Airlines
Fuel Efficient
Sunwing’s first aircraft with the fuel efficiency Split Scimitar Winglets designed by Aviation Partners Boeing is officially in service. This technology improves performance of the aircraft and decreases fuel burn by approximately 7% over the same aircraft with no Winglets. According to officials, Sunwing is the first airline in Canada and the second in the world to commercially fly the second generation Split Scimitar Blended Winglets and will retrofit its entire fleet of Boeing 737-800 with this new technology by the end of May. “We feel we have a responsibility as a market...
CanJet To Launch Tour Operating Division
It’s being reported that CanJet has plans to launch its own tour operating division. According to reports, CanJet Airlines president Stephen Rowe has stated he has “tentative executive approval” to launch a tour operating division, probably under the name CanJet Vacations or CanJet Holidays in Canada starting next winter. CanJet is a subsidiary of Halifax-based IMP Group and currently offers charter flights primarily on behalf of Transat...
Lufthansa Simplifies Online Booking
Lufthansa is making it easier to book tickets as well as offering a range of other services on its web site, http://www.lufthansa.com . The individual booking steps have been fundamentally changed with the layout being redesigned and the menu prompts simplified. Agents and customers can add flights and other optional flight-related services to their virtual shopping cart. This includes seat reservations, travel insurance packages and Deutsche Bahn rail and fly tickets for international flights. The shopping basket provides online customers with an overview of all the selected...
Canadian North Spreads Its Wings
Canadian North has unveiled a multi-tiered growth plan that reaffirms its commitment as the leading airline in the North. The airline has announced the following enhancements: !!! Introduction of a seasonal, non-stop service between Iqaluit and Halifax with same-plane service to St. John’s, Nfld., effective June 20. !!! Reintroduction of a new cargo aircraft from Ottawa to Iqaluit, effective March 19. !!! Reinstatement of a free luggage allowance of two bags a 33 kg each for all jet passengers, effective immediately. “Offering additional flights to Iqaluit brings...
Dollars & Cents
In this week's issue of Canadian Travel Press, Air Canada president and CEO, Calin Rovinescu talks about the decline of the Canadian dollar and how it will provide both challenges and opportunities for Air Canada over the course of the next year. On the challenge front, the carrier will need to mitigate the effect of a 90-cent loonie on its fuel, lease and maintenance costs, all of which are set in US dollars. But what Air Canada loses on the US dollar cost swings it will gain on the network revenue roundabouts, since more inbound travel is predicted as Canada becomes more affordable...
WestJet Gets A BBB- Corporate Credit Rating
WestJet reports that it has been assigned a BBB- corporate credit rating (“investment grade”) with a stable outlook by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. “This places us among the very few airlines in the world with an investment grade credit rating,” said Vito Culmone (pictured), WestJet’s executive vice-president of Finance and CFO. “This rating reflects our strong liquidity, conservative capital structure and solid market position. Combined with 35 consecutive quarters of profitability, driven by our culture of ownership and care, this BBB- Stable rating will...
Air France Increases Summer Service
On May 12, Air France will be adding a third daily flight out of Montreal on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays to up its weekly schedule by three extra flights. This means that for the periods of May 12-31 and Sept. 30 to Oct. 12, travellers will be able to avail themselves of 1,400 additional seats a week. Also, Air France’s trademark summer schedule addition of a third daily flight between Montreal-Trudeau and Paris-Charles de Gaulle will begin June 1 and run until Sept. 29. With 21 weekly flights, Montreal is second only to New York City worldwide in terms of most seats offered...
Back In A Big Way
Let the celebration begin because Japan is back and it's back in in a big way. After the devastating tsunami and subsequent nuclear reactor crisis that scared tourists away in 2011, Japan has made a remarkable recovery and last year it welcomed a record 10,364,000 foreign visitors -- that's a staggering 124% increase over 2012, according to City of Tokyo Tourism officials. The Canadian market was part of that visitor resurgence posting an impressive 24% increase, with 152,000 Canadians travelling to Japan. And clearly tourism officials are confident that they'll see further increases...