Airlines
AC, Flight Attendants Reach Tentative Agreement
Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have reached a new agreement, subject to ratification, on collective agreement terms for 10 years for the approximately 6,500 flight attendants at Air Canada and 700 at Air Canada rouge. “This new, 10-year agreement with CUPE is an important development which will support long term profitable growth for the benefit of Air Canada, our stakeholders and our flight attendants at both mainline and Air Canada rouge,” said Benjamin Smith, president, Passenger Airlines, Air Canada. “This is a win-win agreement that will provide...
WestJet Increases Orlando Service
WestJet is making it easier for residents of BC and Atlantic Canada to visit Mickey this winter as it will double its schedule of weekly flights between St. John's and Orlando, and Vancouver and Orlando, effective January 2016. This is in addition to the new weekly service to Orlando from St. John's and Vancouver announced earlier this year. “With the addition of a second weekly flight from St. John's, WestJet now offers Atlantic Canadians eight non-stop flights each week from St. John's, Charlottetown, Halifax and Moncton, giving travellers many options for affordable,...
Qatar Airways Has Plan B
Qatar Airways is readying a plan B if global distribution systems "put a stick in the wheel" of the International Air Transport Association's New Distribution Capability initiative. That was the shock announcement delivered by chief exec Akbar Al-Baker on the first day of IATA's World Passenger Symposium in Hamburg, reports Press Today's Montreal editor, Mike Dunbar from the conference. Even though Qatar was an early NDC pilot project participant, the ever-controversial Al-Baker stated, "We are not just relying on NDC; we have a plan B. It will be state-of-the-art and we are already...
AC Training Module Live on ACTA Campus
Air Canada, in partnership with ACTA, has launched the first module of a training program for agents in the ACTA Campus – an incentive program that can lead to agents becoming Air Canada Product Specialists. Agents who enroll or are already enrolled in the ACTA Campus can learn more about Air Canada, the global network of destinations and its suite of products starting with the introductory module on Air Canada rouge. Rob Puzzo, manager, Alliances Sales Strategy and Sales Effectiveness, for Air Canada commented, “Air Canada is proud to partner with ACTA and leverage the Travel...
WestJet, Disney Make More Magic With New Plane
It's hard to believe that anything Disney and WestJet – two of the savviest marketers around – do could be kept under wraps so thoroughly, but the two travel partners combined to amaze several hundred guests on Sunday at WestJet's hangar in Toronto with the unveiling of a new Disney-themed aircraft. Guests included WestJet rewards members (and their kids) plus a full complement of both WestJet and Disney staff and media, including PressToday. The plane is WestJet's second sporting a Disney theme, coming two years after the “MagicPlane” was unveiled. Unlike the Magic,...
It’s Now Or Never
About 80 tour operators and travel agents were on hand for a stylish event in Toronto last night hosted by the Vienna Tourist Board, Vienna International Airport and Austrian Airlines. The event provided travel trade types with an update on what to expect from Vienna, Vienna International Airport and Austrian Airlines in 2016. Elke Bachner of the Vienna Tourist Board began by thanking those attending for the support they had given Vienna in the past decade, support that has resulted in a dramatic increase in Canadian visitors to the Austrian capital. During that time, Canadian...
Embrace The Snow
Beginning Dec. 17, Porter Airlines will resume its seasonal service to Burlington, Vermont from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Tickets for the service, which continues to April 3, 2016, are now available at http://www.flyporter.com . Porter will operate twice weekly, non-stop flights to Vermont this season as well as offering packages through Porter Escapes. Porter Escapes – http://www.porterescapes.com – are priced from $689 for three nights at the Homewood Suites by Hilton. Activities, equipment rentals and lift tickets are also available. Vermont, of course, is well known...
Quite An Experience
Air New Zealand and Tourism Australia are teaming up to offer Canadians more choices when they're flying DownUnder, with a special fare to seven of Australia's top destinations. The campaign – which features a Canadian economy return airfare priced from $1,575 – will be heavily promoted on multiple digital channels from now through Nov. 15, 2015. The Air New Zealand special fare applies on travel to seven of the eight destinations it serves in Australia and includes Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide, the Sunshine Coast and Coolangatta. It does not, however,...