Air Canada says that “more than sufficient time” remains to settle outstanding issues with its pilots, who are in a legal strike position as of Sept. 17. However, the carrier is still preparing for the worst by introducing a “goodwill rebooking policy” for customers who are scheduled to travel between Sept. 15 and 23.
WestJet is renewing and expanding its distribution agreement with Amadeus, continuing to make all its fare options – along with merchandising capabilities – easy to book for travel advisors. Moreover, the carrier says all of its future NDC-based offerings will be available on the Amadeus Travel Platform.
Colombian airlines Avianca and LATAM Colombia said they would resume full schedules today (Wednesday) after warning earlier they would have to cancel dozens of flights due to shortages of jet fuel. Avianca said it had received confirmation from the nation’s main supplier of jet fuel that there would no longer be any restrictions on how much fuel was provided to airlines, enabling it to again sell tickets for all its routes and observe its planned flights.
Flair Airlines has launched a $1 base fare initiative, with the “groundbreaking” offer starting on northbound routes from Mexico, the US, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic to Canada. The carrier adds that it will continue $1 base fares on different routes across its network throughout the year.
Delta and American Airlines have both extended their suspensions of flights to Israel as the war between the country and the militant group Hamas continues, and hostilities with Lebanon threaten to escalate.
Air Canada pilots voted on Thursday to overwhelmingly approve a strike mandate, putting them in a position to walk off the job as early as Sept. 17. The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 5,400 aviators at the country’s largest carrier, says the vote passed by 98 percent.
Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) has “revolutionized” the booking process for ‘Round the World’ tickets, according to the oneworld airline alliance, which counts American Airlines, British Airways, and Cathay Pacific amongst its dozen-plus global members.
In another setback to the beleaguered airline manufacturer, federal safety officials in the US are requiring inspections of cockpit seats on Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one of the jets went into a dive when the captain’s seat lurched forward without warning and disconnected the plane’s autopilot system.
From his office overlooking the runway at Gander International Airport, Reg Wright can see all flights in and out of his corner of Newfoundland. But in recent years, those plane spottings have been fewer and farther between. Gander serves as a microcosm for numerous towns and cities across the country. While Canada’s total domestic passenger numbers now hover at around pre-COVID levels, air travel to smaller communities and even medium-sized cities has withered, pushing up fares and leaving parts of the country less connected.
Air Canada’s pilots are expected to wrap up voting on Thursday regarding a possible strike, which could take place as soon as Sept. 17. The pilots who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association are looking to close the wage gap with airline pilots in the US.
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has issued an advisory statement – including information on potential claims eligibility for consumers – regarding Canada Jetlines, which announced last week that it had temporarily ceased operations as of Aug. 15, 2024.
Canada Jetlines has grounded its planes and ceased operations amid a cash crunch that caused it to become the third Canadian carrier in less than a year to stop flying. The airline, which flew mainly to sun destinations out of Toronto, said Thursday it has been unable to find the capital needed to stay afloat and plans to file for creditor protection.
WestJet says it will be issuing flight cancellations “for the foreseeable future” after planes were damaged by a Calgary hailstorm last week, upending travel plans for thousands of passengers. The country’s second-biggest carrier says 16 aircraft, or 10 percent of its fleet, remain out of commission nine days after the tempest rained down golf ball-sized ice pellets onto parts of southern Alberta, including the province’s largest airport.
The first-ever US Baggage Sanitization System has been introduced at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 7. Dubbed a “significant milestone in the travel industry’s ongoing efforts to combat the spread of infectious diseases,” the system offers a travellers a quick, turn-key solution to sanitize their baggage before bringing it home with them.
Experts say airfares may go up in the immediate aftermath of a hailstorm that tore through Calgary last week, damaging planes at WestJet and Flair Airlines and upending travel plans for thousands of passengers. Hailstones as big as golf balls pummelled the airport tarmac, forcing both airlines to ground 10 percent of their fleets for repairs and inspections.
Air Canada may be the official carrier of Team Canada, but that didn’t stop the Paris Olympics from hobbling its summer sales. Despite Canadians’ continued thirst for Mediterranean getaways, the airline’s transatlantic ticket proceeds suffered in its latest quarter as travellers from France and Germany opted to stay on the Continent to soak up the Olympics as well as Euro 2024, and many Canadians decided to avoid France during the Games.
A Chinese American teen is vying to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents in a quest that also aims to drum up donations for research into childhood cancer.
WestJet says cancellations and delays across its network will continue for the “foreseeable future” as it recovers from damage caused by an unprecedented hailstorm in Calgary on Monday night. As a result of the storm, 16 WestJet aircraft – 10 percent of its fleet – are grounded as they require substantial repairs and inspections before returning to service.
Air Canada saw its profits fall by half even while its revenue rose in its latest quarter, as the country’s largest airline struggled to complete the final stages of its recovery from COVID-19.
As part of the recent Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) week in Edmonton, Elevate Aviation and Air Canada invited a group of 17 women from diverse backgrounds in the city to be introduced to the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) profession as part of a Women Employment skills training program.
For the owners of Chrono Aviation, opening a new passenger route to Iqaluit isn’t necessarily about selling the most tickets. Chrono’s passenger service between Montreal and the capital of Nunavut took off this week (Aug. 6), with planes making the round trip twice a week.
The US Department of Transportation is proposing a new rule that would ban airlines – including foreign carriers – from charging parents more to sit with their young children. Under the proposal, released Thursday, airlines would be required to seat children 13 or younger next to their parent or accompanying adult for free.
Turbulence is knocking a beloved instant-noodle offering off Korean Air’s economy menu. Cups of Shin Ramyun instant noodles, a favourite among Korean Air travellers over the years, will no longer be available for economy-class passengers starting Aug. 15, a spokesperson for the Seoul-based airline said.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian says the airline is facing $500 million in costs related to the global tech outage last month that disrupted emergency services, communications, and thousands of businesses. Bastian said that the monetary amount represents lost revenue as well as “the tens of millions of dollars per day in compensation and hotels” for the five-day period.
Porter Airlines is launching non-stop flights to San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) from Toronto-Pearson International Airport (YYZ) this December. San Diego is a year-round route, starting Dec. 9, with four weekly flights. Palm Springs is a winter seasonal service, starting Dec. 12 with three weekly flights.
Consumer advocates south of the border are criticizing an appeals court decision that blocks a new US Transportation Department rule requiring airlines to more clearly disclose fees when they advertise prices for a flight. A three-judge panel on the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said this week the rule “likely exceeds” the agency’s authority “and will irreparably harm airlines.”
Boeing named a longtime aerospace industry veteran on Wednesday as its next chief executive, who will take over a company that has been rocked by legal, regulatory and production problems, as well as a just-reported US$1.4 billion second quarter loss. Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, a former CEO at Boeing supplier Rockwell Collins, will succeed David Calhoun as CEO and president effective Aug. 8.
Vowing to “take low-fare travel to new heights,” Spirit Airlines is moving farther away from its history as a fee-happy budget airline and will start selling tickets that include some of its most popular extras in a single bundle.
A new study has uncovered the most coveted airplane seats by passengers. The results of a travel survey conducted by Texas-based Upgraded Points reveal preferences based on seat location, airline comfort, and specific needs, providing a comprehensive guide for passengers and, at the same time, aiming to settle once and for all the great debate: window or aisle?
Air New Zealand scrapped its 2030 carbon emissions reduction targets on Tuesday, citing lags in producing new planes, a lack of alternative fuel and “challenging” regulatory and policy settings.