Airlines
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...
Lufthansa, Germanwings Expand Capacity
Lufthansa and Germanwings are increasing capacity by 5% for the summer of 2014. Passengers can choose from 235 destinations in 78 countries, including Lufthansa's four newest gateways in Jakarta, Indonesia; Tokyo's Haneda Airport; Bodrum, Turkey; and Lamezia Terme, Italy. The summer schedule, which is valid through Oct. 25, 2014, will also add flights from Frankfurt to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Frankfurt to Mexico City. In addition, passengers travelling to Canada will have expanded service to Montreal and Toronto, with flights from both Frankfurt and Munich. Lufthansa's long-haul...
Reduced Lufthansa Timetable On Schedule
Lufthansa’s significantly scaled back flight operations -- due to a strike by the pilots’ union -- are on schedule, with the number of flights cut by around 90%. According to officials, thanks to the prompt planning of a stable minimum of operations, the remaining flights have so far taken place as planned. Lufthansa cancelled approximately 3,800 flights and is operating a remainder of some 500 connections. The impact on earnings will come to a medium double-digit million figure. The situation is very quiet at all airports in Germany -- including the major hubs in Frankfurt and...