WestJet has begun cancelling flights as a potential strike looms in less than 24 hours.   The airline today said it has been forced to cancel 309 flights due to the potential strike. FlightAware.com, a website that tracks airlines, said WestJet has cancelled 115 flights for Saturday and 188 for Sunday, plus 11 for holiday Monday.    The Calgary International Airport departures page was showing cancelled WestJet flights to Toronto, Chicago, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Montreal and Honolulu. The Vancouver International Airport departures page was showing cancelled WestJet flights to Toronto, Calgary, Atlanta, Maui and other airports.   WestJet said Read more

There’s still nearly two months left of summer (fall doesn’t arrive until Sept. 21), which means there’s plenty of time to get out on a road trip and enjoy great places in the U.S. and Canada. Here are a few personal faves.   COOL SPOTS IN THE U.S.A. PITTSBURGH   I grew up near Oakland, California and our family had season tickets for the Oakland Raiders football team. I hated the Pittsburgh Steelers with a passion. Years later I was working in the sports department for the Toronto Star, and talked my editor into having me drive to Pittsburgh to Read more

Great deals for Canadians heading to New York City, new online passport renewals for Canadians, new basic premium economy and basic business class seats for Air Canada, and new flights to beautiful Madeira. All in today’s post. NEW YORK CITY WANTS YOU! In a push to bring Canadian travellers back to the Big Apple, New York City Tourism is launching a new two-week program offering 30% discounts on hotels, restaurants, and tourism attractions across the city. NYC’s Northern Neighbour Deal, which runs from Aug. 18 to Sept. 7, promises discounts on more than 40 hotels, including the fabulous Ace Hotel. Read more

MSN has a fine item posted on ten of the best Caribbean islands for folks who want to get away from the crowds. I’ve visited six of them: Bequia, Iles des Saintes, Dominica, Eleuthera, Anguilla, and Nevis. They’re all outstanding destinations for travellers looking to get away from it all. BEQUIA: This is a delightful island south of St. Vincent that’s easily reached by ferry. Part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the main town of Port Elizabeth has a super casual feel and is decorated with wildly colourful Bougainvillea and other flowering plants. Stroll along the Princess Margaret waterfront Read more

A new report from hotels.com finds Canadians are looking for trips to Spain, as well as football rivalry games and cool, Nordic adventures. For the upcoming Civic Holiday (Aug. 1-3), searches for Mallorca are up 85%, while searches for Madrid are up 45%. Domestically, searches are up 40% for the London, Ontario ribfest and up 20% for the 50th annual Festival of Friends in Hamilton, Ontario. For Labour Day, searches for Reykjavik, Iceland are up 100%, while searches for Copenhagen have jumped 90%. On the domestic front, Regina has seen a 330% increase in searches ahead of the iconic Labour Read more

BUFFALO – One of North America’s most beautiful art museums. Texas BBQ with a South Asian twist. Former grain silos that now house poetry readings. And some of the nicest people on the planet. I recently spent a weekend in this western New York city and, not for the first time, drove home with a smile on my face. I hadn’t been in Buffalo for eight years, but I found the same entrepreneurial spirit and pride I’ve seen in previous visits. Not unlike Newfoundlanders, they’re quick to lend a hand, and don’t seem to take themselves seriously.I get the feeling Read more