AIRPORTS DEMAND MILLIONS FROM LYNX: Calgary owed the most

Airports are demanding $4.1 million in unpaid fees and debt from the defunct discount carrier Lynx Air, which already faces more than $200 million in claims from creditors. In court filings, authorities for the Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Halifax and Winnipeg airports asked for an order instructing Lynx to hand over airport improvement fees that the Alberta-based airline held in reserve.

NEW CALEDONIA RE-OPENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia is shortening its overnight curfew and reopening its international airport, which has been closed to commercial flights for more than a month because of deadly violence that wracked the archipelago where pro-independence Indigenous Kanaks want to break from France.

ROUND-UP: June 10-14, 2024

A strike by Canadian border workers was averted. Also, last week, Transat was on the road to Marrakech; Virgin Atlantic announced its return to Canada in 2025; Goway unveiled a new website and its first rebrand in nearly 55 years; and UN Tourism revealed the world’s top tourism destination. Read on to find out where…

WHAT ROUTE WILL CAR RENTAL RATES TAKE IN THE COMING YEAR?

Car rental rates are expected to stabilize after more than three years of volatility, according to a new report released today from American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), however, Ground Monitor 2024-2025 projects rates in Canada to still increase by 3.4% in the period ending March 2025.

MONTREAL INAUGURAL: Air Transat on the road to Marrakech

Air Transat operated its first flight between YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport to Marrakech-Menara International Airport (TS396) Wednesday night. The exclusive non-stop service, the only one between Canada and Marrakech, will operate year-round: twice weekly during the summer (until October) and once weekly during the winter (from November to April).

APPLY EARLY AND OTHER SUMMER PASSPORT TIPS

With school ending and the busy summer travel season beginning, as well as a surge in 10-year renewals, Service Canada is eager to ensure that Canadians have their passport in hand in plenty of time to ensure no unexpected disruptions in travel plans. From how and when to apply to wait times and tracking receipt, here’s everything an expectant traveller needs to know.

HEELS OFF, SHIRTS ON: Unusual laws travellers should know

Travellers’ increasing appetite for less popular, more remote destinations has many benefits: authentic experiences, reduced crowds, and more adventure, to name a few. But it also has some downsides, including a higher probability of accidentally violating lesser-known laws and customs, including high heel shoe restrictions, shirtless driving rules, and turning right on red.

ICONIC B.C. MUSEUM RE-OPENS AFTER ‘SEISMIC’ UPGRADE

One of Canada’s most prominent museums is reopening after an 18-month upgrade for retrofitting that would allow it to survive a once-in-2,500-year earthquake. The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia’s campus in Vancouver reopened to the public yesterday (June 13) with two new exhibits, along with a $40-million upgrade on the building originally opened in 1976.

AMALILIA A STYLISH NEW GIRL ON THE ANCIENT NILE

As the allure of the enigmatic monuments and history of Egyptian empires attract increasing numbers of tourists, AmaWaterways has doubled its Nile River fleet. The luxurious new AmaLilia, featuring 41 staterooms, including 13 suites is welcoming guests as part of an 11-night cruise and land experience.

LISTENING IN: Love reigns o’er Debo Ray

Sometimes all there is to say is “wow.” It’s hard to match powerhouse vocalist Roger Daltrey, but Debo Ray makes it a conversation on this rendition of The Who classic “Love Reign O’er Me” in a performance from just last September.

VIRTUOSO VIEW: Network takes stock of 2024 trends, future forecast

Global luxury and experiential travel network Virtuoso recently hosted its annual Symposium in Dubai with more than 400 travel professionals from 37 countries in attendance. Attendees took part in industry discussions, thought leadership sessions, deep dives into travel trends and business optimization and one-on-one networking, while also getting views on both the present and future from the upper echelons of the organization.

PORTER DOUBLES DOWN ON VEGAS, L.A. ROUTES

Citing strong demand, Porter Airlines says it is doubling capacity on its routes from Toronto Pearson to Las Vegas and Los Angeles, starting Aug. 29 and Sept. 5 respectively. Both cities will be served by twice daily flights on new 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.

QUEEN ANNE SPURS RECORD BOOKINGS FOR CUNARD

Cunard says it registered record-breaking bookings following the launch of its new ship Queen Anne. The 3,000-guest vessel set sail on its maiden voyage on May 3 before returning to her homeport of Southampton on May 24 to begin a celebratory British Isles Festival voyage, which included a spectacular naming ceremony in Liverpool. 

