Airlines
WestJet On Deck With The Blue Jays
Just in time for tonight's Toronto Blue Jays' home opener, WestJet has launched a new round of television ads featuring one of the team's stars – Aaron Sanchez. Created by WestJet and its creative content agency, studio m, the campaign features Sanchez offering a tongue-in-cheek demonstration of WestJet Rewards, WestJet Plus, the airline's caring brand, and the size of WestJet's growing network. The four spots feature actual WestJet employees introducing Sanchez who is seen lounging in an ice bath, sitting in a tight spot, caring for a puppy and counting hot dogs. The ads will be...
February Sees Record Load Factors: IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports global passenger traffic results for February show a second month of strong demand growth and record load factors to begin 2017. Total revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) rose 4.8%, compared to the same month last year. Although this was below growth achieved in January, year-to-year comparisons are distorted because February 2016 was a leap month. Adjusting for the one fewer day this year, the underlying growth rate was estimated at 8.6%, just under January’s increase of 8.9%. Monthly capacity (available seat kilometres or...
TAP Is Back And Better Than Ever
After an absence of over 20 years, TAP Portugal will once again be flying out of Toronto. The carrier will launch its new service on June 10, offering 5 weekly flights between Toronto and Lisbon using A330 equipment, reports Press Today's Bob Mowat. Carlos Paneiro, vice-president sales for North and Central America, was in Toronto last night to celebrate the imminent arrival of TAP here and to brief a select group of travel trade types on the new and revitalized airline and what it has to offer. A member of Star Alliance, with the addition of Toronto, TAP will now have 5 North...
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...