Airline News & Updates | Canada's Airline Industry

By Bob Mowat

October 29, 2012

Batten down the hatches

The north eastern seaboard as well as southern Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes were preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, which reports suggest will make landfall Monday evening (Oct. 29). Government and emergency officials are advising people to take precautions and make plans to ensure their safety as Hurricane Sandy meets up with a cold front coming in from the north west and a smaller storm coming up from Tennessee. Airlines are advising travellers to expect flight delays as the storms are expected to bring high winds and heavy rains to the...

By TravelPress Staff

October 29, 2012

Lufthansa launching new Munich-Vancouver route

Lufthansa is expanding its long-haul services from its Munich hub and next year, for the first time, the airline will offer a non-stop flight from Munich to Vancouver. Beginning May 16, the new route will be served daily with an Airbus A330. The service will complement Lufthansa's daily flights from Frankfurt to Canada's Pacific coast. "We are delighted to be able to offer our customers another destination in North America. Vancouver is an attractive destination for business and leisure travellers,"said Thomas Klühr, member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board, Munich and Direct...

By TravelPress Staff

October 29, 2012

WestJet introduces new credit card enhancements

WestJet has announced details of a new WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard. The improved credit card, issued by Royal Bank of Canada, offers additional benefits. New WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard cardholders will receive a welcome bonus of $250 WestJet dollars and a $99 round-trip companion flight (exclusive of taxes, fees and surcharges), just for getting the card. In addition, all WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard cardholders will now receive a $99 round-trip companion flight upon card renewal, each year. Companion flights can be used for any WestJet flight in Canada and the...

By TravelPress Staff

October 25, 2012

Competition Bureau settles case with Air Canada

The Competition Bureau and Air Canada have resolved their litigation before the Competition Tribunal concerning allegations that Air Canada had engaged in anti-competitive practices directed against low cost carriers WestJet and CanJet, in 2000 and 2001. In March 2001, the Bureau filed an application with the Tribunal seeking an order prohibiting Air Canada from operating flights on certain routes in eastern Canada at fares that did not cover their avoidable costs. The case was divided in two parts: phase one dealt with the application of the avoidable cost test and phase two would have...

By TravelPress Staff

October 25, 2012

Air France prepares for possible Oct. 26 strike action

Despite a call for strike action by a single trade union as of Oct. 26, Air France expects to transport all of its passengers on Oct. 26 and is advising that any disruptions to its flight schedule should remain limited to a few. The airline recommends that customers arrive at airports early and, if possible, to check in online at http://www.airfrance.fr as far out as 30 hours before flights. In the case of any disruption to flights, Air France will directly inform customers by phone, SMS or e-mail....

By Bob Mowat

October 24, 2012

Travelport wades into NDC debate

Travelport has waded into the increasingly heated debate on IATA's NDC initiative. The GDS said that it "welcomes open engagement with IATA on its New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative to ensure an effective and efficient method for delivering supplier content to all participants in the travel supply chain." It also points out that it has consistently maintained that standards are an important aspect of the technology landscape in that they have the capacity to greatly improve the product offering and the customer experience. But notes as well that "these standards need to fairly and...

By Bob Mowat

October 24, 2012

ASTA, BTC reject IATA collaboration claims

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and the Business Travel Coalition (BTC) have rejected emphatically the claim by IATA that the new "standard" it has developed for retail distribution was the "culmination of 12 months of intense coordination across the value chain with participation from airlines, global distribution systems, the travel agency community including online travel agencies and IT providers and their respective trade organizations." ASTA president and CEO, Nina Meyer said that: "The claim of participation by 'the travel agency community' and its 'trade organizations' is...

By TravelPress Staff

October 24, 2012

EVA Air upgrades web site

EVA Air has launched a new global web site with an "upgraded, more user-friendly interface."According to officials, the redesign simplifies functions and presents information in a fresh, appealing format so that it is easier to read and navigate. It also groups all of EVA's special deals and travel-product sales in one location, right on the homepage. Now, a http://www.evaair.com visitor can more quickly find what they need with the click of a button. EVA's redesign features a cleaner design, uses fewer banners, simplifies services such as online booking and organizes product information by...

By Bob Mowat

October 23, 2012

ARTA takes aim at ASTA, BTC on NDC

While the Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA) and the Association of Retail Travel Agents - Canada (ARTA Canada) rarely see eye-to-eye with IATA, the two agency associations say they believe that IATA's New Distribution Capability (NDC) will "embrace travel agents and listen to their input and concerns." In a statement, the two associations said that the NDC will create a set of open XML standards to modernize airline retailing by enabling innovation in the way airline products are distributed, and making possible personalized offers to passengers who will have access to all airline...

By TravelPress Staff

October 23, 2012

Qantas introduces new Business Class amenities

Qantas Airways has introduced a number of enhancements to its international Business service designed to help customers get a better night's sleep. Key among the improvements to the business class cabin is a new sleep service that sees a mattress placed over the existing Skybeds on international flights, and customers offered duvets instead of blankets, for extra comfort. Business class customers will also enjoy exclusive Kate Spade New York and Jack Spade amenity kits, and have more control over their dining experience, with Select on Q - Eat, a service enabling customers to select from a...