Airlines
IATA Welcomes Canada’s New Safety Rules for Drones
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is in full support of Canada’s decision to implement an Interim Order restricting the use of recreational drones around airports and other high risk areas. The irresponsible or malicious use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) near airports and aircraft poses a safety and security risk. According to Transport Canada, the number of reported drone incidents more than tripled from 41 when data collection began in 2014, to 148 last year (2016). “The introduction of this temporary order will help protect airspace users and the...
WestJet Launches Montreal-Halifax Service
WestJet has launched its newest service to Montreal with the departure of flight 3451 from Halifax. The new route operates twice daily on WestJet Encore using its fleet of Canadian-made Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft. WestJet now operates 157 weekly departures from Halifax to 19 non-stop destinations – 12 domestic and seven international and transborder routes. On Feb. 13, WestJet announced a significant investment in Quebec's travel and tourism market with increased service and new routes to and from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The...
Air Canada Expands Transborder Network
Air Canada has announced the return of daily year-round service between Montreal and Washington Dulles (IAD) starting May 1. In addition to well-timed connections to Air Canada's extensive network to Europe and North Africa, flights will also offer one-stop service to/from Quebec and Eastern Canada including Bagotville, Sept-Îles, Quebec City, Fredericton, Moncton, Bathurst, Saint John and Halifax. Special introductory fares start from $191 one-way, all in, and tickets are now available for purchase. The daily non-stop Air Canada Express service will be operated with 50-seat...
Amadeus Locks It In With FLYR
Amadeus Ventures has invested in FLYR – a start-up firm that helps travellers lock-un the price of flight tickets before they book. When travellers search for fares through an OTA, metasearch site or airline website, FLYR's FareKeep gives them the option to hold a specific fare and protect it from increases for a small fee. With machine learning and algorithms inspired by the financial services industry, FLYR helps OTAs, metasearch and airline sites to dynamically price the fee for holding a fare based on how likely it is that a price may change. Logitravel is one of the early...
Europe Is Calling
Go big or go home is the phrase that applies to Air Transat's launch of its new advertising campaign to promote its 27 European destinations to Canadians. The campaign theme is “Vacation is calling” – and it was developed in partnership with the Sid Lee creative agency – and it was unveiled earlier this month and will be featured on the Web, social media, television, the radio, billboards and in print media. Genevieve LeBrun, vice-president of marketing at Transat Tours Canada, said, “On TV and the Web, Air Transat presents two videos based on the anticipation of a...
Porter Unveils Stephenville Summer Sked
Porter Airlines has released its summer schedule for Stephenville, N.L. The carrier will offer non-stop service twice-weekly between Halifax, beginning June 28 through Sept. 2. Robert Deluce, president & CEO for Porter Airlines, said, “We are ready to begin our fourth year of summer service in Stephenville. It is an important route for locals and an opportunity for visitors to access a unique area of the province.” Flights also connect with Ottawa and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the same aircraft. Other destinations in the Porter network are also accessible from...
Qatar Airways Unveils New ‘Qsuite’
Qatar Airways has unveiled a new Business Class experience – customizable private suites, named Qsuite. QSuite features the industry’s first-ever double bed available in Business Class, with privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room. Adjustable panels and movable TV monitors on the centre four seats allows colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite, allowing them to work, dine and socialize together. Each seat is crafted with luxurious details such as hand-stitched...
Another Surprise From Transat
Transat has unveiled another surprise for travel agents today (March 13) as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations. For every booking of a Transat product made by midnight today, it will automatically earn agents a chance to win one of three trips for two people that will be drawn at random – one in Quebec, one in the Ontario-Atlantic region, and one in Western Canada. The three winners will win a package for two, including the Air Transat flight in Economy class and a one-week, all-inclusive stay in one of the following hotels: Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia Don Pablo...