Airlines
AC rouge Adds Seasonal Toronto-Charlottetown Service
Air Canada rouge is expanding in Eastern Canada with the addition of twice daily seasonal non-stop service between Toronto and Charlottetown, PEI beginning May 2, 2016. Flights and optional Air Canada Vacations (ACV) packages are available. ACV currently has seven-day vacation packages available from Charlottetown to sun destinations via Toronto from $847 round-trip, all-in. In summer 2016, Air Canada rouge and Air Canada Express will operate up to 69 scheduled non-stop flights each week from Charlottetown to four destinations across Canada. Air Canada offers twice daily summer...
Eye Of The Storm
The bloody attack in Paris and subsequent fears of a terrorist attack in nearby Brussels has put a dent in those cities tourist trades, although it isn't clear how uneasy Canadians are about visiting either of those capitals or other parts of Europe now, reports Ian Stalker in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. A report by STR Global – which monitors the hotel industry – said occupancy rates at some Paris hotels fell by more than 30% following the Nov. 13 attacks that left 130 people dead and were the focus of worldwide attention. Britain-based Tarsh Consulting in turn...
BA Offering Free Hotel Rooms in London
British Airways has launched a “London for Free” deal, offering passengers two free hotel nights in select London hotels this winter and spring. The offer is available when customers purchase roundtrip tickets between Canada and the UK by Dec. 7. The free hotel stay is valid for travel from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2016. Three- and four-star hotels participating in “London For Free” include: Rembrandt; Royal National; President; Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum; Kensington Close; DoubleTree by Hilton Westminster. The two free hotel nights are based on double occupancy;...
Air New Zealand Launches Airband Initiative
Air New Zealand is focusing on the safety of children flying unaccompanied with the introduction of Airband – giving parents and guardians the opportunity to follow the steps in their journey. Children travelling alone on Air New Zealand services will now receive an Airband at check-in as part of the service. The wristband is embedded with a chip which is scanned at key stages of the journey to trigger text notifications to up to five nominated contacts. Air New Zealand general manager, Customer Experience, Carrie Hurihanganui says Airband is a good example of the airline investing...
New Look For Star Alliance Web Site
Star Alliance has redesigned its website to offer a fresh, modern look and user friendly experience across both desktop and mobile devices, complementing the individual websites of its member airlines. Upgrades to its iPad and Android apps to improve usability and add new features will also be available shortly, as part of a wider initiative to meet the needs of today`s travellers for information at their fingertips. The new website, accessible under http://www.staralliance.com, adopts bold visual design throughout as well as mobile-friendly navigational principles that allow it to...
AC Invites You to Help Select ‘Athlete of the Year’
Air Canada is asking Canadians to help select the winner of the Air Canada Athlete of the Year Award 2015. Voters can go to http://athleteoftheyear.aircanada.com and vote for one of three finalists for the award who were chosen for demonstrating a drive for excellence, leadership and integrity. The voting ends Dec. 4 with the winner to be announced Dec. 11. “The Air Canada Athlete of the year Award was launched in 2012 to inspire Canadian athletes in their quest for excellence. With less than a year before the Canadian flag enters the stadium during the opening ceremonies of the...
IATA Updates Growth Forecast
IATA has updated its passenger growth forecast and is now projecting that passenger numbers are expected to reach 7 billion by 2034 with a 3.8% average annual growth in demand (2014 is the baseline year). That is more than double the 3.3 billion who flew in 2014 and exactly twice as many as the 3.5 billion expected in 2015. However, IATA had previously forecast 7.4 billion passengers in 2034 based on a 4.1% average annual growth rate. The revised result reflects negative developments in the global economy that are expected to dampen demand for air transport, especially slower economic...
Transat Pilots Request Conciliation
Air Transat pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, (ALPA), have formally requested that Canada's Minister of Labour intervene in labour negotiations, saying the company's proposal would keep Air Transat's pilots below the industry standard during the term of the proposed agreement. The conciliation request is supported by the members. Capt. Patrice Roy, chairman of Air Transat's ALPA Master Executive Council, commented: "It is with our help that Air Transat has remained profitable through the tough times the company faced. It's time for management to now invest in...