Trends - April 2008

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Air Canada ordered to reverse pet policy
A federal tribunal has given pet lovers a major victory over Air Canada. The Canadian Transportation Agency has ordered Air Canada to reverse its decision to refuse to transport pets weighing less than 70 pounds as checked baggage. In a ruling released on April 4, the agency said the airline's decision to carry all animals as cargo was unfair to travellers.
theglobeandmail.com

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British Airways: Long haul flight move to LHR T5 on April 30 delayed

British Airways and BAA (the London Heathrow airport authority) have decided to postpone the planned move of their long haul flights from Heathrow's Terminal 4 to Terminal 5 until June (the relocation of flights was originally scheduled for April 30).

BA will be working with BAA to iron out any remaining problems, including the baggage system, and will develop a robust timescale for phasing the move of Terminal 4 services into Terminal 5. BA and BAA believe that it is only sensible to make sure that Terminal 5 is operating consistently at a high standard before the move begins.

The latest information can be found here >.

Flights already operating to and from Terminal 1:*
Barcelona
Madrid
Lisbon
Nice
Helsinki
*These flights will move to Terminal 3 on
September 17

Flights already operating to and from Terminal 5*
All UK domestic destinations
All other European destinations
Tripoli
Hong Kong
Johannesburg
Los Angeles
Miami
San Francisco
Tokyo
Vancouver
*A number flights have already moved to Terminal 5. These will not be affected by
the delay to the move of other flights.
ba.com

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ON MY WAY™... Providing you peace of mind!

On My Way is a new travel assistance service that will help get you on your way quickly, no matter what setback you encounter.*

On My Way is now available at a low price when you book your travel on aircanada.com.** and where you can:

- Rebook the first available flight, on Air Canada or another airline***

- Arrange complimentary hotel accommodations, car rental or other ground transportation, and meals.

 - In addition, you will get automatic flight information updates sent to you by SMS and email.

On My Way is NOT a replacement for travel insurance or the services your travel agent may provide. This service is uniquely designed to minimize your worries, protect you against unexpected travel expenditures, including any that apply to your air ticket investment, and offer you a smooth, stress-free travel experience when unplanned disruptions affect your travel plans.

more info >

*Flight delays and cancellations, beyond your control, which occur within 48 hours of your scheduled departure time.
**Applicable on flights within Canada and between Canada and the USA operated by Air Canada or Air Canada JazzTM (codeshare flights operated by other partners are excluded).
***Scheduled North American airlines.
aircanada.com

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Quebec & Nova Scotia ban cellphone / Blackberry use while driving a vehicle

Effective April 1st 2008, drivers will no longer be allowed to use hand-held cellphones in Quebec and Nova Scotia. An offence will result in a fine of $80 to $100 plus costs and three demerit points for drivers at fault.

Offenders will receive a warning for the first three months, but starting July 1, 2008, peace officers may issue a notice of offence.

Use of a hand-free phone is still permitted but is not recommended. Hand-held use will only be permitted in emergency situations.
avis.com

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Air Canada's fleet renewal ensures travellers superior comfort when flying this summer season

Air Canada has announced that with its aircraft refurbishment program substantially complete, travellers taking advantage of the airline’s expanded summer schedule will travel in greater comfort than ever before.

“With our new aircraft and refitted interiors, Air Canada customers will be more comfortable than any armchair traveller, enjoying lie-flat suites in Executive First on international flights and new seats throughout all our aircraft, each featuring a personal audio-visual entertainment system with free access to 36 movies and hundreds of CDs, a 120-volt power plug, a USB port and more,” said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President, Commercial, at Air Canada.

Customers will be able to determine at the time of booking if their chosen flight will be operated with a new or refurbished aircraft.
aircanada.ca

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Air Canada expands winter service to Argentina, Brazil and Chile
Air Canada is enhancing service to its major South American destinations next winter with the introduction of new non-stop service to Buenos Aires, an exclusive flight to Santiago and the introduction of a Boeing 777-300ER for Sao Paulo.
aircanada.ca

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WestJet introduces Guardian Fare in place of Unaccompanied Minor Program.

WestJet has announced the introduction of a Guardian fare to replace its Unaccompanied Minor Program. The Guardian fare will allow parents or guardians to escort their children, at a substantially reduced rate, to their desired destination and then return immediately to their city of origin.

Here are some important details regarding the new Guardian fare:
* A guardian will receive a fifty percent fare reduction and must be 18 years of age or older.

* A guardian is assigned at the time of booking and is responsible for the transportation of the child.

* Children eligible to travel on the guardian fare program must be 11 years and under.

* The Guardian fare is only valid for one person travelling with the child(ren).

