WestJet says the repercussions of a freak hailstorm continue to cause cancellations in Calgary, while NCL hailed members of the Canadian military with special rates in this week’s round-up. Among the other news, Canada is getting a new insurance player, Dubai tourism is going gangbusters, the Cuba tourist board is inviting adventurous agents on a FAM, and Olympic hero Summer McIntosh has a golden experience going through customs in Toronto.
When it’s time for drivers in Ontario to head out on the highway for summer holidays, or rev up that rental car, it would be wise to remember that a majority of the province’s own drivers admit to engaging in risky and unsafe driving behaviours, according to a recent study on dangerous driving conducted by CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO).
Building on extensive flight access from Toronto and Montreal, Air Canada Vacations has introduced a new guided tours program for Colombia, featuring year-round tours and immersive experiences that cover the South American nation’s pristine coasts, natural marvels and colonial towns.
Travelling to destinations where you don’t speak the local language can leave you lost in translation. Communicating in the local language helps advance cultural exchange and improves engagement with locals. Overcoming language barriers increases the ability of travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture.
When last August’s deadly wildfire tore through Lahaina on Maui, the wall of flames scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic town’s Front Street. But the sprawling tree – a beloved symbol of the town – survived the blaze, and thanks to the efforts of arborists and dedicated volunteers, parts of it are growing back – and even thriving.
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.
Europ Assistance (EA), a subsidiary of the Generali Group, one of the largest global insurance and asset management providers, has officially launched operations in Canada with the introduction of a comprehensive new travel insurance platform. The expansion marks EA’s 36th operational market and second in North America, joining Generali Global Assistance in the United States.
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.
Malayan tigers and Aldabra tortoises are native to hot and humid lands, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy a frozen treat on a hot Florida summer day. Temperatures in South Florida this month have reached the upper 90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s Celsius) with humidity reaching 70%, combining for “feels like” temperatures regularly exceeding 100 F (38 C).
Hotel workers in three of Quebec’s largest cities are set to walk off the job today (Thursday) in the middle of the busy summer tourist season. The one-day strike will affect 23 hotels in the Montreal region, Quebec City and Sherbrooke, and will include more than 2,600 workers.
Viking has launched a new and improved travel advisor portal designed to provide advisors with the tools and resources needed to sell the cruise line’s river, ocean and expedition voyages. The updated platform offers a comprehensive suite of features to enhance the booking experience and streamline the marketing process.
A new survey of experienced travellers has revealed that women value travel experiences over material possessions at nearly twice the rate as men. Three out of four women (77%) surveyed indicated that travel experiences hold greater importance than acquiring material goods, a 40% higher rate than 55% of men who feel the same way.
Norwegian Cruise Line has expanded its Military Appreciation Program to include active Canadian service members, veterans, and their dependents from the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Coast Guard. Eligible members of the Canadian armed forces will receive special onboard experiences, amenities, and a 10 percent cruise fare discount across all sailings on all ships throughout the entire NCL fleet.
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.
As Club Med continues to expand in North America and worldwide, the all-inclusive resort chain has named Jacinda Lowry as Associate Vice President of Sales in Canada with an “ambitious” mandate of gaining market share in the English Canada, and particularly Ontario. Toronto-based Lowry moves into the post from her current position as meetings and events sales director Canada.
The avenues, monuments and gardens in the park surrounding Sanssouci Palace, a sprawling green oasis in the heart of the German city of Potsdam and a UNESCO world heritage site, look as magnificent as ever. But a closer look shows that all is not well with the park’s trees, which increasingly are struggling with the effects of climate change.
Tropical Storm Debby reached Florida’s gulf coast early Monday as a hurricane, bringing with it catastrophic flooding as it slowly passed over the northern part of the state. It was later downgraded to a tropical storm, but forecasters warned that record-setting rain could pummel coastal Georgia and South Carolina in the coming days as the system heads east.
Global Affairs Canada is again telling Canadians to avoid all travel to Israel and also warning that those wishing to leave should not count on the Canadian government to help them. Issued over the weekend, the advisory cited the unpredictable security situation in the region due to ongoing conflicts said that an escalation in the armed conflict in Israel could affect people’s ability to leave the country on commercial flights.
When Penny Martin walked into Toronto’s Sheraton Centre last Thursday, she thought she was standing in for Flemming Friisdahl at an Air Canada event that he had said he couldn’t attend due to other commitments. Was she surprised when a roomful of travel types yelled “SURPRISE?” You bet. And, an even bigger and better surprise, her son and sister had flown into town for her retirement party from The Travel Agent Next Door.
Amex GBT aims to improve accessibility for disabled clients, Travel Leaders Network Elite affiliate members cruised to Japan and South Korea, and Virtuoso announced appointments and changes to its senior leadership team in this week’s round-up from the world of retail.
Crystal has launched a new booking engine today (Aug. 1). The cruise line say its innovative platform is designed to streamline the booking experience for travel advisors, offering “unparalleled ease of use, advanced features, and robust support tailored to meet the needs of today’s travel professionals.
An airline passenger who tried to craft a shank from plastic cutlery and open the cockpit door during an American Airline flight and was thwarted by a flight attendant who hit him over the head with a coffee pot has been sentenced to 19 months in prison.
In the round-up this week, Canada’s airlines are under fire, the Caribbean is bouncing back from Hurricane Beryl, Air Canada raised money for kids, WestJet introduced two new destinations in California, Southwest is making history, Sandals is set to make a switch in The Bahamas, and much more.
A recent study has revealed that despite Canada being one of the most popular destinations for solo travellers, less than half of Canadians (46%) are aware of the HELP signals used by people who travel alone. Further, the survey found that 63% of Canadians have travelled alone at least once in their lives, but that only 21% know how to proceed once someone signals distress.
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.”