A former Canadian airline executive says airport congestion problems could be with us for some time. Published reports today say that more than one in every 20 flights scheduled to depart from Toronto Pearson Airport were cancelled between June 1 and June 7 due to delays and flight backlogs. The Globe and Mail said Air Canada cancelled nearly 10% of its flights “amid staffing shortages and a surge in passengers at Canada’s busiest airport.” Airlines around the world have been grappling with major delays and problems as travel surges to pre-pandemic levels. U.S. airlines are facing a shortage of pilots. Read more
Toronto Pearson
Toronto Mayor John Tory has joined the chorus of critics who are blasting Toronto Pearson Airport over flight delays and congestion. “The situation at the airport is not acceptable at it presently it. It’s just not acceptable,” Tory said Tuesday at a press conference. “This is not just a Toronto problem. (Pearson) is the gateway to all of Canada.” A video about Pearson delays posted by former NHL player Ryan Whitney went viral earlier this week. In his video, which has garnered more than 2 million views on Twitter, Whitney describes how his flight to Boston was cancelled and how Read more
The Toronto tourism economy is rebounding strongly, but there are plenty of cautionary flags flying in the June breeze. I had a chance to sit down (virtually) the other day with Andrew Weir, Executive Vice President Destination Development for Destination Toronto, to talk about where the city is headed. Nobody’s popping the champagne corks just yet, but they might be thinking of what they might want to order at the LCBO when the time comes. “There’s absolutely a sentiment in the community now that we’re on the on-ramp back to that state of a thriving visitor economy,” Weir said. “I Read more
SAS is expanding its network in North America and with direct routes to Copenhagen and Stockholm from Toronto. SAS will operate three weekly flights to Copenhagen and four weekly flights to Stockholm with its brand-new A321LR aircraft. The inaugural flight took place yesterday (June 2) from Toronto to Stockholm. The first flight to Copenhagen will take place today, June 3. This marks the first flights between Toronto and Stockholm for SAS in 30 years. Scandinavia offers a bounty of awe-inspiring experiences for every traveller. Known as the happiest city in the world, Copenhagen, Denmark is known for its stunning canals, Read more
Swoop, Canada’s leading ultra-low-cost airline, today launched its inaugural flight to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport from Toronto Pearson International Airport. Swoop flight WO746 took off from Toronto this morning at 6:30 a.m. ET and arrived in Chicago at 7:20 a.m. local time. “As Canada’s ultra-not-expensive airline, we are thrilled to continue our network expansion across North America this summer, connecting Toronto and Chicago with affordable fares,” said Bert van der Stege, Head of Commercial and Finance, Swoop. “Today’s celebration reinforces our commitment to Canadian travellers, unlocking opportunities to explore highly-sought destinations at ultra-affordable prices.” EDITOR’S NOTE: I dearly love Chicago Read more
