Lots of Canadian airline news to share this morning, including more great ways to get to Europe, a new dining option at Montreal Trudeau Airport, and possibly new ways to explore the Caribbean and Mexico.
With the Canada-USA tariff war still carrying on, Canadians seem to be increasingly avoiding trips to the United States. Air Canada has started trimming routes to some U.S. destinations, including Florida, New Orleans and Kansas City, and now it seems WestJet is following suit.
SimpleFlying says WestJet will go from eight to 11 flights per week for its Toronto-Dublin and Toronto-Edinburgh flights, but didn’t list a start date. That’s great news for anyone who loves Ireland or Scotland, where I had a fabulous visit two years ago.
The Herald in Scotland reports WestJet’s route between Edinburgh and Toronto began in 2022 with three-times-per-week service, before the frequency was increased to daily in 2024. It also notes that the WS Halifax to Edinburgh route will operate three times per week from 15MAY to 14OCT, 2025.
SimpleFlying said WestJet also will boost flights from Calgary to Iceland from six days a week to seven, again without a start date mentioned.
Adare Manor in Ireland. Tourism Ireland Photo
All the added flights to Europe will be on 737 MAX8 aircraft, the website said.
WestJet previously announced it will begin flights from Halifax to Amsterdam on May 22nd of this year.
When all its routes are included, WS this summer will have 86 weekly flights to Europe, up 12% from last year, Simple Flying said.
Published reports from Aeroroutes and Simple Flying say WestJet is reducing flights between Calgary and Orange County effective April 27, going from seven to four flights per week. Aeroroutes said WestJet will reduce Toronto-Fort Lauderdale flights from seven to six per week effective the same day, and then go to five per week from May 26 to Sept. 1. It also will reduce flights between Toronto and Las Vegas from six or seven flights per week to five effective April 27. That’s down from 11 per week in the peak season of last year.
Aeroroutes said flights between Toronto and Los Angeles will go from seven per week to six as of May 16, while Winnipeg to LAX drops from three to two weekly flights as of April 27.
PORTER AIRLINES REVIEWING U.S. ROUTES; COULD ADD MEXICO + CARIBBEAN THIS WINTER
With Canadian airlines trimming their routes to the States, it looks like Porter may be up next.
Asked if the airline is reducing U.S. capacity to deal with the drop in interest in Canadians crossing the border, Porter Airlines spokesman Brad Cicero told me that their U.S. routes are being looked at.
“We are reviewing capacity in select U.S. markets to ensure it matches current demand, but intend to maintain flights to every destination in our network. Nothing has been finalized yet,” he said.
That suggests Porter might reduce the number of flights per day to any given U.S. destination, but won’t be cutting out entire cities.
Cicero also hinted that Caribbean and Mexico flights are next on Porter’s itinerary, possibly as an alternative to U.S. sun routes.
“Summer routes are already planned to be heavily domestic focused, and we continue to look at diversifying our network to destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean next winter to provide travellers with more options,” he told me.
Porter earlier this month said it temporarily halting any promotion of U.S. destinations in Canada given the strong “Buy Canadian” sentiment among consumers living north of the border.
The Toronto-based airline has talked openly about adding flights to Mexico and the Caribbean, but their latest statement is the strongest indication yet that those plans are close to being completed. Given that most airlines bump up their sun destination routes in the fall, I would expect any new southern routes from Porter would be announced in early summer.
NEW AIR CANADA CAFE AT MONTREAL TRUDEAU AIRPORT
Air Canada is introducing its newest Air Canada Café at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, offering a “premium grab and go experience” for eligible domestic travellers.
“Designed for convenience and comfort, this new addition, located near Gate A2, opens tomorrow and marks the third Air Canada Café location, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to improving premium lounge offerings at its Montréal hub,” officials said. “Blending local flavours with modern amenities, the Air Canada Café features a curated menu of iconic Montréal snacks, a selection of self-serve beverages, and power at each of the 58 seats.”
The Air Canada Cafe at Toronto Pearson Airport.
Among the treats will be Montreal bagels and Montreal smoked-meat (yum) sandwiches.
To access the lounge, eligible customers need only scan their boarding pass at the eGates at the Air Canada Café’s entrance. This opening is part of Air Canada’s broader investment in new, upgraded and expanded lounges planned for 2025 and beyond, further elevating the airport experience for its premium travellers.
“We’ve created a premium experience tailored to the needs of our busiest customers, while celebrating the essence of Montréal’s vibrant café culture,” said Jacqueline Harkness, Managing Director, Product & Services at Air Canada. “Every detail of the Air Canada Café is designed for productivity and comfort, bringing together efficiency with the warmth and energy that make it a beloved product amongst our customers.”
The Air Canada Cafe at Toronto Pearson is outstanding, and super-convenient.
LONDON HEATHROW CLOSED FOR THE DAY
As if there weren’t enough troubles in the world, a massive fire near London Heathrow has forced the airport to close for the day.
More than 1,000 flights have been cancelled for Friday at the world’s fifth busiest airport, leaving passengers scrambling for flights out of other European airports. One person I know is apparently being re-routed from Heathrow to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, but I suspect there are many others in the same boat.
Airport officials are warning of significant disruption in the next few days, so many more cancellations are likely.
One published report I saw said 200,000 to 300,00o passengers could be affected today alone. That’s a lot of people looking for alternative flights, and it’s a time when airlines generally fly quite full. If there are more cancellations in the next few days, well, I don’t want to think about the chaos that will result.
