanding customers' options for getting travel information by becoming the first Canadian airline to develop a skill for Amazon's popular voice service, Alexa. Devices with Alexa will use machine learning and artificial intelligence to respond to spoken questions about such things as fare quotes and the status of Air Canada flights. “Advances in innovative and new technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing have great promise to deliver more convenience for our customers,” said Mark Nasr, vice-president of Loyalty and eCommerce at Air...
Transat Marks 30 Years
With 375 partners and guests in attendance at its facilities at Montréal-Trudeau airport, Transat A.T. Inc. celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday, taking the opportunity to unveil its new fleet livery. “I feel a great sense of pride when I look at how far we’ve come since Nov. 14, 1987, when our first flight took off from Montreal bound for Acapulco,” said Jean-Marc Eustache, president and chief executive officer of Transat. “And our journey is far from over. While our tour operating business and our aviation operations are tried and tested, our services continue to evolve...
Island Air Ceases Operations
Hawaii Island Air, Inc. (Island Air) has ceased operations, as of Nov. 11. As a result of this announcement, all Island Air passengers must make alternative arrangements for inter-island transportation, Earlier this month, Island Air was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in an effort to continue operations following threats of legal action by the Lessors of Island Air’s aircraft to ground and repossess the company’s fleet. Island Air was unable to locate a new investor or lender to provide funding to support airline flight operations and a successful...
Air New Zealand Marks 10 Years in Canada
Air New Zealand is marking a decade of linking this country with its home base, with Maureen Kam – the carrier's country manager, Canada – praising her airline's “growing strength in the Canadian market” during a Thursday Toronto gathering. Air New Zealand – which includes Vancouver in its network – has in part gained attention internationally in recent years because of catchy promotions, leading Kam to declare that, “Innovation is at the core of what we do at Air New Zealand.” Kam singled out wine, scenery and culture among New Zealand attributes, with the Toronto...
Air Canada Virtually Showcases Dreamliner Offerings
Air Canada is using virtual reality technology to simulate the experience of flying on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner for travel agents and potential customers. Through a fully immersive, interactive experience, users can explore all three cabins of service offered on board the aircraft, including enjoying a virtual International Business Class meal complete with wine in an Executive Pod. “Air Canada is always developing new ways to enhance the customer experience and to engage partners such as the travel agent community, which plays a key role in helping our customers select the...
International Tourism on Track for a Record Year
Demand for international tourism remained strong during the Northern Hemisphere summer peak season, with arrivals in July and August totalling over 300 million for the first time ever, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Many destinations reported double-digit growth, in particular in the Mediterranean. Between January and August, destinations worldwide welcomed 901 million international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors), 56 million more than in the same period of 2016. This corresponds to a robust 7% increase, well above the growth of previous years. With...