Airlines
Air Transat Marks Santo Domingo Service
Air Transat inaugurated its first direct flight between Toronto and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Sunday (Dec. 18). The new service is being be offered every Sunday until April 30, using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Air Transat’s flight program for the winter of 2016-2017 offers travellers 35 sun destinations, including five in the Dominican Republic: La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santo Domingo and Samana. Pictured (l-r) Riad Simon, Manager, Route Development, AERODOM, Pedro Vargas, Airport Co-ordinator, Ministry of Tourism of Dominican Republic, Nathalie Samson,...
Air Canada Offers Winter #TravelTips
With the winter travel season upon us, including the peak holiday travel period between Dec. 15 and Jan. 8, Air Canada is offering tips to help ensure a smoother travel experience. For the latest operational updates, travellers are invited to visit aircanada.com, follow @AirCanada on Twitter, join Air Canada on Facebook, and sign up for flight notification alerts. Flight status and travel updates online: Operational news is available in the Daily Travel Outlook under the Fly section at the top of the home page at aircanada.com. This section also contains information on what to...
Another Strong Year for Airline Profits in 2017: IATA
Flying high. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects the global airline industry to make a net profit in 2017 of US$29.8 billion, representing a 4.1% net profit margin. This will be the third consecutive year (and the third year in the industry’s history) in which airlines will make a return on invested capital (7.9%) which is above the weighted average cost of capital (6.9%). IATA revised slightly downward its outlook for 2016 airline industry profitability to US$35.6 billion (from the June projection of US$39.4 billion) owing to slower global GDP growth and...
Forging New Links
What a way to wrap up 2016. Etihad Airways and Lufthansa German Airlines have hammered out a codeshare deal that – subject to government approval – will take off in 2017. The two carriers also announced a wet-lease agreement between Lufthansa Group and airberlin – in which Etihad Aviation Group indirectly holds a 29%. Lufthansa’s point-to-point carrier Eurowings and Austrian Airlines, a Lufthansa Group airline, have signed an agreement to wet lease 38 aircraft from airberlin. Thirty-three of these aircraft are to be operated for the Eurowings Group, an additional five...
Air Canada, Virgin Australia Team Up
Air Canada has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a codeshare agreement with Virgin Australia, making it easier for Canadians to travel throughout Australia and New Zealand and providing Australians with more options to travel to Canada. The first stage of the agreement is scheduled to be implemented in early 2017 when Air Canada customers will be able to book travel on a single ticket to an additional 10 cities throughout Australia and New Zealand on Virgin Australia-operated flights connecting with Air Canada's daily year-round service to Sydney and Brisbane. Subject to...
British Airways Cabin Crew Set to Strike?
Flight disruptions at British Airways could be on the way as thousands of cabin crew – members of Unite – working for BA's “Mixed Fleet” have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over pay and broken promises. Seventy-nine per cent of the crew that took part in the ballot voted for strike action. Unite is urging British Airways to return to the negotiating table and engage with the union in a meaningful way, otherwise more than 2,500 Unite members who crew long- and short-haul routes to dozens of destinations could go on strike after Dec. 21. The Unite members...
Alaska Air Group Closes Acquisition of Virgin America
Alaska Air Group Inc. has closed its acquisition of Virgin America, an agreement signed in April and approved by Virgin America shareholders in July, bringing the two airlines into a unified force that will “provide an attractive alternative to the 'Big 4' airlines that currently control 84% of the US market. Alaska Airlines and Virgin America will spend the next year working to secure Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification to allow the two airlines to operate as a single carrier (with regional sister carrier Horizon Air remaining on its own separate operating...
WestJet Launches 2016 Christmas Video
WestJet has released its fifth annual Christmas video. The airline stayed close to home this year, surprising people whose homes were affected by the devastating forest fire in May in Fort McMurray. Christmas Miracle: Fort McMurray Strong tells the story of how WestJet created a magical experience for those residents still dealing with the trauma of the mass evacuation and fire. To watch the video and see more behind the scenes content, click https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/about-us/story/christmas-miracle. “This year, we wanted Christmas to mean just a little bit more for the...