Sunwing today issued a formal apology for stranding passengers in Mexico over the Christmas holidays. In a note signed by Sunwing Travel Group CEO Stephen Hunter and Sunwing Airlines President Len Corrado, the company said it’s “incredibly sorry” for days of chaos that saw flights cancelled and left Canadians stranded in Mexico for days. “Sunwing was founded on a promise to help make Canadians’ vacation dreams come true with affordable all inclusive getaways to dozens of highly rated vacation destinations. We are astutely aware that, for too many Canadians, we failed to live up to that promise this holiday season. Read more

It’s National Trivia Day, which means I have an excuse to publish a few fun geographical/travel questions. Here goes with 10 questions (answers below). QUESTIONS 1. Which is further west, Los Angeles, California or Reno, Nevada? 2. True or false: St. John’s Newfoundland in Canada is closer to Ireland than it is to Vancouver. 3. Everyone knows (or should) that Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain on the planet. What’s the second tallest? 1. Mount McKinley. 2. K2 3. The Matterhorn 4. China and India are by far the most populous countries on earth. What country is third in population? Read more

CTV News reports that Opposition MPs in the Canadian government are calling for an “urgent” meeting of the House of Commons’ Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Committee to discuss the treatment of Via Rail and airline passengers this holiday season, and to hear directly from the minister responsible. “Hundreds of Canadians were stranded over the holidays due to extreme weather and poor customer care on the part of Canadian airlines and VIA Rail. These difficulties add to the troubling treatment of air passengers during the pandemic,” reads the letter, sent to committee chair and Liberal MP Peter Schiefke. “Canadians deserve timely Read more

The Biden administration in Washington today (Jan. 4) extended the enforcement of its vaccine mandate for all foreign air travelers entering the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) policy was set to expire Jan. 8, according to CBS News, “but will now be enforced until at least April 10, based on a new emergency amendment issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).” The U.S. just recently announced that passengers on flights coming from The People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong and Macao would have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Canada announced a similar Read more

A prominent Liberal in the Justin Trudeau government says he wants to hear from Sunwing and VIA Rail about the travel chaos that many Canadians endured over the holidays. MP Peter Schiefke, the Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil-Soulanges in Quebec and chair of the federal government’s transportation and infrastructure committee, tweeted on Tuesday that both companies need to be held accountable for a disastrous holiday season. Sunwing cancelled flights between Canada and Mexico a couple days before Christmas, leaving hundreds of Canadians stranded during the holidays. Passengers on a VIA Rail train headed from Ottawa to Toronto were forced to Read more

Today is Alaska’s statehood day, and to celebrate the region that is at the heart of summer cruising Holland America Line is sharing details of its 2024 Alaska season. The premium cruise line is debuting a new 28-day Arctic Circle itinerary that includes 12 Alaska ports, longer 14-day voyages and 117 weeklong journeys, enhancing its position as the leader in Alaska cruising. With more sailings to Glacier Bay National Park than any other cruise line, the only cruise line to include the unspoiled riches of the Yukon plus Denali on overland Cruisetours and more than 75 years of Alaska exploration Read more