It was a bad week for bankruptcies: In the bombshell of the week, Lynx Air announced it was ceasing operations, and a US-based cruise line blamed the pandemic for its demise. In other round-up news, StatsCan said the price of air fares is dropping, American Airlines gave the proverbial middle finger to travel advisors, Air Canada unveiled a land link between airports in Ontario, and Royal Caribbean revealed plans for its next ship.
NEWS
Calgary-based ultra low-cost carrier Lynx Air announced that it was ceasing operations, effective at 12:01 a.m. MT on Feb. 26., after filing for creditor protection. Officials advised passengers with existing bookings to contact their credit card company to secure refunds for pre-booked travel. WestJet and Air Canada immediately offered assistance.
American Queen Voyages (AQV) said that “despite great efforts” it has been forced to shut down and all future cruises have been cancelled. In a statement on its website, the cruise line explained, “AQV unfortunately has been unable to rebound from the effects of the pandemic. The overnight cruise industry was especially affected by changes in travel preferences and, as a result, AQV has become financially unsustainable.” In Ontario, TICO has posted claims details on its website.
American Airlines says that starting with tickets issued on May 1, customers will have to buy tickets directly from the airline or its partner carriers, or from preferred online travel agencies, if they want to earn points in its AAdvantage loyalty program. The airline said it will list the preferred travel agencies in late April. Corporate travellers won’t be affected. About 60% of American’s ticket sales are already made directly through the airline, said Scott Chandler, VP of revenue management. ACTA said its is deeply concerned and “strongly objects” to the decision.
BY THE NUMBERS
The price of a plane ticket fell more than 14% on average in January compared with a year earlier, according to new data from Statistics Canada. Airfare also dropped nearly 24% between December and January, the agency’s consumer price index report said, as holiday demand gave way to stay-at-home habits last month. However, the price of a ticket remained 10% above 2019 levels, reflecting aviation’s higher costs and slightly lower capacity in a post-pandemic world.
AIR
Porter Airlines is launching daily, round-trip service between Toronto-Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) starting May 17. Initially planned as a seasonal addition to Porter’s schedule, the new route is set to run until Oct. 26.
In move to improve regional connectivity for passengers, Air Canada has launched a pilot project connecting passengers from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport and the Region of Waterloo International Airport in southern Ontario to its hub at Toronto Pearson via luxury motorcoach. The partnership with The Landline Company will enable customers to book a single itinerary combining the coach service with Air Canada flights for a seamless, multi-model journey. Now available for booking, service will begin in May 2024, with the potential for expansion elsewhere in Canada in the future. Info: www.aircanada.com/landline.
United Airlines says it plans to resume flights to Israel next month, reviving a route that was suspended in October at the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Flights from Newark to Tel Aviv, with a stop in Munich, will start March 2. The airline added that it hopes to begin daily service on March 6 and to add a second daily flight as soon as May.
DEALS
Until Feb. 29, Air Transat’s seat sale offers discounted fares on flights to a selection of destinations in the South, Europe, Florida (departing from Quebec and the Maritimes), Morocco (departing from Montreal) and Peru (departing from Montreal and Toronto). Among European destinations, travel enthusiasts can save on flights to London, Lisbon, and Barcelona. Travel must take place by June 20,
To celebrate this leap year on Feb. 29, Contiki has announced a discount of 29% off on 29 selected departures. With a twist, the discount will only be available to the first 29 hawk-eyed travellers per departure who can locate the hidden departures on its Canadian website. If they want to grab the discount, they’ll have to hunt through Contiki’s 200+ trips around the globe, to find the select departure dates tagged with the words ‘TAKE THE LEAP.’ The launch takes place on Feb. 29 at 12:01 AM EST, and will only be available for 29 hours, encouraging travellers who are quick off the mark to book their trip before the time limit ends.
Through March 1, Icelandic carrier PLAY is offering Canadian travellers 20% off of flights out of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. Destinations include Iceland, Paris, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London, Berlin, and Dublin. Travel dates are between April and May and from September to December 2024.
TOURS
Top Ontario agents were invited to spend ‘An Evening with G Adventures’ at a VIP event last week at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto to learn the latest from the tour company, and some key partners, including Portugal, Peru, Colombia, and Brand USA. There was also cocktails, dinner, networking, and top-notch giveaways, notably trip prizes (including one drawn here by G’s David Green and Erin Rogers, with Brand USA’s Casey Canevari). Highlight news included a record-breaking January for the tour operator and the introduction of 17 new Geluxe Collections trips on March 5.
Air Canada Vacations has announced its summer 2024 lineup offering services to popular year-round sun destinations such as Punta Cana, Samana, Cancun, Montego Bay, Barbados, Nassau, Turks and Caicos, and more, as well as additional frequency and capacity to Cancun, operating three times per week with non-stop flights from Vancouver, and to Liberia, Costa Rica from Toronto with twice weekly service. Additionally, ACV will offer extra capacity from Montreal (YUL) to Las Vegas. Other highlights include new sun destinations, including Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines starting April 6 and 7 respectively, and direct flights to Tulum from Toronto every Friday and Sunday starting May 3, and from Montreal every Saturday starting May 4.
