Airlines
Feds Extend Leniency Period for New eTA Requirement
To give travellers and airlines more time to prepare for upcoming changes when flying to or transiting through Canada, the federal government is extending the leniency period for the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) requirement until Nov. 9. Starting Nov. 10, Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, will need a valid Canadian passport to board their flight to Canada otherwise they will experience delays. All visa-exempt travellers (with the exception of US citizens) will need an eTA to board their flight. In March, Canada introduced the eTA requirement for visa-exempt...
Taking Off – Yeah!
The Conference Board of Canada reports that pre-tax profits in Canada’s air transportation industry are expected to average $1.5 billion a year over the next five years. That's nearly three times better than over the past decade, according to The Conference Board of Canada’s latest outlook for the industry. The report points ou that Canadian airlines have rarely enjoyed such beneficial external factors as it has in recent months. Findings include the fact that: U.S. citizens are flying to Canada in record numbers as the relatively low value of the loonie makes Canada a...
Preparing For The Future
IATA's Passenger Agency Conference (PAConf) has adopted resolutions that support the development of the New Generation of IATA Settlement Systems (NewGen ISS). Aleks Popovich, senior vice-president for financial and distribution services for IATA, observed, “IATA Settlement Systems are the financial back office of the air transport industry. Since its introduction 45 years ago, the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) has successfully facilitated the distribution and settlement of funds between travel agents and airlines, which totalled more than $230 billion in 2015." And he...
NewLeaf Puts Brakes On Some Flights
New low-fare carrier NewLeaf is making some changes to its flight schedule, including putting a temporary stop on some of its flights as it reviews what routes are working and which are not. According to reports, the airline is grounding planned flights from Winnipeg to Victoria, BC for November. It will also stop offering flights to Regina, Saskatoon, Victoria or Kamloops from Nov. 1 until the middle of the month. Officials say these are temporary changes, with flights expected to increase come...
IATA Condemns Costly Strike Actions
IATA is condemning the effects of air traffic controller strikes, which the association said have caused one million minutes of delays across Europe this year, and it called for governments to take steps to ensure service continuity in the face of industrial action. Rafael Schvartzman, European regional vice-president for IATA, said that: “The current frequency of disputes is totally unacceptable. European air travellers have suffered an incredible 1 million minutes of delay and over 3,000 cancelled flights as a result of strikes this year.” He pointed out that: “Every hour...
Swiss Enhances Meal Options
SWISS is expanding its SWISS Choice product for its inflight guests. Travellers in Economy Class on long-haul flights from Switzerland can now pre-order an à la carte lunch or dinner. The new choices extend to six different meals, each of which has been specially selected to meet established customer wishes and tastes. The new à la carte options comprise Zürcher Kalbsgeschnetzeltes (traditional Zurich-style sliced veal in a creamy sauce), a “Swiss Brunch,” a platter of Swiss cold cuts and cheeses, a light dining option, a gourmet selection and a Japanese meal. The prices for these...
Air Transat Unveils 2017 Transatlantic Sked
Air Transat's 2017 transatlantic flight program will offer 27 European destinations that will be accessible to a greater number of travellers thanks to its new connecting flights. Destinations include France, the UK, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Croatia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Czech Republic. The airline is strengthening its flight program to France and the UK, where it has been present for nearly 30 years, offering direct flights several times a week to a variety of cities. Flights to Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Nice, Nantes, London, Glasgow,...
LH Crew Don Anniversary Dirndls
Lufthansa crew wore special anniversary attire on some of its routes yesterday, including Munich to Toronto, to mark the 10th anniversary of the airline's celebrated dirndl crew. Since 2006, this special crew has flown to a total of 20 destinations on four continents. Two days prior to the beginning of this year’s Munich Oktoberfest, Lufthansa passengers were once again able to experience this Bavarian tradition up in the clouds. Over the past 10 years, both the design of the costumes, as well as the designers, has changed. In fact, throughout the years, the dirndl’s originated...