Airlines
AC Completes US$400 Million Unsecured Financing
Air Canada reports that it has completed its previously announced private offering of US$400 million of 7.75% senior unsecured notes due 2021. Air Canada received net proceeds of approximately $432 million from the sale of the notes and will use these proceeds for general corporate purposes. “The successful completion of our unsecured note offering is another significant transformational event for Air Canada as we enter a new phase of capital investment in our fleet and product,” said Air Canada president Calin Rovinescu (pictured). “I was especially pleased with the...
Aer Lingus Makes Canadian Debut
Aer Lingus made its long-awaited debut in Canada Monday with the arrival of its inaugural flight to Toronto. After a quick turnaround, flight EI128 took off for Dublin with a full complement of passengers, who had enjoyed Irish music, dancing and munchies in the lead-up to departure. Tourism Ireland, Aer Lingus and Pearson airport execs celebrated the arrival of “The Shamrock” and the start of year-round service between the cities with speeches and ceremonial ribbon- and cake-cutting. The event also marked the first flight of new Boeing 757 aircraft in the Aer Lingus...
WestJet Off to Penticton, Kamloops
WestJet has added Penticton, BC, as its newest destination. Non-stop service between Penticton and Calgary takes off Oct. 26 on board WestJet Encore’s Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft. Special introductory fares are available now on westjet.com. In other news, WestJet has announced the launch of daily, non-stop WestJet Encore service between Edmonton and Kamloops, starting Feb. 15,...
First Air, Canadian North Consider Merger
Makivik Corporation and NorTerra Inc., respectively the shareholders of First Air and Canadian North, have agreed to hold discussions leading to the merger of their operations. The potential merger is intended to create a single airline entity that builds on the strengths and identities of the two companies. According to officials, a merger would improve the sustainability of these critical Inuit birthright enterprises and would also create better air services and new economic development opportunities across the north. Flight operations and services will remain independent and...
Air France, KLM Launch AgentConnect.biz
Air France and KLM have launched AgentConnect.biz,” a new web site dedicated to travel agents. The site provides agents with the necessary tools and information to meet customer requirements, 24/7. It gives information on products and services, commercial news, commercial instructions and booking policies. AgentConnect.biz replaces afkl.biz providing travel agents with easy, client-friendly and immediate access to general information on the two airlines. The web site also features enriched content, an intuitive navigation system and a more appealing homepage. The new...
Stronger Laws Needed for Unruly Passengers
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling on governments to ratify important changes to the Tokyo Convention 1963 which were agreed at a diplomatic conference in Montreal last week. The Tokyo Convention provides the legal framework for dealing with passengers whose unruly or disruptive behavior leads to physical assault or poses a threat to the safety of a flight. “This agreement is good news for everybody who flies -- passengers and crew alike. The changes, along with the measures already being taken by airlines, will provide an effective deterrent for...
One Is The Happiest Number
Since it launched its Travelport Merchandising Platform a year ago at the CAPA Airline Summit in Dublin, Travelport reports that it has made some significant progress. The Travelport Merchandising Platform was developed to allow airlines to distribute and differentiate all of their fares and ancillaries via the travel agency channel, connecting to Travelport exactly how they chose to, whilst enabling travel agencies to fully compare the offers from those airlines. The platform offers three distinct solutions -- Travelport Aggregated Shopping, Travelport Ancillary Services and...
Air Canada Connected
Air Canada, the first Canadian carrier to offer customers in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity, plans to begin rolling out connectivity across its North American fleet next month under an agreement with Gogo, the airline announced in a release issued today from one of its Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft. The agreement will also provide for future type-testing of Gogo satellite solutions for Wi-Fi on international flights. “Air Canada continually seeks to enhance the travel experience and that is why we are pleased to be the first airline in Canada to offer in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity to...