Qantas will launch the world’s longest commercial nonstop flight. It will take QF1 21 hours to cover the 10,978 miles from Sydney to London. It will leave Sydney in the evening and arrive in London the next morning. QF2, from London to Sydney, will leave before lunch and arrive in the late afternoon on the following day after 20 hours. The flights are expected to launch in 2025.
River cruises are creating waves across the industry, helping to lead travel’s comeback. Avalon Waterways is coming off its strongest first quarter sales season ever. From witnessing a surge in bookings across France on the Seine and Rhône, to the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, to sell-out status on special interest cruises, Avalon Waterways is adding
Vintage race cars crowded into the parking lot of the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, recently for a “legends party,” and hundreds of fans got up-close looks at pieces of NASCAR history. They could have found even more by touring the historic building.
Marriott International, Inc. has completed its acquisition of the City Express brand portfolio from Hoteles City Express. With the acquisition, Marriott International has entered the affordable midscale segment and is launching its 31st brand, City Express by Marriott.
The next Philly Naked Bike Ride is coming in August, but organizers of the annual jaunt in the City of Brotherly Love to promote fuel conservation and positive body image said they are holding the Aug. 26 starting location and route under wraps and will disclose them the day before.
All the nude news fit to print in this week’s SBT round-up, plus snakes and bears and bulldogs, oh my.
You can actually take a cruise from Duluth, Minnesota, all the way to Antarctica. And the ports along the route include Thunder Bay, Parry Sound, Windsor, Cleveland and Toronto. There’s never been a cruise itinerary like it before, and the 71-day cruise that starts in Lake Superior in September is only one of a series of Longitudinal World Cruises being innovated by Viking Cruises as two of its new expedition ships explore the Great Lakes.
Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “The Girl from Ipanema” (“Garota de Ipanema”) was recorded by Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto and Stan Getz, and released in 1964 as part of the album Getz/Gilberto. The album won the 1965 Grammy Awards for Best Album of the Year, Best Jazz Instrumental Album – Individual or Group and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, and a single of the song reached number one on the Pop Standard chart and was named Record of the Year. And what the hell does that have to do with giraffes in Amsterdam?
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says Canadians will be able to apply to renew their passports online beginning this fall. He announced the news at an event to unveil a new design for Canada’s passport, which includes updated security features and colourful new pages.
A top European Union court on Wednesday ruled the EU was wrong to approve a plan for Germany to come to the rescue of Lufthansa with billions of euros in state aid to help the airline deal with the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. In June 2020, Germany notified the EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, of its intention to provide €6 billion ($8.8 billion) in aid to Lufthansa. The 27 EU member countries must seek commission approval when supplying financial support to companies.
When Oceania Cruises christened its newest ship Vista against the ancient walls of Valletta, Malta on the evening of May 8, the glittering ceremony celebrated more than the line’s first Allura Class vessel, its first new ship in the decade. With auspicious timing, marking 20 years since Frank J. Del Rio founded Oceania with visionary ingenuity, Del Rio is retiring as president/CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
Hawaii lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have made tourists help pay for the protection the state’s forests and wildlife even though the idea has widespread public and political support for the notion that “tourists should pay for things.”
With its focus squarely on rebuilding its network and connectivity at its Hong Kong hub after the pandemic, Cathay Pacific is marking a milestone this month: 40 years of flying to the Americas. The launch of non-stop service between Hong Kong and Vancouver International Airport on May 1, 1983, which started with flight CX800, a Boeing 747-200, not only represented the airline’s first entry into North America, but also becoming the first airline in the world to connect the two cities with a nonstop service.
A new experience in Colombia highlights Adventures by Disney’s offerings in 2024, with the South American country especially certain to appeal to fans of entertainment company’s recent film “Encanto.” From the moment “Encanto” (Charm) directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush visited Colombia, they felt the immediate connection to the country and its people and knew it would be the home of the Madrigal family, says Disney.
New rules requiring airlines to use more sustainable fuels across the European Union have been agreed by negotiators from member countries and the EU Parliament in a bid to help decarbonize the sector. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, says the deal reached by member states and the European Parliament demands that suppliers blend sustainable aviation fuels with kerosene in growing amounts from 2025.
Emirates has appointed Shaz Peshimam as its Country Manager for Canada, in a new role following the airline’s plans to expand its operations in the country. This comes as part of the airline’s efforts to support its commercial strategies in Canada and, as Country Manager, Peshimam will be responsible for leading the airline’s operations, driving growth and strengthening Emirates’ footprint in the country.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) criticized the decision by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Biden Administration to raise the cost of air travel by mandating airlines provide financial compensation to travellers for flight delays and cancellations, in addition to their current care offerings. It was announced that the rule will be issued later this year.
Porter Airlines is launching its summer schedule June 1 at Toronto Pearson International Airport featuring additional flexibility for passengers travelling between Toronto and Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.
A cruise ship passenger has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly installing a hidden Wi-Fi camera in a public bathroom on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas. It took place on a week-long Caribbean cruise from Miami April 29 and recorded more than 150 people including around 40 children.
Airbnb is making a renewed push into renting single rooms in a nod to its beginnings and a realization that renting an entire house is too expensive for many travellers, especially younger ones. The short-term rental company has rolled out a new offering that it calls Airbnb Rooms. Guests can rent a room in the same house or apartment as their host at prices that Airbnb says will average US $67 a night.
Disney has updated its invitation to Canadian Travel Agents to expand their product knowledge and increase their sales potential at a Disney seminar. The offer is exclusive to Canadian Travel Agents who are invited to join Canadian Disney Business Development Manager for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Canada, Cindy Charest, to find out the latest Disney Destinations news. Presentations will be offered in both English and French.
In an effort to elevate the voices of the retail community, Karisma Hotels & Resorts is comprising travel agent advisory board and is inviting prospective members to apply.
Karine Gagnon General Manager at Transat Distribution has announced some changes to the current organizational structure, which she says, will, “align with our goals and with the objective of improving efficiency and synergies within our organisation.”
Pilots at American Airlines have voted to authorize a strike, and Southwest Airlines pilots are preparing to join them, as unions put more pressure on the airlines to approve new contracts with hefty pay raises. However, the actions by pilots are highly unlikely to lead to walkouts anytime soon.
President Joe Biden said Monday his administration will write new regulations that will require airlines to compensate air travellers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the airline’s control.
Air Canada has hiked its earnings outlook for 2023, saying it expects earnings to rise due to an improvement in traffic as well as stronger-than-anticipated demand and lower-than-expected fuel prices.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority says it’s well-prepared for the summer travel season at Toronto Pearson International Airport thanks to bolstered staffing and technological improvements following widespread delays and cancellations that travellers experienced last year.
Porter Airlines is adding the West Coast to its growing list of non-stop routes from the nation’s capital with new service between Ottawa International Airport (YOW) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
The acting head of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that budget cuts approved by House Republicans would cause the agency to furlough thousands of workers and stop hiring new air traffic controllers, making summer air travel worse.
VIA Rail Canada reports it has been named Canada’s most reputable company in the transportation sector, according to Leger’s 2023 Reputation Study. VIA Rail saw a significant increase in the annual study this year, improving its reputation score by four points and bypassing all other transportation companies for the first time since the study was published.