Airlines
Etihad offers complimentary tourist visas
Etihad Airways is offering complimentary 96-hour tourist visas to guests transiting through the UAE, effective immediately. The visas, ideal for travellers making stopover visits en route to their final destination, are being offered in co-operation with Radisson Blu hotel on Yas Island. The offer is valid for travellers previously eligible for Etihad Airways' paid-for visa service (available at a cost of AED 300), including passport holders from Bangladesh, Belarus, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan,...
United rolls out Economy Plus on long-haul flights
United Airlines reports is now offering Economy Plus seating on all long-haul international Boeing 757-200 flights, offering economy customers the option of six inches of extra legroom. With the reconfiguration, the aircraft have 16 flat-bed seats in Business First, 45 seats in Economy Plus and 108 in Economy. The 757-200 reconfiguration project, which began in late November, outfits those aircraft with 1,845 Economy Plus seats. The 41 aircraft principally operate between New York/Newark and Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Glasgow,...
WestJet off to Whitehorse
WestJet will launch daily, non-stop service between Vancouver and Whitehorse, Yukon, beginning May 17. The announcement follows the release of schedule details for new service to Kingston, Jamaica, and Aruba. Full schedule details and introductory one-way fares from $99 (plus applicable taxes and fees) are available by visiting http://www.westjet.com...
Billy Bishop passengers can now get lunch ‘To Go’
Passengers at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport can now enjoy a range of food options on sale in each lounge as the result of a new partnership between City Centre Terminal Corp., a subsidiary of Porter Aviation Holdings Inc., and To Go Foodbar, an independent café and coffee bar in Toronto. The concession stands offer an assortment of sandwiches, salads and bakery items, as well as a range of beverage options, including beer and wine. "Part of our commitment to exceptional customer service means constantly listening to our passengers, and the desire for additional food and beverage...
Lufthansa expands automatic check-in services
Lufthansa is expanding its automatic check-in service and now offering this perk on approximately 400 routes within the Schengen Area -- an area comprised of 26 European countries that operate much like a single state for international travel. The service, which already exists in Germany and Italy, has proven popular because of the time savings and convenience it offers passengers. Passengers with an existing booking are automatically checked in 23 hours prior to their departure and will receive an electronic boarding pass with their reserved seat number shortly after, which they can choose...
WestJet considers adding short haul turboprop airline
WestJet Airlines is looking at the potential of starting up a branch airline that would service short haul destinations with turboprop aircraft. The Calgary-based carrier is polling its employee groups through January to get their feedback on the proposal. If the service gets the green light, it could start operations as early as next year, with a fleet of about 40 turboprop aircraft. These would fly to smaller cities and connect into the WestJet network, which operates with a fleet of B737 jets....
Spanair shuts down
Barcelona-based Spanair suspended its operations on Jan. 28, cancelling all of its close to 650 flights and, according to reports, stranding close to 20,000 passengers. In a statement on its web site, the carrier said that it "is finalizing an agreement with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to facilitate the refund of purchased but not yet flown tickets of Spanair. This agreement will let the travel agencies refund the complete price to those passengers that paid the ticket in a travel agency by bank transfer or cash." The carrier went on to say that "all other passengers...
YVR maps out 10-year airport strategy
Vancouver Airport Authority has unveiled a 10-year strategy outlining $1.8 billion in improvements designed to keep Vancouver International Airport (YVR) competitive and an economic generator for British Columbia. "YVR is facing increasing competition from other airports; both travellers and airlines have choices,"said Larry Berg, president and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. "In order to remain competitive and an airport that British Columbia can be proud of, we must continue to invest in projects that make it easier and faster for passengers and their baggage to move through the...