Your next trip out of Vancouver International Airport might be a pretty high-tech experience. Air Canada on Dec. 3 will bring in facial recognition as a boarding option for most domestic flights out of YVR. “The next evolution of Air Canada’s digital experience launches on December 3 with the expansion of the airline’s Digital Identification program as a boarding option for almost all of its domestic flights at Vancouver International Airport (YVR),” airline officials said. “Following a successful pilot project on select flights, Air Canada and YVR are the first in Canada to invest in the technology and equipment to Read more
Vancouver Airport
J.D. Power’s latest study of U.S. and Canadian airports is pretty harsh when it comes to Canada. If you take this study at its word, we suck. We truly suck. But I don’t know if that’s quite true. The company’s annual airport review for 2024 ranks Toronto Pearson/YYZ as the second-worst mega airport in the two countries, ahead of only poor Newark-Liberty in New Jersey. J.D.Power ranked Vancouver International 15th out of 27 large airports, which is at least middle of the pack. But Calgary was 22nd and Montreal-Trudeau next-to-last at 26th. The 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, the Read more
Air Canada will begin non-stop flights from Vancouver to Singapore on April 3, with four flights a week. They will be the only direct flights between Canada and Singapore. Here’s a story from a visit I made to this fascinating nation in 2013. SINGAPORE – Funny thing about travel. Some places you build up and build up in your mind, and then when you go you feel like Norm walking into Cheers and finding the taps have run dry. Other times, you’re not quite sure what to expect and end up getting bowled over by a place. The latter was how Read more
The Trudeau government says the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) will soon launch a new Verified Traveller program that will offer a faster and more efficient screening experience for eligible travellers at select airports across Canada. The news was quickly welcomed by a lobby group of Canadian business people, which called it a “forward-thinking” plan that will “improve the security screening experience for eligible travellers.” Ottawa said the new Verified Traveller program will replace the current Trusted Traveller program. By June 21, 2023, dedicated Verified Traveller screening lines will be available at select domestic and international checkpoints in the Read more
Swoop has restarted non-stop service from Hamilton International Airport to Orlando, while Porter Airlines is kickstarting flights between Ottawa and Vancouver. Swoop, which bills itself as Canada’s leading ultra-low-cost airline, celebrated its first flight since 2020 to Orlando International Airport (MCO) on Saturday. “Swoop is cementing its position as the leading sun-flying ULCC, providing year-round service to Canadians’ favourite destinations across the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean,” officials said. “As Canada’s number one sun-flying ultra-low-cost airline, we are thrilled to offer our Hamiltonian’s year-round flights to Orlando International Airport,” said Bob Cummings, President of Swoop. “We know residents of southern Read more
