Airlines
Finnair back in Toronto
Finnair will reintroduce scheduled flights between Toronto and Helsinki this spring. The flights will also offer connections to over 50 destinations in Europe and 10 destinations in Asia. The non-stop flight between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Helsinki Airport will fly five days a week beginning May 24, 2012. Finnair is also offering spring round-trip fares starting from CDN$965 from Toronto to Helsiniki, and these are valid for travel May 1 to June 25, 2012. Other destinations include Copenhagen, Stockholm, Moscow, Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Bangkok, Seoul, Delhi, Hong Kong, and...
AC adds NYC lift
Air Canada is launching triple-daily, non-stop flights between Toronto Pearson and New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport beginning May 3, 2012 and will increase to hourly its flights to LaGuardia Airport. The new services further secure Air Canada's position as the leading airline serving New York City and makes it the only carrier that operates to all three major New York City area airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. Air Canada, which began flying to New York 71 years ago, will operate up to 38 non-stop...
Pack & Go fares from KLM
As part of a new promotion for flights out of 5 Canadian cities, KLM is offering reduced fares for Amsterdam (from $ 899) and several more destinations including Berlin, Warsaw, Manchester or Bucharest at $899, Dubai at $1,099, Johannesburg and Nairobi at $1,299. The "Book & Fly" fares apply to departures from Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa and for a $200 supplement, Calgary and Vancouver as well. The fares include a free stopover in Amsterdam either on the outbound segment or the return segment of the trip. The fares as advertised include all surcharges and taxes. The promotion runs until Feb....
Tempting fares from Air France
Air France is offering reduced Voyageur and Premium Voyageur fares on its flights out of Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa to a number of destinations. In Voyageur class (Economy), travellers can fly to France and Spain from $899. Other destinations featured in the promotion include Lebanon and Israel ($1,099), as well as Thailand and Mauritius ($1,299). The promotion runs until Feb. 21, and applies to trips with departures between May 7 and June 18, 2012. In Premium Voyageur class, which offers numerous advantages including 40% more space than economy seating and a two 23-kg baggage allowance,...
SATA, WestJet interlining
Azores-based SATA Internacional Airlines has an interline agreement with WestJet that takes effect Jan. 26. On that date all travel agencies with GDS access may price, book and issue via BSP tickets to domestic and international destinations served by SATA in Europe. SATA and WestJet will offer its guests the added convenience of having their luggage checked through to their final destination, except where custom formalities may be required. Fares under this agreement account for all travel segments, including both SATA and WestJet routes, which form one international airfare being issued on...
AC ready to talk, disputes union claims
Air Canada said "it remains at the negotiating table awaiting a response from ACPA to a comprehensive proposal tabled by the company on Monday, January 16, 2012. " In a statement, Air Canada said it has been in negotiations with ACPA since October 2010 and following the rejection of a first tentative agreement reached in May 2011, the company waited six months for ACPA to return to the negotiating table. The two sides have now been in discussions assisted by a federally-appointed conciliator since early November 2011. The carrier noted that following two separate extensions to the...
Pilots say AC has abandoned talks
The president of the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) expressed the "frustration" of ACPA members that "their airline is abandoning the effort to negotiate a new contract with the assistance of a federal conciliator." In a blunt statement, captain Paul Strachan said that: "This is a clear attempt by Air Canada to engineer a conflict without making a serious effort to negotiate a settlement." ACPA's president continued: "Air Canada failed to table a proposal within the 60-day conciliation process that it requested from the federal government. Even after we agreed to extend conciliation,...
Open Allies applauds fee disclosure rules
Open Allies for Airfare Transparency is applauding the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for adopting a rule requiring improved disclosure of baggage fees that has now come into effect. However, the group noted much more work needs to be done quickly to provide full disclosure of baggage and other major fees, such as for seating and boarding, before purchase, to enable meaningful comparison shopping across airlines of the 'all-in" (fare+fees+taxes) price of a ticket. DOT has announced plans for a supplementary rule-making to address full disclosure of these fees through all distribution...