Aviation

JET FUEL FLEXIBILITY: Canadian model gives industry options, says IATA exec

By STUART FOX/ The recent pressure on the supply of aviation fuel globally due to the war in the Middle East has put a spotlight on something most passengers never think about: the fuel in the aircraft. If the war continues, it won’t be long before we see fuel shortfalls in parts of the world. Flexibility could help the industry to make better use of the fuel we have, and airlines keep schedules intact.

THE SQUEEZE IS ON: Transat reveals the cost of high fuel prices

Transat AT Inc. says high jet fuel prices added $70 million in additional costs for March and April compared with the same months last year. The travel company says fuel surcharges have only marginally offset the higher costs because a large portion of its bookings were made before the crisis caused by the attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel began.

PEARSON TO SPEND BILLIONS ON UPGRADE: Hopes for a third more travellers in seven years

Toronto’s Pearson airport is launching a multibillion-dollar upgrade that aims to boost passenger numbers by more than a third to 65 million a year by the early 2030s. The revitalization plan looks to ramp up traffic and tighten on-time performance with improvements ranging from repaved runways to “modernized retail” and possible terminal expansions.

WESTJET, FIJI AIRWAYS SIGN CODESHARE

WestJet has signed a new codeshare deal with Fiji Airways, a move that will make it easier for travellers to head to the South Pacific. The agreement will allow guests to travel across both airlines’ networks under a single booking.

AIR INDIA SLASHES FLIGHTS TO CANADA: Blames soaring jet fuel prices

Air India has slashed its flight schedule due to soaring jet fuel prices, leaving Canadian residents hoping to visit the subcontinent with fewer options and higher fares. In an internal message to staff CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline has cut flight volumes for April and May, with plans for more schedule trims in June and July.

MORE PLANES TO SPAIN: Air Transat to launch winter Canaries route

Air Transat has announced the addition of a new destination to its winter 2026-27 program: Spain’s Canary Islands from both Montreal and Toronto. The seasonal flights to Las Palmas (LPA) will start Dec. 12, continuing weekly through April 4, 2027, with Saturday departures from Montreal and Sunday departures from Toronto.

SUMMERTIME BLUES: Air Canada cuts some U.S. flights due to jet fuel costs

Air Canada says it’s cutting the number of flights to the United States this summer as the war in Iran creates jet fuel shortages that have sent prices soaring. The airline said in a statement that flights from Toronto to Sacramento, Calif., will cease Aug. 1, and service to Charleston, S.C., will end Sept. 6.

THE JET FUEL SQUEEZE: What to know if your flight is cancelled

Airlines in Canada and worldwide are cancelling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices – but the disruption doesn’t end there. For travellers, it can mean having to navigate a confusing web of passenger protections that vary widely depending on where they’re flying.

AIR CANADA HONOURS MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN

Air Canada marked the observance of Red Dress Day in Canada this week (May 5) by sharing a video created to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit peoples (MMIWG2S+).

PORTER TAKES PROACTIVE APPROACH TO FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS

Porter Airlines has partnered with HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions) to introduce a new product that gives passengers more flexibility with day-of-departure flight disruptions. Available as an optional add-on, the Delay and Cancellation Assistance product offers passengers real-time solutions if their flight is disrupted by more than two hours or cancelled within 24 hours of departure.

MORE CHINA FLIGHTS GOOD FOR TOURISM

Ottawa has announced an increase in the number of direct flights permitted to bring passengers and cargo to and from China. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon says there will be “an incremental increase” in flights between the countries in response to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s outreach visit to Beijing in January.

HAPPY DAYS: Finnair returns to Canada after 11 years

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Finnair celebrated the inauguration of a new direct flight from Toronto to Helsinki on Monday (May 4) with the arrival of Finnair flight AY 31 to a traditional water salute at Pearson airport in the early evening. The service marks a return of Finland’s national carrier to Canada after an 11-year absence.

TRANSAT LAUNCHES SUN PACKAGES WITH PORTER: Enhances southern sun options

Transat and Porter Airlines are taking another step forward in their commercial partnership by launching new Transat packages that combine Porter non-stop flights to Nassau, Grand Cayman, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.  Packages feature a curated selection of hotels in each destination, with a mix of all-inclusive and European Plan offerings depending on the property.

AIR CANADA FLIGHT OPS WORKERS RATIFY CONTRACT

Air Canada reports that its Flight Operations Crew Schedulers and its In-Flight Crew Schedulers have approved a new collective agreement between the airline and the Unifor union. The four-year collective agreements are in effect until May 22, 2029.

WESTJET FLIGHT ATTENDANTS FILE NOTICE OF DISPUTE

Flight Attendants at WestJet, represented by CUPE 8125, have issued a formal notice of dispute following more than seven months of ongoing negotiations that the union says has not produced sufficient progress on key issues.

PASSENGERS PICK WORLD’S BEST AIRPORTS

Airports Council Int. (ACI) World, trade association of world airports, in partnership with SITA, recently announced the winners of this year’s ASQ Airport Experience Awards – considered the benchmark for excellence in airport customer experience as determined exclusively by passengers. This year three Canadian airports made the prestigious list.

UNPAID WORK STILL RANKLES FLIGHT ATTENDANTS

Eight months into Ottawa’s investigation into flight attendants’ allegations that they’re forced to do unpaid work, the union is raising concerns that it won’t result in any change.

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