Airlines
Etihad Guest to become multi-airline program
Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways' loyalty program, will expand to become a multi-airline program in June. The new development will see Seychelles Plus, the Air Seychelles frequent flyer program, becoming fully integrated into Etihad Guest's loyalty platform. The change will be effective from June 16 and all Seychelles Plus members will automatically receive a new co-branded membership based on Etihad's loyalty program. Features available to airlines supported by the Etihad Guest program include: Immediate rewards - with the 1MileRedemption feature, fly once and enjoy instant rewards; No blackout...
TACA ups El Salvador service
TACA will soon begin daily direct service between Toronto and El Salvador, with the final destination being San Jose, Costa Rica. The carrier now has three weekly flights on the route. Additional Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday frequencies will begin July 2. Flights leave Toronto at 10:45 a.m., arriving in San Salvador at 2 p.m. The carrier notes that it also offers daily service to Lima through San Salvador, with those arriving in the Peruvian capital able to find immediate connections to Cuzco, Arequipa, Trujillo, Piura, Chiclayo, Tarapoto and Juliaca. Flights also connect from San...
IATA reports rising demand
IATA is reporting that global traffic results for April saw total passenger demand rise by 6.1% despite the continuing economic weakness in some parts of the world. The 6.1% overall growth recorded for April is above the 20-year trend. Strong demand for air travel with limited capacity expansion pushed load factors to 79.3% which is a record high for an April load factor. IATA's director general and CEO, Tony Tyler said: "It's a volatile and risky world. Airlines are being cautious managing through the uncertainty. Overall passenger demand was up 6.1% in April and capacity increases were held...
Piekham-Hsieh picked for joint venture GM post
Adeline Piekham-Hsieh has been appointed as the Canadian sales general manager for the Delta, KLM, Air France and Alitalia joint venture, effective June 1. Reporting to Bob Somers, vice-president of global sales at Delta Air Lines, and Fabien Pelous, vice-president and general manager of Air France KLM Canada, she will be in charge of sales development for all four brands in Canada, and of travel agency and corporate client relations as well. Piekham-Hsieh's airline industry experience dates back to 1998, as a member of Air France's revenue management team at the company's head office in...
Delta returns to Halifax Stanfield
Delta Air Lines resumes Halifax service to three US destinations this summer, with the first to New York (JFK) starting tomorrow (May 26). Service runs seven days a week to July 10. Service to New York (La Guardia) starts July 11, year-round twice-daily, flights to Detroit begin June 6, seven days a week, to Oct. 31, and service to Atlanta operates Saturdays beginning June 30 to Sept. 1....
VIDEO Report: Transat’s all about the difference
When the Transat adventure started 25 years ago, it was about a company that wanted to be different. And two and a half decades later, that's still part of its corporate DNA. At events in both Toronto and Montreal in which it unveiled its new onboard experience, Transat A.T.'s president and CEO, Jean-Marc Eustache pointed out that the company is "intensifying our efforts to differentiate" and that the $4 million it will be investing is part of its overall strategy and vision that's "geared toward achieving a key goal: to deliver the best customer experience on the market." In today's edition...
WestJet extends agent discount rates
WestJet and WestJet Vacations have announced the extension of their current travel agent and companion discount programs for travel until Oct. 27. Agents can take advantage of 70% off WestJet's regular published Y fares or enjoy 20% off confirmed air and hotel packages for themselves and up to three companions with WestJet Vacations. For further details, visit http://www.westjet.com/agent...
Lufthansa offers First Class savings
Lufthansa is offerings savings of to 37% on First Class tickets booked by May 31. The offer is valid for travel from June 22 until Sept. 1. A Sunday night stay is required. Sample First Class fares include Toronto-Geneva from $8,999 plus taxes/surcharges ($961); Toronto-Munich from $8,999 plus taxes/surcharges ($928); and Vancouver-Berlin from $9,999 plus taxes/surcharges ($911)....