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☆ Here’s what North American airline passengers think about the state of air travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Power’s 2024 North American Airline Satisfaction Study. Power hasn’t revealed an overall North American airline passenger satisfaction score, with Mike Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power’s top North American airlines for economy passengers1. Power’s top North American airlines for premium economy passengers1. Power’s top North American airlines for first/business passengers1.

Persons: –, Power hasn’t, Mike Taylor, That’s, Tony Gutierrez, ”, Taylor, “, ” Taylor Organizations: CNN, North, Southwest Airlines, Southwest, Delta Air Lines, Delta, JetBlue, AP, ” Airlines, Allegiant, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Delta Air, . Alaska Airlines, Air Locations: ., J.D, Power, Delta, North America

☆ She's been on over 40 cruises and says AirTags are now a must-have for her travels
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In a Cruise Blog article, Hubers wrote that AirTags help her locate her bags quickly. AdvertisementAllie Hubers, an experienced traveler who's boarded over 40 cruises, says an Apple AirTag is now an essential item on her packing list. In an article for the industry site Cruise Blog, Hubers shared her four must-pack items for a cruise. Advertisement"With my Apple AirTag, I can be confident that I won't lose the location of my luggage," Hubers wrote on the blog. And in November, a passenger used an AirTag to track her bag's location in Jamaica after WestJet mishandled it on a domestic flight in Canada.

Persons: Allie Hubers, Hubers, AirTags, —, who's, WestJet Organizations: Service, Cruise Locations: Europe, Jamaica, Canada

☆ WestJet lost a passenger's bag on a domestic flight in Canada. The passenger's AirTag shows it was in Jamaica.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A WestJet passenger traveling in Canada used an AirTag to track her lost bag. Advertisement"They kept saying it wasn't their fault, they didn't get it there because they didn't fly in," Pedersen told BI. "I was very hurt to know that my bag was rummaged through and stuff was stolen while it was in Jamaica," Pedersen told BI. Pedersen told CityNews that WestJet had asked her to file a home insurance claim to receive compensation for her missing items. In August, a passenger flew across the US and used an Airtag to track down her lost bag.

Persons: Lorraine Pedersen, —, CityNews, Pedersen, WestJet, " Pedersen, Norman, Westjet Organizations: Service, Apple, Minnesota -, BI, International, Westjet, Canadian Transportation Agency Locations: Canada, Jamaica, Toronto, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Minnesota - North Dakota, Kingston , Jamaica, Kingston, Oklahoma, Ireland

☆ Airfare to leisure destinations to cost less this winter, WestJet CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MONTREAL, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Airfare to popular international leisure destinations should cost less this winter and next summer than a year ago as carriers add capacity, the CEO of Canada's WestJet Airlines told Reuters on Wednesday. I think this winter we'll have a better supply-to-demand balance, which will give more affordability to Canadians," von Hoensbroech added. WestJet expects to fly almost half of the seats to sun destinations after acquiring leisure carrier Sunwing this year. "We see strong bookings, slightly softer than what we saw last winter," von Hoensbroech added. "I would expect next summer there would be a different demand-to-supply equation on transatlantic," von Hoensbroech said.

Persons: Canada's, Alexis von Hoensbroech, von Hoensbroech, WestJet, Von Hoensbroech, Allison Lampert, Valerie Insinna, Will Dunham Organizations: MONTREAL, WestJet Airlines, Reuters, Onex, Air Transport Association of Canada, Air Canada, Boeing, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, Thomson Locations: Europe, Asia Pacific, Montreal, Washington

☆ Canadian pilots eye higher-paid U.S. cockpits amid staffing shortages
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Some 147 Canadian pilots applied for licenses to fly commercial jets in the United States in 2022, up from 39 in 2021, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data. High travel demand in the United States, where pilots are securing historic wage increases, isattracting foreign aviators, despite delays and high costs of immigrating, according to lawyers, unions and pilots. While small, the increase in U.S. applications is worrisome for regional Canadian carriers, which like their U.S. counterparts, are wrestling with staffing shortages as they lose pilots to larger airlines, industry experts say. It could also put pressure on Air Canada (AC.TO) during negotiations with its pilots, whose contract expires on September 29. Air Canada pilots earned more before 2013.