FLORIDA STORM SEASON ARRIVES WITH A WALLOP

The annual rainy season has arrived with a deluge in much of Florida, where a disorganized disturbance of tropical weather from the Gulf of Mexico has caused street flooding and triggered tornado watches, but so far has not caused major damage or injuries.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES PAYS COMPENSATION TO TURBULENCE VICTIMS

Singapore Airlines has offered compensation to passengers of a flight that hit extreme turbulence last month, in a rare case that killed one passenger and injured dozens. The Being 777 jet, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew from London to Singapore, ran into sudden turbulence over the Irawaddy basin on May 20, hurling people and items around the cabin.

UNIVERSAL HOLLYWOOD: Studio tour still making magic after 60 years

In 1964, Universal City Studios invited tourists to take a whirlwind adventure for a first-hand look at Hollywood moviemaking in action. Five times a day, for approximately just over two hours, Monday through Friday, iconic red and white Glamour Trams, with their ruffled awnings, would whisk eager tourists through its studio backlot to be a fly on the wall in the making of Universal movie and television productions. Since then, over 200 million visitors have experienced the now iconic Los Angeles-area attraction.

BORDER STRIKE AVERTED

Workers at Canada’s borders are no longer planning to go on strike after their union reached a tentative agreement with the federal government. The Public Service Alliance of Canada said Tuesday it reached a deal with the government for Canada Border Services Agency employees after working “around the clock.” 

‘DISAPPOINTED’ WESTJET SAYS MECHANICS REJECTED DEAL

The union representing mechanics at WestJet says its members voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative agreement with the airline. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which represents some 670 aircraft maintenance engineers and other skilled trade positions at the carrier, says about 97 percent of its members cast a ballot against the deal.

TAHITI SET TO ENJOY ITS MOMENT IN THE SUN

Tahiti is preparing for its moment in the sun, when the eyes of the world will be on the French Polynesian paradise as it hosts the surfing competition for this summer’s Olympic Games. An overseas territory of France, the island seemed like a more natural setting for the competition than landlocked Paris.

RETAIL ROUND-UP: TLN, TRAVELSAVERS Canada, Playa Hotels

Canadian members were recognized at Travel Leaders Network’s annual international conference in Washington DC, while TRAVELSAVERS Canada leaders learned about Sandals Saint Vincent; also, in the Round-Up, Playa Hotels & Resorts honoured its top agents, including a number of Canadians.

WINNIPEG 150: 50 things to do during city’s milestone anniversary

On Jan. 19, 1874, Winnipeg’s first city council met. Back then, the main attraction for the city’s nearly 2,000 inhabitants was a large muddy road connecting a handful of roughly assembled wood houses, along with the stone gate of Upper Fort Garry. Fast forward 150 years, and now visitors will find a host of world-class attractions, performance groups, sports facilities, gardens, cultural centres, and vibrant neighbourhoods – and a pretty stylish park surrounding the Fort.

KING CHARLES GALLERY PORTRAIT LATEST VICTIM OF VANDALS

Animal rights activists pasted a cartoon image over a portrait of King Charles III on Tuesday at a London art gallery, the latest in a series of incidents at UK museums as campaigners use vandalism to publicize their causes. A group called Animal Rising shared a video of campaigners pasting a picture of a character called Wallace, from the “Wallace and Gromit” comedy series, over the king’s head.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC WILL RETURN TO TORONTO IN 2025: WestJet hails expanded codeshare with VS

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).

WHERE CANADIANS ARE GOING THIS SUMMER, AND WHY

Summer travel has begun and Booking.com has aggregated the latest Canadian data to determine where Canadian families are travelling, and why. The survey is based on booking data and flight and accommodation search volume from the online retailer, and from Kamloops to Kalamata, Greece, some of the choices are sure to surprise!

TUCSON TIME: Arizona’s other city is calling Canadians

While the communities of Greater Phoenix attract much of the attention in Arizona, nearby Tuscon has its own unique allure, not least over 300 days of sunshine a year and winter temperatures that are guaranteed to appeal to Canadian snowbirds and vacationers eager to escape the cold up north.

ACTA SET TO HOST ONLINE INSURANCE SESSION

ACTA will host an online Leadership Panel on Friday (June 14) focussing on the importance of selling travel health insurance. It is the second panel for ACTA, which in April announced a series of quarterly professional development sessions focusing on different segments within the travel and tourism industry.

NEW UNIWORLD COURSE A CRYSTAL BALL FOR 2025

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ new Uniworld University course for 2025 is now available in its online travel advisor education program. The course details what’s to come in 2025 for the luxury river cruise line, including five new itineraries, expanded land extensions, more ‘MAKE TRAVEL MATTER’ experiences, and a new ship setting sail next year, the SS Elisabeth.

IATA, STAR ALLIANCE TRANSITION TO CONTACTLESS TRAVEL

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.

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