Expedia’s new 2025 Air Hacks Report is debunking myths. For example, ‘Summer is an expensive time to travel’. Nah … turns out July, a peak summer travel time, is the cheapest month to travel. Average air ticket prices are up to 11 percent cheaper in July than March when booking a trip from a Canadian origin airport.
Porter Airlines is expanding its footprint in New York with the launch of new year-round service, which starting May 01, will see up to three daily roundtrip flights operating between Toronto Pearson International Airport and LaGuardia.
Through a first-of-its-kind partnership for the intercity rail system facilitated by VISIT FLORIDA, guests booking on Porter Airlines can now receive 50 percent off adult SMART fares on select Brightline trains between South Florida and Orlando – an arrangement that notably connects the former’s cruise gateways (Miami, Fort Lauderdale) with the theme parks of Central Florida (Disney, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld).
As CEO of Joby Aviation, JoeBen Bevirt is getting closer to turning his boyhood flights of fancy into a dream come true as he and latter-day versions of the Wright Brothers launch a new class of electric-powered aircraft vying to become taxis in the sky – vehicles that whisk passengers to a destination in a matter of minutes, and create a new class of airport transfers upon arrival.
Boeing’s aircraft deliveries and orders in 2024 reflect the company’s rough year. Boeing delivered less than half the number of commercial aircraft to customers than its European rival in 2024 as the American aerospace giant’s output suffered under intensified government scrutiny and a factory workers’ strike, according to data released last week.
Germany’s Lufthansa Group finalized its acquisition of Italian airline ITA Airways on Friday, closing a long period of uncertainty for Italy’s former flagship carrier. Under the 325-million-euro ($483 million) deal, Lufthansa takes an initial 41% stake in ITA, formerly Alitalia, from the Italian government, gaining full control by 2033.
Pakistan’s national airline said Thursday that an advertisement showing a plane heading toward the Eiffel Tower was never intended to evoke the memories of the Sept. 11 attacks. The illustration, not in video format, shows a plane superimposed over the French flag and tilted toward the Paris landmark, with the words “Paris, we’re coming today.”
After only two years serving Canada from its base in Hamilton, Ont., PLAY Airlines is pulling out of the market. The Icelandic low-cost carrier’s schedule shows that starting in late April it will stop its four flights per week from YHM to its home base in Reykjavik, Iceland, which it uses as a hub for trips to Europe.
Ryanair is calling on European authorities to limit the sale of alcoholic beverages at airports across the continent, as the Irish airline continues legal action against a passenger who it says caused a costly flight diversion last year.
Beginning May 14, WestJet will operate five weekly flights between Calgary and Mexico City – a route last served in 2018. With the addition of Mexico City, The WestJet Group, including Sunwing Airlines, will serve 13 cities in Mexico from 24 Canadian cities in 2025 with more than 200 flights per week during peak travel periods.
Toronto Pearson set a milestone achievement in 2024, welcoming eight new airlines. That’s more, the airport says, than any other large airport in North America, and brings the facility’s roster of airline tenants to 54, serving 180 destinations worldwide.
Air Canada will operate from John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new world-class Terminal 6 (T6) when it opens to passengers in New York in 2026, joining fellow Star Alliance partners Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ANA as future T6 airlines.
Stephen Goulding has joined Virgin Atlantic as Country Manager for Canada. The Canadian airline industry veteran, who has held leaderships roles with WestJet, began the role this week, and takes the position ahead of Virgin’s launch of service from Toronto to London on March 30.
Air Transat pilots have filed notice to beginning bargaining with the company over a new contract with the warning, “We want management to know we are ready to fight for a contract that addresses the concerns of our pilots and brings stability to our airline.”
The chief executive of start-up Riyadh Air, which will take flight this summer, says that boarding passes – both paper and digital – will likely disappear withing five years, to be replaced by biometric scans for passengers.
Aeromexico had the world’s best record – 87% – for on-time arrivals in 2024, according to an annual ranking released late last week. Delta Air Lines scored the highest among North American carriers, while WestJet and Air Canada finished at the bottom of that regional pack with on-time ratings below 72%.
The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport had a unique claim to fame – its runway straddled the border of the US and Canada. But after seven decades of operation, the small airport that sits near Roseau, Minnesota, and Piney, Manitoba, closed for good on Dec. 27.
Hong Kong Airlines will resume direct flights to Vancouver starting Jan. 18. The twice-weekly services will provide additional travel options for passengers travelling between Hong Kong and Vancouver, and those connecting via Hong Kong.
The federal government is proposing new rules surrounding airlines’ obligations to travellers whose flights are disrupted, even when delays or cancellations are caused by an “exceptional circumstance” outside of carriers’ control.
Air Canada’s 2024 season of Dreams Take Flight wrapped up before Christmas with the last flight of the year departing from Calgary, whisking deserving children away for a special day at a theme park in California. Over the last 12 months, more than 900 children from across Canada were took part in the Air Canada Foundation program, which supports the health and well-being of children across the country, in particular creating hope and resiliency for children facing adversity.
Air Transat will fly to Berlin in 2025 with the non-stop route taking flight from Toronto on June 10 and operating Thursdays and Sundays on a seasonal basis through Oct. 24. The service will be the airline’s 36th non-stop routes between Canada and Europe or North Africa next year.
Air Canada plans to offer free Wi-Fi to Aeroplan members aboard its flights starting in May, building on a partnership with telecom giant Bell that already gives passengers free text messaging capabilities. The airline says that the Bell-sponsored internet service will be available on all Wi-Fi equipped aircraft for North American and Central American followed by long-haul international routes in 2026.
A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over parts of New Jersey, New York and the East Coast in recent weeks, sparking speculation and concern over who sent them and why. The FBI is among several agencies investigating and has asked residents to share videos, photos and other information they may have about the unusual night flyers.
The first commercial batch of made-in-Canada low-carbon aviation fuel sourced from non-food grade canola and tallow has been produced and quickly purchased (by Air Canada). Fuel retailer Parkland Corp. said last week it has successfully produced about 100,000 litres of the fuel at its refinery in Burnaby, B.C. “using existing infrastructure.”
Transat A.T. Inc. reported a big boost in profits in its latest quarter, driven by millions of dollars in compensation from an engine maker as well as an uptick in passenger figures.
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, who has led a tougher enforcement policy against Boeing since a panel blew off a Boeing jet in January, said Thursday that he will step down next month, clearing the way for Donald Trump to name his choice to lead the agency.
The number of air passengers will likely reach 5.2 billion in 2025, topping the 5 billion mark for the first time ever, predicts IATA in its year-end financial outlook for the global airline industry. The nearly seven percent rise compared to this year will also see net profits for the airline industry reach US$36.6 billion.
Honouring the 11-year anniversary of one of its “Real-Time Giving” campaign, WestJet is bringing back its holiday season campaign with a special twist. Before families boarded a WestJet flight from Toronto to Calgary, guests visited Santa’s Station where WestJet’s Blue Santa asked kids what they thought their parents and other grown-ups wanted for Christmas.
Flair Airline says it has put measures in place “to ensure operational continuity” after the airline’s chief financial officer Sumanth Rao was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal crash involving an underage driver who had been drinking at his Atlanta-area home.
The chief executive of Air Canada has been elected as the new chairperson of the Star Alliance chief executive board. Michael Rousseau succeeds United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby, who has held the title since December 2020.