Persons: F, Andrew Kelly, John Gradek, Mark Taylor, Taylor, Sunwing, Attorney Jean, Francois Harvey, he's, Gradek, John McKenna, Allison Lampert, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Kennedy International Airport, REUTERS, Rights, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Air Canada, McGill University, Sunwing Airlines, WestJet Airlines, Air, Air Line Pilots Association, United Airlines, Air Transport Association of Canada, Thomson Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S, United States, Canada, Calgary, Montreal, Canada's, Attorney, Air Canada

But that can take time, analysts say, since airlines must manually override automated systems that raise fares in the case of higher demand. Here is a look at how airlines deal with a sudden surge in demand on a particular route. DISASTERS VERSUS HIGH DEMANDAirlines set a range of ticket prices based on factors like purchase timing and demand. They then allocate seats to each fare, explained Chris Amenechi, founder of startup SeatCash, which offers subscribers a product that predicts future flight prices. Travel site Expedia Group (EXPE.O) said air partners set flight prices and availability on its site.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Chris Amenechi, ”, Amenechi, Robert Mann, Mann, Allison Lampert, Doyinsola, Denny Thomas, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Air Canada, HIGH, CAP, Air, Expedia, Airlines, WestJet Airlines, U.S, Amtrak, Thomson Locations: Okanagan, West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, Yellowknife, Air Canada, Calgary, Maui, Honolulu, U.S, Washington, New York

Smoke hangs in the air on the outskirts of Yellowknife after a state of emergency was declared due to the proximity of a wildfire in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada August 16, 2023. "We have put in place a cap on our fares for non-stop flights out of Yellowknife," said Air Canada, the country's largest carrier, in a statement. Air Canada said it has cancelled flights out of Yellowknife on Saturday to comply with the evacuation order given by the Northwest Territories government. This is how Air Canada plans on helping?" Canada's Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez will be speaking with Air Canada today to receive an update on the situation on the ground, a spokesperson said.

Persons: Smoke, Pat Kane, WestJet, Pablo Rodriguez, Allison Lampert, Ismail Shakhil, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Air Canada, WestJet Airlines, Canada's, . Air, Northwest Territories, Air, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, Canadian, Calgary, . Air Canada, Air Canada, Montreal, Ottawa

☆ WestJet to shut down Sunwing Airlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

June 17 (Reuters) - WestJet group is planning to wind down low-cost carrier Sunwing Airlines and integrate it into its main business, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The move is part of the integration process by WestJet which completed the acquisition of Sunwing airlines in May. Once the integration is complete, all Sunwing employees will continue to have employment with Westjet, said Len Corrado, President, Sunwing Airlines, in the internal memo sent to the employees. The news was first reported by Canadian Press in CBC. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Westjet, Len Corrado, Gokul, Divya Rajagopal, Allison Lampert Organizations: Sunwing Airlines, Reuters, Canadian Press, CBC, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ ‘We’re paying twice for the same experience’: Plus-size travelers hit out at ‘discriminatory’ airline seat policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Policies around plus-size travelers tend to vary from airline to airline. However, the rule only applies to domestic flights, which means that plus-size travelers still need to buy an extra seat when going on an international flight. Constant challenges“The stereotypes that surround plus-size travelers, and the hostility towards us when we’re traveling by plane is honestly horrendous,” she adds. “This [shrinking seats] has had such a negative impact on plus-size travelers,” says Leanne. “The agency is reviewing the thousands of comments it received on whether current seat size and spacing affect passenger evacuation,” the FAA said in a statement.

Persons: Chaney, Jae'lynn Chaney, Jae’lynn Chaney, ” Chaney, Charles Leocha, ”, Juan Silva, couldn’t, hadn’t, we’re, Robert Alexander, Gabor Lukacs, ” Lukacs, “, she’s, isn’t, Kirsty Leanne, Leanne, Lukacs, “ I’m, Jake Organizations: CNN, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, CNN Travel, “, Travelers United, Australian Consumer Law, Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, Canadian Transportation Agency, ”, ” United Airlines, American Airlines, Fort Worth International, Getty, World Obesity Federation, FAA, Flyers, Samoa Air, Polynesian Airlines, Air New Zealand Locations: Kona , Hawaii, Canada, ” United, Dallas, Samoa, New Zealand

☆ Air Canada pilots end 10-year contract framework, eye bargaining
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Air Canada pilots have previously said they are pressing for "historic" gains to narrow the earnings gap with higher-paid aviators at U.S. carriers. "We were willing to meet with the company if they wanted to provide us with a substantial proposal that would further our membership’s goals," said the letter, adding Air Canada did not seek to open discussions. The Air Canada pilots group, which joined the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) this month, said in a separate document it expects a notice to bargain to be provided in early June. "Our pilots may elect to use the option that was available to them to initiate bargaining for a new collective agreement," Montreal-based Air Canada said in an emailed statement. U.S. pilots made gains in a recent tentative agreement with American Airlines (AAL.O) and a separate deal with Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) which delivers a 34% pay increase over four years.

