Airlines
Charting A Course To The Future
LOT Polish Airlines is in expansion mode and Canada is in line for more service, reports Michael Baginski in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. On his first visit to this country since taking office in January, new LOT CEO Rafal Milczarski told Travel Courier that Canada is a special market for the airline due both to the strong Polish community here and the fact the airline’s first transatlantic flight landed in Toronto (in 1972), even before the US. “Toronto is a very important route [to LOT]. I think every Polish person loves Canada; everyone in Poland has a...
A Good Idea Just Gets Better
Here's a case of a good idea just getting better and better. By popular demand, Icelandair's Buddies are back as the carrier launches its free Celebration Stopover Buddy service. From blowing out birthday candles in a volcano to meeting the Principle of Elfschool, heli-skiing on your honeymoon or planning the perfect proposal, Icelandair will stop at nothing to make a traveller's Celebration Stopover one to remember Icelandair's new Celebration Stopover Buddy service sees members of the airline team matched to passengers in the ultimate personalized celebration concierge...
A Deal For The Future
IATA is hailing the leadership of the International Civil Aviation Organizatino (ICAO) for having “achieved an historic agreement to implement a market-based measure that will support airlines’ efforts to stabilize emissions with carbon neutral growth.” That agreement was reached by states attending the 39th ICAO Assembly which was held recently in n Montreal and it saw ICAO’s 191 member states agree to implement a Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, said: “The historic significance...
Passenger Growth Slows
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports global passenger traffic data for August showing that demand (measured in total revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) climbed 4.6% compared to the same period a year ago. This, however, represented a slowing from the 6.4% increase recorded in July. August capacity (available seat kilometres or ASKs) increased by 5.8% and load factor slipped 0.9 percentage points to 83.8%. “Growth in passenger demand dipped to 4.6%. While that’s disappointing compared to the previous month’s performance, it is still healthy growth. And...
Helping Them Get Home
Sunwing took quick action to repatriate hundreds of Canadian travellers, sending two special, rescue flights to Freeport, Grand Bahama and Nassau yesterday. The passengers were returned to Toronto and Montreal, escaping the wrath of Hurricane Matthew. The flights were part of an evacuation plan coordinated by the travel company, which had been tracking Hurricane Matthew over the past week. In addition to evacuating customers from the Bahamas, Sunwing also relocated numerous passengers in their resort destinations in Cuba that also involved re-routing several flight services to...
LOT to Boost Toronto Service
LOT Polish Airlines is in expansion mode and Canada is in line for more service. On his first visit to this country since taking office in January, new LOT CEO Rafal Milczarski told PressToday that Canada is a special market for the airline due both to the strong Polish community here and the fact the airline's first transatlantic flight landed in Toronto (in 1972), even before the US. “Toronto is a very important route [to LOT]. I think every Polish person loves Canada; everyone in Poland has a member of the family in Canada or the US,” he said. As such, LOT, which currently...
Etihad, TUI Talking
Etihad Aviation Group and TUI AG confirmed that they're in discussions to create a strong European leisure airline group, focused on point-to-point flying to connect key tourist markets. It is proposed to contribute the touristic operations of the airberlin group and the German TUIfly company, including the aircraft currently operated by TUIfly for airberlin under a wet-lease agreement, into a new airline group established by TUI AG and Etihad Aviation Group. This new airline group would serve a broad network of destinations from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The leisure...
WestJet Goes Pink for Breast Cancer
WestJet employees' uniforms will be looking a little brighter this month with the addition of a pink, custom-designed necktie and scarf in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF). Employees across the airline's network purchased the limited edition neck wear, with 100% of the $45,000 raised going to CBCF for breast cancer research, education, and support and information programs. “Women represent more than half our workforce making breast cancer a cause worth supporting,” said Richard Bartrem, WestJet vice-president, Marketing Communications. “The WestJet brand...