The government of Canada says it’s bringing in new rules to protect passengers from cancelled or delayed flights. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said that, as the Canadian aviation industry continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and more and more Canadians are choosing to travel by air, it’s especially important that travellers are treated with fairness and respect. “I am pleased to see that the Canadian Transportation Agency’s new Regulations Amending the Air Passenger Protection Regulations are now finalized,” he said in a statement issued today by the Trudeau government. “These regulations require that refunds be provided for cancelled flights or Read more

A new poll from suggests rising fuel costs will keep Canadians close to home this Canada Day weekend. But not everyone is convinced they really mean it. A CheapOair.ca Canada Day Survey found that a majority of Canadians (52%) stated that they would be staying home for Canada Day, and roughly 27% said that they would only drive a short distance. With gas prices setting records for all-time highs, it is not surprising that people are being more selective with their driving. More than 70% of respondents stated that the out-of-control gas prices have affected their Canada Day plans. “It’s Read more

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), operator of Toronto Pearson, came together with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to offer passengers travel tips and advice as the busy summer travel season heats up. “We’re heading into what is traditionally our busiest time of the year and we want to arm passengers with tips to help them move through the travel experience as smoothly as possible,” said Deborah Flint, President and CEO of the GTAA. “We’ve been supporting our government agencies and airline partners to help manage difficult situations at the airport and we’re using Read more

MUSKOKA – We’ve just finished a fabulous picnic lunch at a table set two meters from the shore on Beausoleil Island in Georgian Bay Islands National Park. We’re watching small waves lap against a sloping, deep orange rock under a sky so blue it would make a robin’s egg jealous. We suddenly hear the cries of small children, and see a gentleman and three young boys walking along this massive slab of exposed Canadian Shield. We learn he’s the grandfather and that he and his son are taking the boys, a six-year-old and two four-year-old twins, camping for a couple Read more

The federal government says airport lineups are improving across the country. A statement from senior ministers in Ottawa says wait times at security lines continue to go down at Toronto Pearson International Airport, with about 91% of passengers now being screened within 15 minutes. Calgary International Airport also saw a slight overall improvement, with about 86% of passengers now screened within 15 minutes. About 84% of passengers were screened within 15 minutes at Vancouver International Airport, which is fewer than the previous week, but still a significant improvement since mid-May. About 85% of passengers were screened within 15 minutes at Read more

Aotearoa (New Zealand) is in celebration mode with the arrival of Matariki, a significant time in the New Zealand cultural calendar marking the beginning of Māori New Year. Each year the Matariki cluster of stars – known to astronomers as Pleiades or the Seven Sisters – rises in New Zealand skies. Believed to have formed more than 100 million years ago the cluster plays a pivotal role in modern and ancient Māori mythology. The Matariki celebration is essentially based around 3 major principles: Remembrance: Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki Celebrating the present: Gathering together Read more