CRUISE
MSC Cruises’ new “Open Booking” program allows guests to make a future holiday at-sea reservation without the need to commit to a particular vessel, itinerary or sailing date. The initiative complements MSC’s ‘Future Cruise’ program. Notably, travel advisors who made the original cruise reservation will also receive full commission on the new cruise once the ship and sail date is selected. The open booking means that guests simply pay a reduced deposit of CDN$100 p.p. on board their cruise and are given a certificate that allows them up to 12 months to choose their next sailing holiday.
With Icon of the Seas newly having just entered service and Utopia of the Seas set for summer sailing, Royal Caribbean Group says it is already dreaming up its next vessel, which is a now a step closer with the announcement of an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The seventh Oasis Class ship, a sister vessel to Utopia, will join to the Royal Caribbean International fleet in 2028.
RESORTS
The new ‘Diamond Jetsetter Experience’ from Blue Diamond Resorts enables guests to get to Royalton Luxury Resorts and Planet Hollywood Beach Resorts in Antigua, Cancun, Montego Bay, Punta Cana, and Saint Lucia in style aboard the brand’s new luxury private aviation service Blue Diamond Jets. Flights operate from Toronto and New York.
Club Med Cancún will undergo extensive renovations with enhancements to its Family Oasis and the addition of a Sports & Wellness Island, creating more spaces within the resort designed for guests to recharge and connect. Club Med Cancún is a naturally preserved resort with three private white sand beaches surrounded by a natural lagoon that provides an ideal setting for water sports, family activities, and experiencing Mexico’s rich Mayan culture. The resort will remain open during the renos.
HOTELS
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of its first Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants property in Italy. The property in Sicily (rendering above) will open in the second half of 2025 and follows six luxury and lifestyle openings and signings by IHG in 2023, demonstrating IHG’s investment and focus on the country. This includes the first urban expression of Six Senses opened in Rome, together with InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace and Hotel Indigo Florence. Two further Hotel Indigo properties are due to open in Turin and Trieste over the coming years, as well as IHG’s first Vignette Collection property, Hotel Alexandra, in Rome in 2025.
Marriott Bonvoy’s Moxy Halifax Downtown has opened, marking the brand’s debut in Canada. The new 160-room hotel is easily accessible to downtown and close to shopping, spas, galleries, parks, concert venues, and sporting attractions.
ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS
Circus Circus Las Vegas is unveiling its new SpongeBob SquarePants-themed Dark Ride on March 1. Inspired by Nickelodeon’s globally popular animated series, the new $6 million amusement ride named ‘SpongeBob’s Crazy Carnival Ride’ is interactive attraction that takes guests on a hijinks-filled ride through Bikini Bottom, brought to life through vibrant sets, special effects, animatronics, and vivid integrated projections, fully submersing riders in the nautical nonsense of SpongeBob.
FAMS & INCENTIVES
Riviera River Cruises has extended its promotions for wave season bookings through the end of March. And for every cabin booked, travel advisors will receive a $100 gift card as a bonus commission. In addition to the wave season promotions, advisors will receive one entry in a drawing for six gift cards valued at up to $1,000 for every booking through February to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Riviera’s parent company, Riviera Travel.
EVENTS
VoX International in collaboration with several Caribbean tourist boards and hotel groups is returning to Toronto on Sept. 25 with the second annual Caribbean ConnEX Canada event. The event is intended to connect representatives and suppliers from the Caribbean with qualified Canadian meeting and incentive planners. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to meet planners one-on-one during scheduled meetings and showcase their Caribbean destination and product.
For info, registration and sponsorship opportunities, email events@voxinternational.com
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
Discover the World has announced the retirement in March of Karen Evans after 30 years at the company. She will be succeeded in her role as National Sales Manager for SATA Azores Airlines by her colleague Andrea Thornton, who has worked alongside Evans for many years.
DESTINATIONS
The Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival returns this year from April 30 to May 12, 2024, featuring a lineup of musicians from Saint Lucia and across the world. The 2024 Festival will see headline performances from Air Supply, along with Davido, Machel Montano, Samara Joy, Beres Hammond, Jon Secada and Chloe Bailey. Ticketing and packages will be available from February at www.stlucia.org/jazz.
San Diego, Ca., and Tijuana, Mexico, have been named a combined 2024 World Design Capital, a distinction that provides a platform to and celebrates the cities’ contributions to art and design. From May 1-5, The World Design Festival will take place in Tijuana. The festival will engage the cross-border community and international visitors to experience design in Tijuana through multiple programmatic activities, which include lectures, design exhibitions, public design workshops, and design studio open houses.
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 1993, two British explorers became the first to cross Antarctica on foot without outside support. Sir Ralph Fiennes and Dr. Michael Stroud dragged their supplies on sledges weighing 196 kg across more than 2,100 km.
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