Airlines
‘Year of the Rooster’ Brings Cathay Fare Deals
Through Jan. 22, Cathay Pacific is offering savings up to 19% off Economy Class fares and up to 22% off Premium Economy Class fares to select cities in Asia, China, and South Pacific, including Auckland and six destinations in Australia. All flights operate via the airline’s Hong Kong hub. The “Year of the Rooster” special fares are available for purchase through Jan. 22 departures between Feb. 6 and June 12 and Aug. 15 and Nov. 30. Departures from Canadian cities are available at an additional fee – including Cathay Pacific codeshare flights operated by Air Canada and...
Sunwing Celebrates Halifax-Orlando Service
Sunwing has announced the return service from Halifax to Orlando for the fifth consecutive year. Flights will operate on Fridays from Feb. 10 to May 12. Orlando and nearby Kissimmee are best known for their theme parks, like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort. “Orlando and Kissimmee remain two of our consistently most popular Floridian destinations, so it was important for us to be able to continue this service for Nova Scotian residents,” said Andrew Dawson, president of Tour Operations at Sunwing. “When combined with our value-added packages, it makes exploring...
WestJet Making Changes to Fare Bundles and Fees
Effective Jan. 17, WestJet is updating its fare bundles and change fees. WestJet’s Econo bundle will include more fare classes; change fees will be based on origin and destination; and Flex fares will offer added value. “As we implement these new updates, we are pleased to share that we are not changing travel agent commission rates,” said Lyell Farquharson, WestJet vice-president sales and sales incentive programs. “Our travel agent partners contribute greatly to WestJet’s success, and we will continue to reward agents for their hard work by offering the same base...
Air Transat Adds Tel Aviv to Summer Program
Air Transat will be offering direct flights from Montreal to Tel Aviv this summer. Also available from Toronto with a connection in Montreal, the non-stop flight between the Montréal–Trudeau airport and the David Ben-Gurion international airport of Tel Aviv will operate twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Sundays, from June 18 until late October. Transat will also be offering an array of packages, guided tours and hotels for discovering Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as well as the region’s many tourist attractions. “We are thrilled to feature our very first destination in the Middle...
EVA, Thailand Team Up to Boost Tourism
EVA Air and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are teaming up to promote tourism and boost numbers of visitors from Taiwan, the United States and Canada. “We are delighted to be working with TAT,” said Golden Kou, EVA Air Spokesman. “This MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) marks a significant co-operation between EVA and TAT to promote Thailand as a destination for short-haul travellers from Taiwan and those flying long-haul from North America.” “This MOU helps us target tourists from the Americas, one of our most important and fastest-growing markets,” said Yuthasak...
AeroMexico Doubles Flight Frequencies Across Canada
Neil Prassad, the market manager for AeroMexico in Vancouver, reminded travel sellers attending an Acapulco seminar recently that the carrier has just increased its capacity from three Canadian cities – Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The frequencies were increased from one flight per day to two per day. He also said that commissions of 5% are paid on bookings. Prassad also described how AeroMexico was now in the midst of finalizing phase two of a codeshare agreement with WestJet. Phase one covered all the Westjet flights from Canadian airports to AeroMexico gateways. Phase two...
NewLeaf Cancels Planned Alberta-Arizona Flights
Discount carrier NewLeaf Travel has cancelled plans to offer flights between Alberta and Arizona (Phoenix) due to increased competition. In an announcement made on Facebook, NewLeaf president and CEO Jim Young said the plans are being nixed after another airline copied the idea. He said within hours of announcing the Arizona route, another airline “lowered its fares and offered service to an airport it had previously ignored for over a decade.” In November, WestJet announced it would begin service between Calgary and Edmonton and Phoenix on Jan. 19. Young also announced that...
Hong Kong Airlines Set to Launch YVR Service
Starting June 30, Hong Kong Airlines will operate daily direct flights between Vancouver and Hong Kong using Airbus A330 aircraft with 18 Business Class and 268 economy seats. “This new route service is Hong Kong Airlines' debut in North America,” noted Li Dianchun, chief commerical officer of Hong Kong Airlines. “The new route will open up more opportunities for travellers worldwide to leverage our connectivity in Asia, hence bringing more diverse and convenient travel options for travellers.” Hong Kong Airlines is represented in Canada by Discover the World. Fares are now...