A well-known travel agents group is asking the Trudeau government to fix Canada’s airport mess. “As has been reported across nationally, travellers are experiencing significant delays at airport security and customs & immigration check points– and Canadians renewing passports in-person are experiencing day-long wait times, sometimes having to return day after day,” the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies said in a statement today. “These delays are caused by several factors, including labour shortages and increased administrative burdens due to legacy COVID-19 policies, as well as absenteeism.” Lineups have been particularly long at Toronto Pearson the last week or so. “Canada’s Read more
aviation
WestJet this week launched its long-awaited service from Calgary to Rome with the departure of WestJet flight 32 from YYC to Italy. This first scheduled connection between Calgary and Rome, operated on WestJet’s 320-seat 787 Dreamliner, marked a major milestone in the recovery of Alberta’s travel and tourism industry. “The launch of our highly anticipated Calgary-Rome service is an incredible milestone for both WestJet and our guests, as we’ve been looking forward to this moment, for more than two years,” said Angela Avery, WestJet, Executive Vice-President, External Affairs. “With its rich history and culture, it is no surprise that our Read more
Toronto Pearson Airport officials say they need more staffing, better technology and fewer health restrictions to end the lineup nightmare wait times at security and customs. Travellers are returning to Pearson and other Canadian airports in droves, and airport officials across the country are struggling to keep up with demand. Staffing shortages have been an issue in Vancouver, Toronto and other cities. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority says fliers are “facing bottlenecks and very lengthy delays” and that it understands the frustrations that travellers are feeling. The authority says it needs several changes to be made, including changes to public Read more
Australia’s national carrier today confirmed an order for 12 Airbus A350-1000s to conquer the final frontier of long-haul travel and enable non-stop flights to Australia from any other city, including New York and London from late 2025. Codenamed Project Sunrise for the airline’s long history of endurance flying, Qantas has also shared preliminary concepts for its A350 cabin of the future that will offer a new level of comfort for all passengers on these direct flights that will cut up to four hours off total travel time compared with one-stop options today. Customers onboard Qantas’ new fleet of A350 aircraft Read more
Canadians have new ways to get around the country this summer, and more ways to get to other parts of the world. Air Transat has announced an enhanced domestic flight program to answer the popular demand for travel within Canada. Starting this weekend, the airline will relaunch its domestic flight program between Montreal, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. These flights will also provide many Canadians with access to international destinations via connections in Toronto and Montreal. Until the end of October, the airline will operate its flights to Western Canada with its new-generation Airbus A321neoLR aircraft. Route Starting Flight # Read more
