American travelers are being scared by gas prices this summer, while Canadians seem to be avoiding international travel. According to the latest Longwoods International survey, 44% of American travelers say they’re reducing the number of trips they’re taking because of record-high prices at the pump, up from 36% in May. A similar percentage are also shifting to destinations closer to home as another way to cope with high gas prices. Only 12% of those surveyed said rising gas prices are not impacting their travel plans. “Fuel costs continue to be a drag on the travel industry recovery,” said Amir Eylon, Read more
Canada
Air Canada and Emirates today announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement that will create more options for customers when travelling on the carriers’ networks while also enhancing the customer experience throughout the journey. Air Canada and Emirates intend to establish a codeshare relationship later in 2022 that will offer enhanced consumer travel choices for Air Canada customers to travel to the United Arab Emirates and to destinations beyond Dubai. Emirates customers will also enjoy an enhanced travel experience when travelling to Toronto Pearson or to key destinations across the Air Canada network. Customers will have the ability to Read more
Finally, some good news for Canadian travellers. VIA Rail Canada has reached tentative agreements with Unifor’s Council 4000 and Local 100, the union representing some 2,400 VIA Rail employees. The deal averts a Unifor strike, which would’ve stalled trains and unleashed more chaos for travellers in Canada. These tentative agreements are subject to a ratification vote by VIA Rail’s Unifor members. Once ratified, the collective agreements will be retroactive to January 1, 2022, and in effect through December 31, 2024. Details of the agreements will only be released following ratification by members. “VIA Rail is pleased to have negotiated these Read more
Airfare prices in Canada jumped 11.6 per cent year over year in May, according to Statistics Canada. Canadian Press says tickets are now above pre-pandemic levels. CP quotes Montreal-based Hopper Inc. as saying that prices are up 15 per cent from 2019 to $960 on average for international flights from Canada, with no sign of a dip in the coming months. It’s no surprise that prices have gone up, given that fuel prices have escalated and demand has exploded. Experts say booking an early morning or late-night flight is one way to save money. Mid-week flights (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) Read more
VIA Rail says a strike deadline by its union has been extended to 8 p.m. Eastern Time today (Monday, July 11). VIA Rail officials put out a statement shortly after midnight to say the 12:01 a.m. strike deadline by Unifor had been extended to 4 p.m., which suggested progress was being made in negotiations. Late this afternoon, word came that the 4 p.m. deadline had been extended to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) continues to negotiate with the union representing some 2,400 VIA Rail employees working in its stations, on board its trains, in its maintenance Read more
