The 2024 travel year started with a literal bang, when the door of a Boeing 737 Max blew off in mid-flight. Things got arguably worse from then on, with two Canadian airlines going under, a surprise WestJet mechanics strike, massive computer glitches that grounded aircraft, and, now, talk of a potential Air Canada pilots strike. Here’s a brief look at the year of travelling dangerously. JANUARY: On Jan. 5, on a flight from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California, an unused exit door on A Boeing 737 Max 9 jet unexpectedly blew off at about 16,000 feet. The jet was forced Read more
Via Rail
The cheapest cities to visit in Europe, Canadians in love with Japan, top summer travel spots for Americans and a facelift for the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. I also have items on Via Rail, a new tourism campaign for Canada, and honours for the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. A look at what’s new in the travel and tourism world today. CHEAPEST CITIES TO VISIT IN EUROPE Europe is the favorite overseas getaway spot for American and Canadians. But it can get expensive. Yahoo and Insider Monkey have a nice list of the cheapest places to visit in Europe this summer. Read more
A new report by the Auditor General of Canada says nearly two-out-of-three disabled people in Canada still face barriers when it comes to travel. The report, issued this week, says that VIA Rail, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, and the Canadian Transportation Agency have taken steps to improving transportation accessibility by identifying, reducing, and preventing some of the barriers faced by persons with disabilities. “But more needs to be done. In 2019 and 2020, nearly two thirds of the 2.2 million persons with disabilities who travelled on planes, trains, and other federally regulated modes of transportation faced a barrier.” Read more
The snowstorms that iced many Canadians out of their holiday travel plans, continue to leave airline and railway executives and politicians on the hot seat. New data from the Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians blame airlines and rail companies almost as much as they do the weather for cancelled flights and delayed trains over Christmas and New Years. The Angus Reid poll found that 70% of Canadians blame the weather, but that 68% said the problems lie with airlines and rail companies. One-in-three (33%) point the finger at the federal government. A similar number (30%) blame the travellers for putting Read more
Canada’s major airlines are undergoing a grilling in Ottawa today, and the head of Sunwing said his company could’ve done a better job handling holiday travel chaos. Summoned to a House of Commons committee that wants answers to questions about the holiday travel chaos that left many Canadians stranded overseas, Sunwing president Len Corrado was asked about cancellations that left hundreds of Canadians stranded in Mexico. He also was questioned about why Sunwing cancelled all flights to Saskatchewan over Christmas. Corrado apologized for the way the situation was handled. “The bottom line is, we know we could have done better,” Read more
