Airlines
Special Family Day at Montréal-Trudeau Airport
A group of children accompanied by their families experienced a special day at Montréal-Trudeau airport Sunday (April 2) during the fifth edition of the Premium Kids program, which organizes airport-process familiarization days for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) or functional limitations. Nearly 100 children accompanied by family members had an opportunity to try out a typical traveller’s journey through an airport, from arrival at the terminal parking lot, right up until the aircraft boarding and passenger-safety announcement. This context-setting exercise helps...
Win With Hong Kong Airlines
Hong Kong Airlines is giving agents a chance to win a trip to Hong Kong, along with partners Hong Kong Tourist Board and Regal Hotels. Agents have an opportunity to “learn and earn” weekly and monthly prizes by visiting http://www.hkg4agents.com. Agents who answer the Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Tourist Board and Regal Hotels questions correctly will be entered into weekly and monthly draws for $50 and $100 gift cards. Agents that sell Hong Kong Airlines and enter their ticket information not only increase their chances to win, but will be entered into a draw to win a trip for...
WestJet, Delta Enhance Frequent Flyer Agreement
WestJet has expanded its reciprocal frequent flyer agreement with Delta Air Lines to include redemption of WestJet dollars on new select Delta routes including Paris, Tokyo, Rome, Madrid, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney (Australia). Delta SkyMiles members can now redeem miles anywhere WestJet flies. Since 2014, members of both airlines' frequent flyer programs have been able to earn their choice of WestJet dollars or miles with Delta when travelling on flights of either airline. WestJet Rewards members have also been able to redeem WestJet dollars on WestJet-marketed codeshare...
Qatar Offers Free Laptops on US Flights
In response to the electronics ban, Doha-based Qatar Airways is offering passengers a replacement laptop on flights to the US. According to officials, the “Laptop Loan” service ensures business travellers can continue to work as they travel on Qatar flights. The complimentary PC laptops will be available to Business Class passengers traveling on all US-bound flights and can be collected after boarding. Customers will be able to download their work on to a USB before stepping on board to pick up where they left-off. Qatar Airways is also offering a special service at the gate...
Europe’s Troubled Skies
Air traffic controller (ATC) strikes – causing massive delays and thousands of cancellations -- have become a Europe-wide phenomenon of late but those delays have paled into insignificance compared with the disruption caused by the continent’s air traffic management’s (ATM) inefficiencies, reports Quebec editor, Mike Dunbar in this week's digital edition of Canadian Travel Press. According to Pete Curran, IATA’s assistant ATM director, European passengers suffered more than 14 million minutes of delay in 2015; the bulk of which was due to the inefficiencies, with one million due...
Urgent Call For Electronics Ban Alternatives
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments to urgently find alternatives to recently announced measures by the United States and the United Kingdom to restrict the carry-on of large electronic items on certain flights departing the Middle East and North Africa. “The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate. Even in the short term it is difficult to understand their effectiveness. And the commercial distortions they create are severe,” said IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac....
Turkish Airlines Honours Top Partners
Turkish Airlines held its first Toronto Agency Awards Ceremony last night at the Delta Toronto East Hotel honouring its top partners from 2016. Attendees were treated to a guest speaker, author Shashank Nigam, writer of SOAR which examines the airline industry, live music, dinner and an awards ceremony. Turkish Airlines, which flies to more countries than any other airline in the world, is renowned for its service and numerous connections made through Istanbul. Pictured at the event are Turkish Airlines' (l-r) Zafer Bolukbasi, general manager, Toronto, Tariq Anwar and Ayhan Ugur....
Porter Boosts North Bay Service
Porter Airlines has introduced a new schedule of daily flights between Toronto (Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport) and North Bay. According to officials, the improved departure times allow business travellers from North Bay to leave home in the morning, complete a full day of meetings in Toronto and return the same night. There is also a wider range of connecting flight options to numerous Porter destinations beyond Toronto, including Ottawa, Montreal, Thunder Bay, New York, Chicago and Boston. During the summer, weekday flights will also have continuing service to and from...