* Guardians must return to their city of origin within 24 hours of the original booking.

* Two different people may be designated as guardians at the time of travel – one from the originating city and one returning back from the destination.
westjet.com

 

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Articles of interest:

Northwest and Delta Airlines set to merge
Subject to regulatory review, Northwest and Delta airlines are joining forces to create America’s premier global airline which, upon closing of the merger, will be called Delta Air Lines.

The combined Delta Air Lines will serve more U.S. communities and connect to more worldwide destinations than any global airline. Their common hubs will be retained and enhanced. They will be the only U.S. airline to offer direct service from the United States to all of the world’s major business centers in Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa and around North America.
northwest.com


New Continental Airlines baggage policy
see here for details >
Continental Airlines


Oasis Hong Kong Airlines flight operations cancelled until further notice
As of April 9, all Oasis Hong Kong Airlines flight operations have been cancelled until further notice. The airline has applied to the Hong Kong Court to appoint a provisional liquidator.
more >
Oasis Hong Kong


Agencies Still Beat Airline, Travel Retail Web Site Prices
Airfares booked last year through corporate travel agencies cost on average $56 LESS than identical itineraries directly booked through airline Web sites or through online travel retailers like Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity, according to Topaz International research.
more >
BTN Online


Data privacy concerns at border
Did you know? Your laptops and other electronic devices (such as Blackberries, iPhones, iPods, flash drives and cameras) can be seized at the U.S. border, and their information downloaded without explanation, provocation, and/or likely cause. This affects both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens alike.

While the incidence of laptop seizure or the confiscation of other electronic devices remains rather small when compared to the numbers of business travellers entering the country, the implications for individuals who fall into this category can be rather significant. It is not advised to hide data from the U.S. government or border officials, but instead, carry the barest minimum of data you can afford to lose on your laptops.

Recommendations For Travellers Crossing a Border With A Laptop or Other Electronic Devices:

1) Carry a laptop or electronic device you can afford to lose.
2) Carry only limited or non-proprietary business information or personnel records regarding your employer, and/or employees.
3) Limit your personal information on any computer used for travel, which includes:

· No personal banking information
· No personal photographs that
you wouldn't want made public
· No personal correspondence that you wouldn't want made public
· No personal health information
· No password information of any
kind

4) Email sensitive data ahead of time (before crossing a border) so it is not lost if the computer is seized.
5) Ask for a receipt and a badge number of the individual taking your laptop or electronic device if your equipment is seized.
6) Cooperate with Customs and Border Protection officers.

You can also go to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol website for information regarding this issue. We also recommend the Transportation Administration's blog, called "Evolution of Security", which, in its February 8th posting, mentions the laptop seizure issue.
ACTE


 Air Canada expands Calgary Transborder service offering non-stop flights to Newark
With convenient connections from: Medicine Hat, Saskatoon, Regina, Yellowknife, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Vancouver and Fort McMurray.
aircanada.ca


United to charge US$25 for second checked bag
United Airlines has introduced a new checked bag policy for travellers purchasing non-refundable domestic economy tickets, including flights to and from Canada.

Effective May 5, customers who purchase non-refundable domestic economy tickets and do not have status in Mileage Plus or Star Alliance may check one bag for free and a second bag for a US$25 (all figures in US dollars) service fee (www.united.com/baggage).

This baggage charge is also likely to become a trend with the legacy carriers in the U.S.
Travel Press


Alitalia calls emergency meeting
 Alitalia management have held an emergency board meeting after chairman Maurizio Prato quit amid the collapse of takeover talks with Air France-KLM.

The Italian government has been trying for more than a year to sell its 49.9% stake in the troubled national airline and says there are no other bidders. The government's sale of Alitalia has been opposed by prime ministerial candidate Silvio Berlusconi.
more >
alitalia.com


ATA Airlines discontinues all operations
ATA Airlines has discontinued all operations and has cancelled all current and future flights after filing for bankruptcy on April 2, 2008.

ATA found it impossible to continue operations following the loss of a key contract for their military charter business. Unfortunately, they were not in a position to provide their customers with advance notice.

ATA customers who purchased tickets using a credit card should contact their credit card company or travel agency directly for information about how to obtain a refund for unused tickets.

ATA currently is unable to provide refunds to customers who purchased tickets directly from ATA with cash or a check. These customers may be able to obtain a full or partial refund for their unused tickets by submitting a claim in ATA’s Chapter 11 proceedings. Information about submitting a claim will be available at the following website: http://www.bmcgroup.com/ataairlines.

Customers who purchased tickets from Southwest Airlines for flights operated by ATA under the codeshare agreement should contact Southwest Airlines directly at (800) 308-5037.
ata.com

 

 

 

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