Canada

WestJet today celebrated the highly anticipated inaugural flight between Winnipeg and Los Angeles. The departure of flight WS1315 at 7 a.m. local time marked a major milestone for Manitoba’s tourism, trade and business sectors as Winnipeg gains a seamless four-hour link to the globally renowned film and entertainment mecca. “With a thriving film and television industry, our Manitoban guests and partners have long awaited this integral connection and will benefit substantially from convenient flights between both cities,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. “As the only airline providing direct connectivity between Winnipeg and Los Angeles, this route not only Read more

Canadian residents returned from over 3.7 million trips abroad in August 2022, more than four times as many trips as were taken in August 2021. StatsCan says Canadian trips abroad were up 340.4% in August compared to last year. Still, the August 2022 figure was only 63.4% of the level in August 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the month of August 752,900 Canadian residents returned from visiting overseas, more than double from the same month in 2021 (341,700). During the same month, travel to U.S. increased six-fold over AUG 2021. StatsCan said the number of international arrivals to Canada Read more

Air Canada today announced a comprehensive range of new product improvements to elevate the customer experience. The changes will have something for everyone, including upgraded Economy dining, more in-flight entertainment and connectivity options, and enriched Premium offerings. Beginning in November, customers will see new and restored services in Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and in Premium cabins onboard, a new Economy Class dining service with a celebrity chef entree internationally plus fresh, new Bistro choices in North America, and in a first for a Canadian airline, complimentary, high-speed Wi-Fi when travelling Premium Rouge. Starting in 2023 (perhaps in time for Read more

Canada’s Competition Bureau has concluded that WestJet’s proposed acquisition of Sunwing Vacations and Sunwing Airlines is likely to result in a substantial lessening or prevention of competition in the sale of vacation packages to Canadians. The Bureau’s concerns are outlined in a report delivered to the Minister of Transport by the Commissioner of Competition. The report will inform Transport Canada’s public interest review of the proposed transaction as it relates to national transportation. Eliminating the rivalry between these integrated airlines and tour operators would likely result in increased prices, less choice and decreases in service for Canadians, the bureau said. Read more