Aviation

On previous occasions announcing Virgin Atlantic service to Canada, Richard Branson descended from a helicopter in full hockey gear over an ice rink at Toronto’s Harbourfront. Another time, he arrived in aircraft accompanied by an emerging local pop star named Drake. It remains to be seen if Sir Richard will again be on hand and what may be planned when the airline launches service next year between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and London Heathrow (LHR).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Star Alliance are enhancing their long-standing relationship in the field of travel compliance solutions, with the Alliance adopting a next-gen travel documentation and verification system that supports contactless travel for its 26 member airlines.

The bustling and high-stress atmosphere of airports can be challenging for neurodiverse individuals. To address this concern, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Pacific Autism Family Network (PAFN) have launched of a series of interactive travel training videos that simulates the travel experience from the curb to cloud, enabling individuals to familiarize themselves with various travel processes and empowering them to approach real travel situations with confidence.

Air Transat and Porter Airlines have launched the first phase of the carriers’ joint venture in which bookings of direct and connecting flights can be made through each other’s distribution channels provided a wider network of destinations for passengers.

WestJet Airlines has replaced its basic ticket tier with a new fare category that does away with a free carry-on bag and other perks travellers once took for granted. The new “UltraBasic category,” the lowest priced of seven fare classes, is a no-frills fare and went into effect this week.

A United Airlines flight from Vancouver to Houston was met by emergency responders from the Houston Fire Department on arrival as more than two dozen passengers suffered flu-like symptoms including nausea and vomiting.  The plane was later withdrawn for deep cleaning as a “precautionary measure.”.

ACTA is urging that its travel industry members take part in a federal Competition Bureau market study on the state of competition within the domestic air passenger services sector. The study aims to identify opportunities for enhancing competition to benefit consumers, employees, and businesses, and the deadline for survey responses must be made by June 10. 

Air Canada is ramping up its flights to India this year including new non-stop service from Toronto to Mumbai, the country’s financial capital. In addition, the airline says it will boost its service from Montreal to Delhi to daily flights as well as offering daily seasonal flights from Calgary to Delhi, via London. The services start Oct. 27.

Regional air service in New Brunswick will get a boost in September when Saint John Airport adds new weekday flights to Halifax, reviving a route that was cancelled because of the pandemic. Quebec-based PASCAN Aviation will offer two daily return flights between Saint John and Halifax from Monday to Friday, as well as one return flight between Bathurst and Saint John every weekday.

Despite record profits for the global airline industry, the cost of flights is likely to go up, IATA warned Monday at its annual meeting in Dubai. The association says that while carriers recover from the groundings worldwide from the coronavirus pandemic, there are many current costs likely to push ticket prices ever higher, among them worldwide inflation.

Seeking close the wage gap with counterparts south of the border, the union representing 5,000 Air Canada pilots says it intends to request help from a federal conciliator to assist in stalled contract negotiations with the airline, claiming the two sides are not close to a deal despite a year of contract talks.

Southwest Airlines returned to federal court this week in hopes of reversing an US$800,000 award to a flight attendant who said she was fired for her anti-abortion views and a judge’s related order that the airlines’ lawyers take religious liberty training from a conservative Christian legal group.

Officials from beleaguered Boeing officials explained their plan to improve manufacturing quality and safety during a three-hour meeting late last week with US federal officials, who will continue restrictions they placed on the company after one of its jetliners suffered a blowout of a fuselage panel in January.

Travellers heading south of the border via Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport can look forward to pre-clearing U.S. customs at the island/city facility next year, with plans now underway to introduce the fast-track system by late 2025. Airport executives made the announcement on Thursday while introducing the selection of companies to handle construction and baggage handling duties required for implementation.

Pilots at WestJet’s regional carrier could be going on strike at the beginning of June. The Air Line Pilots Association said Wednesday afternoon that WestJet Encore pilots have issued a 72-hour strike notice to management and the government.

ACTA is applauding American Airlines decision rescind its scheduled policy to stop issuing loyalty points on travel agent bookings following significant advocacy efforts by the association in conjunction with the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), and the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA).

Today (May 30) marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival in Montreal of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ inaugural flight from Amsterdam. It was the first commercial connection between Canada and mainland Europe – a 20-hour journey that included refueling stops at Prestwick, Scotland, and Gander. From Montreal, the plane continued to Curaçao in the Dutch West Indies, with a technical stopover in Havana.

The Singapore Airlines jetliner that hit sever turbulence last week went through huge swings in gravitational force in less than five seconds, likely causing the injuries to people who weren’t buckled into their seats, according to a preliminary report Wednesday by Singapore’s Transport Ministry.

Two recent high-profile incidents have put a spotlight on the potential dangers of flying through unstable air. In the latest occurrence, 12 passengers and crew were injured when a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin hit turbulence on Sunday, resulting in eight of the people being hospitalized. The inflight incident followed the death of a passenger and over 70 others hurt, many severely, on a Singapore Airlines flight earlier this month.

Air Greenland and Canadian North are teaming up to offer direct flights every Wednesday between Nuuk and Iqaluit starting June 26. Air Greenland will be operating the once-weekly flight on its Dash 8 aircraft with Canadian North providing flights on its Boeing 737 aircraft for passengers from Montreal, Ottawa, and Kuujjuaq to meet up with the flight heading to Nuuk.

With recent events raising questions about the state of competition in the airline industry in Canada, the Competition Bureau says it is seeking feedback from Canadians as it prepares to launch a market study of competition in domestic air passenger services in the country.

Lynx Air hopes to sell off everything from life jackets to oxygen masks as it tries to recoup a portion of the losses it suffered before filing for creditor protection earlier this year. In recent court filings, the defunct discount carrier said it has worked out deals with a pair of aviation companies abroad to sell plane parts and equipment ranging from seats to tires and transponders.

American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory. A former flight attendant is accused of luring girls to use the lavatory after taping his iPhone to the toilet seat.

Singapore Airlines (SQ) says it will halt meal services and get all cabin crew to buckle up when planes fly through turbulence as part of tighter cabin measures after one person died and dozens were injured on a flight from London last week. The airline said it has adopted a “more cautious approach to managing turbulence in-flight” after the Boeing 777 jet heading to Singapore hit extreme turbulence in the Irrawaddy basin, hurling people and items around the cabin.

WestJet Airlines has plans to soon introduce a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag. CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech says the new fare category will be introduced within “a couple of weeks.”

Five new hires are selflessly roaming the halls of one of the world’s busiest transportation hubs, hoping to provide a paw-sitively stress-free travel experience for anxious passengers. Meet Istanbul Airport’s therapy dogs – always ready to offer support with snuggles, belly rubs and sloppy kisses.

The WestJet Group has released ‘Soaring Together’ its first progress report highlighting the airline’s accomplishments across Canada since the launch of its growth strategy nearly two years ago.

Porter Airlines is expanding its Porter Pass program to reflect its growing North America network with new options making it simpler to customize, plan, and enjoy economy air travel. The pass gives frequent travellers on particular routes or within regions a simple and cost-effective way to purchase up to 100 flight credits at a set price, for travel over the course of one year.