Airlines
interCaribbean Airways adds non-stop service between Bridgetown & Kingston
In a significant development for Caribbean regional travel, interCaribbean Airways is launching new, non-stop flight service connecting Bridgetown, Barbados, and Kingston, Jamaica. Scheduled to commence on February 6th, 2024, this service will mark a new chapter in the connectivity between these two major Caribbean destinations. Bridgetown, the Southern Caribbean hub for interCaribbean, will see flights to Kingston on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with return flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. About the route Operated by interCaribbean's CRJ700 Jet...
IATA tracks the trends in Canadian aviation
IATA’s regional vice president for the Americas, Peter Cerda, observes that aviation in Canada continued its post-pandemic recovery path in 2023. Looking at the half-way mark in 2023, domestic passenger numbers were up 24 per cent over June 2019 levels, while international passenger numbers were still trailing June 2019 levels by nine per cent. These numbers indicate a clear sign that the long and stringent border restrictions are having a longer-term effect. Cerda pointed out that in terms of connectivity the number of international routes has already regained pre-COVID levels,...
Avianca launches Montréal-Bogotá route
Avianca Airlines has launched sales for its brand-new route linking Montréal and Bogotá, Colombia. The airline will operate four flights a week using A320 aircraft with a capacity of 180 passengers each, providing a total of 1,200 available seats per week, starting March 31. Flights will depart from Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL). “We arrived in Canada just over two years ago with our operation to Toronto, and today we are delighted to announce Avianca's upcoming arrival in Montréal at the end of March as the second destination in the...
Air travel recovery continues, reaching 99% of 2019 levels
In its latest data for November 2023, IATA reports that air travel demand topped 99 per cent of 2019 levels. IATA reports that the total traffic in November 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 29.7 per cent compared to November 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 99.1 per cent of November 2019 levels. International & domestic traffic International traffic rose 26.4 per cent versus November 2022. The Asia-Pacific region continued to report the strongest year-over-year results (+63.8 per cent) with all regions showing improvement compared to the prior...
Air Canada posts best operational results in 10 years
Air Canada has reported a strong operational performance for the year-end holiday travel period, during which nearly 2.6 million customers were transported safely. The airline achieved some of its best operational results in a decade, including completing 98 per cent of scheduled flights, with an on-time performance of 70 per cent. "We thank our customers for entrusting their travel to Air Canada and I am proud that we delivered on our promise to transport them safely and conveniently. Over the holidays we carried about 2.6 million customers on more than 20,000 flights, with an...
Air Transat reaches new tentative deal with flight attendants’ union
Air Transat has reached a new tentative agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents its 2,100 flight attendants. The new deal comes following five days of intensive discussions and the new offer will be presented to members imminently. If accepted, it will take effect as the collective agreement for the next five years. Julie Lamontagne, chief people, communications and sustainability officer for Transat, said: “We are happy to have concluded a new tentative agreement that satisfies both parties and that will enable Air Transat to remain...
TAP Air Portugal puts Europe on sale
TAP Air Portugal is taking off in 2024 with promotional fares to Portugal and more than 35 destinations across Europe, with prices starting from CDN$478 for Toronto to Lisbon, roundtrip. The fare sale started on Jan 4 and continues through Jan. 18, 2024, for travel from Jan. 11 through May 31, 2024. Flights are on sale from all nine US and Canadian gateways, including Boston, Chicago, Miami, Montreal, New York (JFK and Newark), San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, DC (Dulles). Sample fares include: Montreal to Lisbon from CAD$479 roundtrip Toronto to Rome from...
Air Transat answers questions on flight attendants’ negotiations
Following the news that flight attendants rejected a tentative agreement that was reached on Dec. 14, Air Transat says that it is “resuming negotiations immediately and will make every effort to reach an agreement quickly.” The company also made it clear that “this is an absolute priority for Air Transat. Please note that there is no strike notice and our operations are continuing as planned.” In the interim, the company has released a Q&A to help travel advisors answer any questions that their clients might have. When will the strike begin? For the moment, there...