Airlines
IATA data shows passenger demand up 11% for April
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for April 2024, with global passenger demand up 11 per cent for the month of April, compared to last year. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, was up 9.6 per cent year-on-year. The April load factor was 82.4 per cent. International demand rose 15.8 per cnet compared to April 2023; capacity was up 14.8 per cent year-on-year and the load factor improved to 82.2% (+0.7ppt on April 2023). Domestic demand rose 4.0 per cent compared to April 2023; capacity was up 2.1 per cent year-on-year and the load...
Porter launches service between Montreal & Calgary
Porter Airlines is inaugurating its second Alberta route from Montréal, with daily roundtrip service between Calgary International Airport (YYC) and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL). Connecting the largest cities of Alberta and Québec, the new route is served by the 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. All passengers will enjoy Porter’s generous hospitality and elevated economy experience. About the flight The flight schedule is as follows: Route Departure Arrival Montréal-Trudeau - Calgary Calgary - Montréal-Trudeau 6:20...
Azores Airlines to launch new flights from North America in June
Azores Airlines will launch a set of new direct flights starting in June, which include direct flights from North America to Porto and Funchal, from the Azores (Ponta Delgada) to the Algarve (Faro), and from the Azores (Ponta Delgada) to Italy (Milan). The brand-new operation kicks off on June 1st, with direct flights between Toronto and Funchal, followed by flights between New York and Porto, and between Ponta Delgada and Faro. On June 4, direct flights from Porto to Boston and from Boston to Funchal begin. The following day, the airline launches flights between Ponta Delgada and...
American Airlines reverses decision to withhold loyalty points
American Airlines has rescinded its scheduled policy to stop issuing loyalty points on travel agent bookings. The move follows significant advocacy efforts by ACTA, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), and the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA). According to ACTA, the proposed policy change would have had an extremely detrimental impact on the retail travel community, limiting traveller loyalty points accrual to bookings made by “preferred” agencies and direct bookings only. “ACTA expresses its sincere gratitude to all members who actively...
2024 TAP Portugal awards honour top performers in Lisbon
TAP Air Portugal rolled out the red carpet for the suppliers and travel agents who soared above the rest in promoting both the airline and the beauty of Portugal. The stunning Quinta da Pimenteira in Lisbon was the backdrop for the annual TAP Awards, where the best sales partners of 2023 were recognized. The evening was a star-studded affair, presided over by TAP’s chairman and CEO, Luís Rodrigues. Industry representatives from Portugal, Brazil, the U.S., Canada and Europe gathered to celebrate the top-performing partners. Adding a dash of celebrity glamour, actor and TAP...
Competition Bureau launching study of airline competition in Canada
Canada’s Competition Bureau is preparing to launch a market study of competition in domestic air passenger services in Canada and, in the process, it will be consulting with Canadians. In announcing the study, the Competition Bureau indicated that recent events have raised questions about the state of competition in the industry, which include: The domestic air travel market is concentrated with only two major airlines Domestic airfare in Canada appears to be relatively high Canadians have filed more complaints about air travel services in recent years New airlines...
Boeing emphasizes commitment to safety in third annual report
Boeing recently released its third annual report about the company’s progress to strengthen product safety, with a focus on improving its safety culture and working across industry to reduce safety risk. The report summarizes continued work on long-term initiatives with customers and across industry and changes the company is making that address recommendations by the Congressionally authorized and FAA-initiated expert panel. “We are entrusted with the safety of all those who fly on, use, operate and maintain our products. Our actions are focused on making further improvements...
WestJet’s year-round Calgary-Tokyo service starts in October
Westjet has announced the introduction of year-round flights from Calgary (YYC) to Tokyo (NRT). Set to start on Oct. 27, 2024, the new schedule will include three weekly direct flights. Thanks to a codeshare agreement with Japan Airlines, travellers with WestJet will also gain exclusive access to seven additional destinations beyond Tokyo. This expanded connectivity marks a major milestone for the Japan National Tourist Office (JNTO) as they commit to enhancing Canadian accessibility to Japan. “I am so pleased that Westjet has made the decision to expand their service to Japan....