Greece’s air traffic controllers say they will join a nationwide general strike on Friday (Feb. 28) called to demand justice for the victims of the country’s worst rail disaster two years ago. The air controllers’ participation in the protest, called by labor unions representing public and private sector workers, is expected to ground all commercial passenger flights heading to and from Greek airports.
News nuggets, airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.
After watching videos of a Delta Air Lines jet catch fire upon landing and flip over on a Toronto runway, it’s fair to wonder how anyone could have survived. But aviation experts said it was not surprising that all 76 passengers and four crew walked away from Monday’s disaster, with 21 people suffering minor injuries and only one still hospitalized on Wednesday. It’s a credit, they said, to advances in plane design as well as a crew that flawlessly executed an evacuation plan.
Among other air carriers, this has been a difficult week for Sunwing. The airline said in a statement,that there were, “tremendous operational challenges for air carriers across the country.” The problems began, “with the extreme winter weather events experienced in cities across Canada which broadly affected airport operations, both locally and in destination, and air carriers’ flight plans.”
“Let it snow,” Saint Lucia tourism execs exclaimed while visiting Toronto this week, as the city (and much of the eastern part of the country) continued to dig out from far too much of the white stuff. And to be clear, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority CEO Louis Lewis smiled, there is no snow on his Caribbean island. “Absolutely none!”
A humpback whale briefly swallowed a kayaker off Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed. The incident, caught on camera, quickly went viral. Located about 3,000 km. south of Santiago, the Strait of Magellan is a major tourist attraction in Patagonia, known for adventure activities. Its frigid waters pose a challenge for sailors, swimmers and explorers who attempt to cross it in different ways.
One of Japan’s most picturesque seasons is on its way: cherry blossoms – or sakura – are preparing to bloom. Starting in mid-March and continuing through mid-May, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has announced 2025’s cherry blossom season forecast, with dates and locations to help travellers experience the hanami (the custom of flower viewing in Japan) season from city to city.
Imagine if R2D2, the cute little droid from Star Wars, retired and got a job as a waiter. “Your order is here: please wait to be served,” the happy little robot chirps as he (it?) rolls up to our table on Sun Princess, loaded with comfort food. I half expected a natty C3PO to arrive next and set out the nachos and burgers at our table in the Americana Diner, one of the restaurants included in the fare on the newest ‘Love Boat.’
Paul Simon was in the news this week. Not only did the incomparable singer-songwriter appear on the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary special performing “Homeward Bound” with Grammy Award-winning vocalist Sabrina Carpenter, but he also announced that he plans to tour again – seven years after he said he was calling it quits.
After firing hundreds of FAA air traffic controllers and personnel earlier this week – and as protests south of the border grow – the Trump administration has set its sites on the US National Park Service, dismissing about 1,000 permanent employees who maintain and clean parks, educate visitors and perform other functions – a move critics says will hurt tourism.
The federal government is moving ahead with a high-speed, fully electric rail network between Quebec City and Toronto. The new system – to be called Alto – will slash travel times in half and get travellers from Montréal to Toronto in just three hours. Additionally, there will be stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, and Trois-Rivières.
2025 will be a year of continuing momentum for France, according to Atout France, which is rolling out across Canada this week with annual roadshow events in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. The forecast is no surprise after a robust 2024 when the country cracked the “magic” 100-million visitor mark thanks to such landmark events as the Summer Olympics in Paris, 80th anniversary of D-Day, and the re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Delays at Toronto’s Pearson airport continued Wednesday as investigators worked to determine the cause of the fiery crash landing of a Delta Air Lines plane. Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said Tuesday they had recovered the plane’s black box and sent it off for analysis, but it was too soon to say what led to the crash.
WestJet is launching new service between Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). The new first-time service will operate through the airline’s 2025 summer schedule, with up to six-times weekly departures starting May 29. The flight will be the first between the two cities in 30 years.
Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, has appointed Toronto-based Faulhaber as its new agency of record (AOR) for public relations in Canada. Faulhaber, which also has locations in Montreal and Vancouver, will work closely with the Brand USA team to share stories that highlight the USA as a culturally rich, diverse, and inclusive destination.
The Trump administration has begun firing several hundred Federal Aviation Administration employees, upending staff on a busy air travel weekend and just weeks after a January fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
As the investigation into the cause of the crash of the Delta Air Lines flight that flipped and caught fire upon landing at Toronto Pearson continues, the airline said Tuesday that 19 out of 21 passengers initially taken to Toronto-area hospitals had been released.
Starting May 29, all Sunwing Vacations package customers will travel on board WestJet Airlines as the airline fully transitions its aircraft to its parent company’s fleet. The latest step in the integration of the companies coincides with the launch of Sunwing’s initial 2025 summer schedule. Here’s what travel advisors, and their clients, can expect.
TravelBrands is setting sail with Shore Excursions Group, the world’s largest shore excursion provider. The collaboration brings a portfolio of over 4,000 tours in 300-plus ports worldwide, providing travel agents and their clients with high-quality, lower-priced excursions that enhance their travel experiences.
A group of tourism companies have collectively pledged over $5.5 million to help the community of Jasper recover from last summer’s wildfire. Stuart Back, chief operating officer of the Banff Jasper Collection by Pursuit, said this initiative had been months in the making and required coordination between various stakeholders and organizations.
The Los Cabos Tourism Board has launched a digital platform designed to enhance trip planning for both travellers and travel advisors. Featuring AI-powered tools, 360-degree virtual tours, interactive maps, and customizable itineraries, the platform simplifies the process of exploring the destination’s offerings.
A Delta Airlines plane flying from Minneapolis-St. Paul flipped upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and ended up on its roof Monday, injuring 17 passengers including three who are in critical condition. The accident happened at about 2:15 p.m. and flights at the airport were grounded for around two and half hours.
Air Canada says it may reduce flights to certain US destinations later this year if demand from travellers begins to lag, as the airline acknowledged it is coping with uncertainty from the current economic environment, including the threat of tariffs.
This week: Travel Leaders Network, Virtuoso, Carnival Cruise Line, Globus Family of Brands, TTC Tour Brands, and Brazil’s tourist board, Embratur.
Virgin Atlantic, which will launch service from Toronto Pearson (Terminal 3) on March 30, and WestJet have announced an expanded codeshare agreement that will facilitate connections on Virgin between London Heathrow and 13 Canadian gateways via YYZ. The two airlines will co-locate at Toronto Pearson International Airport’s Terminal 3.
Tapping into what it says is enormous growth in wellness travel, Goway has introduced a new product line designed to help travellers “renew, refresh, and recharge.” Channeling the “three Rs” of travel, Goway’s Ultimate Wellness packages also offer authentic ways for travellers to relax and reconnect, the tour company says.
Wimpy would have been the word to describe the last two winters in Ottawa too, when temperatures never plunged low enough, for long enough, for winter activities to abound. The canal skating rink never opened at all in 2023, a historic first, and in 2024 was open for only a handful of days on a very narrow portion, with poor skating conditions.
Donald Trump ‘toured’ a Boeing airplane to check out new hardware and technology features and to highlight the aircraft maker’s delay in delivering updated versions of the Air Force One presidential aircraft, the White House said Saturday.
Paul Jervis. That name may not be familiar to those relatively new to our industry but Paul was a man at the forefront of many of the paradigm changes that impacted Canadian travel and tourism especially in the eighties and nineties. Tragically Paul died in Mexico, on February 4th, after suffering a brain hemorrhage.
An internal government report warned a year ago that allowing “the trend of negative rhetoric” about the security of the Canada-US border could lead to a thickening of the 49th parallel, adversely affecting trade and travel. The report, written by a diplomat at Canada’s embassy in Washington, said that failing to refute US claims about a “crisis at the northern border” would lead to the erosion of Canada’s image as a secure neighbour.