inflation

So, you’re tired of airline delays? You’re in good company. WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech took to his Twitter account (@AHoensbroech) on Thursday and blasted Navigation Canada for a 2.5-hour delay on his flight to Vancouver. “Frustrating! Delayed by 2.5h on our own @WestJet flight to @yvrairport because @navcanada is understaffed,” he wrote. “We would have been perfectly on time, now many guests will miss their connections. Shows again why we need a proper shared accountability system across the entire sector!”   Daily Hive quoted a Navigation Canada (NavCan) official as saying that staffing matters are just one of many issues Read more

Get ready for higher airline prices in Canada. Airline and travel industry experts say WestJet’s decision to wind down Sunwing Airlines over the next two years will mean more inflation for consumers. “It’s going to mean higher prices and worse service,” Gabor Lukacs, president of Air Passenger Rights, a Halifax-based advocacy organization, told the Globe and Mail. While WestJet’s decision to wind down Sunwing Airlines operations will almost certainly lead to higher prices, McGill University aviation expert John Gradek told that the Globe that that’s just one of several issues that Ottawa needs to address in the airline industry. “The Read more

Bad enough that we’re getting squeezed into airplanes. Now consumers around the world are facing skyrocketing airline prices. Bloomberg reports that corporate travel manager American Express Global Business Travel analyzed tens of thousands of client transactions on international flights to and from Asian destinations and found some serious inflation at work. A typical New York-to-Hong Kong flight in economy class cost more than twice as much this year as in 2019, and almost a third more than last year. “Fares have been bolstered by tight capacity going into travel’s peak season and customers are eager to book, often upgrading to Read more

Luxury travel is booming like never before, including high-end cruise trips, and hotel prices are jumping. Virtuoso, the leading global network specializing in luxury and experiential travel, is hosting its 2023 Symposium this week in Montréal. During the event’s General Session, Virtuoso Executive Vice President David Kolner presented proprietary data and industry insights before an audience of the industry’s top professionals from 35 countries. As a sign of travel’s continued rebound, Kolner shared that Virtuoso bookings for 2023 are 91 percent higher than they were in 2019 leading into 2020, and 62 percent higher than 2022. That’s truly remarkable. “With Read more