☆ WestJet, pilots in tentative deal for 24% hourly raise over 4 years, document shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MONTREAL, May 26 (Reuters) - WestJet Airlines pilots will get a 24% hourly raise over four years, plus other pay and benefits as part of a tentative agreement reached in May, according to a copy seen by Reuters on Friday. The tentative agreement was reached by Onex Corp's (ONEX.TO) WestJet and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) less than 24 hours before the start of an expected strike at Canada's second-largest carrier. The deal, pending approval by WestJet pilots, is expected to put pressure on Air Canada (AC.TO) as the larger rival faces a call from its pilots to narrow the earnings gap with higher-paid aviators in the United States. Air Canada, which is not currently in negotiations, has said it abides by the 10-year contract. After 11 years, a top-paid Air Canada B787 pilot earns C$313.81 ($234.68) an hour, according to an internal table seen by Reuters.

☆ A budget Canadian airline had 4 of its planes repossessed. Its CEO is blaming a conspiracy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In March, lessor Airborne confiscated four of Flair Airlines' planes because of late payments. A low-cost Canadian upstart airline had four of its planes repossessed by New York-based aircraft lessor Airborne Capital on March 11, forcing the carrier to cancel multiple flights and leaving a trail of disgruntled passengers behind. Flair Airlines CEO Stephen Jones blamed "behind the scenes" scheming between the airline's competitors and Airborne Capital for the repossession of four of Flair's Boeing 737 planes. It's not the first time Flair has clashed with other Canadian airlines. US investment firm 777 Partners owns a 25% stake in Flair Airlines, which was cause for concern for the CTA.

Persons: Stephen Jones, Flair, We've, Jones, — Flair, It's, —, Tim Donovan, Donovan, Prince Edward Island Organizations: Airborne, Flair Airlines, Flair, Morning, Capital, Airborne Capital, Boeing, The Canadian Press, Air Canada, BOC Aviation, Financial, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, National Airlines Council of Canada, Canadian Transportation Agency, Partners, CTA, National Airlines Council, Easter, Airways Magazine, Bonza Airlines, Dominican Republic Locations: New York, North America, Canada, Titusville , New Brunswick, Toronto, Saint John , New Brunswick, Charlottetown, Ottawa, Montreal, Florida, Dominican

☆ Canadian Airline WestJet Averts Strike, Reaches Deal With Pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Vipal Monga | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/canadian-airline-westjet-averts-strike-reaches-deal-with-pilots-9feae266

☆ Factbox: Pilots, airlines seek to strike new contracts ahead of peak travel season
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO (LUV.N):The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) in May said its members at the company approved a strike mandate. It added that 98% of its members participated in the vote and 99% voted in favor of authorizing a strike. UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC (UAL.O):Last year, ALPA said 94% of the nearly 10,000 United Airlines pilots voted to reject a contract offer. SPIRIT AIRLINES INC (SAVE.N):In January, ALPA said pilots at Spirit Airlines voted to ratify a new contract. More than 97% of the union members took part in the vote and 99% of them authorized union leaders to call a strike, if needed.

☆ WestJet pay debate sets scene for Air Canada's pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MONTREAL, May 18 (Reuters) - A faceoff this week between WestJet Airlines and its pilots over pay could set the stage for aviators' demands in future bargaining with Air Canada (AC.TO). It would be the first major pilots' strike in Canada since 1998, according to a spokesperson for Canada's Labor Minister Seamus O'Regan, who is at the talks. ALPA president Jason Ambrosi recently told Reuters that a key priority is to narrow the pay gap between Air Canada pilots and their U.S. counterparts, echoing the union's demand for a "North American" contract at WestJet. Gradek added there is a group of Air Canada pilots "who have been chomping at the bit" to get a significant bump in wages. Air Canada pilots, who have received a 2% wage increase per year since 2014, have complained Delta’s latest hourly pay rates are up to 45% higher.

☆ WestJet union seeks to narrow pay gap between Canada and U.S. pilots as strike looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pilots at Onex Corp-owned (ONEX.TO) WestJet gave notice on Monday that could allow for strike action as early as May 19, raising fears of travel disruptions during Canada's Victoria Day holiday weekend. Pay is still the outlier," said Bernard Lewall, a union representative with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). "We need to narrow that gap between the North American carriers and WestJet," he said on Tuesday in an interview. Lewall declined to give a specific wage target, but said the airline must pay more to retain pilots. "We hope this measure will help WestJet passengers who otherwise could not travel due to the pilots’ strike,” said Flair CEO Stephen Jones.

☆ US airline passengers are getting increasingly frustrated. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Air travel has bounced back after its pandemic-induced slump, but that doesn’t mean passengers are feeling good about it. North American travelers are frustrated with high ticket prices, staffing shortages and reduced routes, according to consumer research company J.D. Power’s 2023 North American Airline Satisfaction Study. Unsatisfied passengersDelta Air Lines ranked number one for premium economy passengers, number two for economy passengers and number two for first class and business class travelers. American Airlines

☆ J.D. Power ranked airlines across 3 fare classes according to its annual customer satisfaction survey — see the results
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines scored the highest among 11 North American carriers. Of the 11 carriers ranked, JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines earned the top spot for each respective category. Courtesy of JetBlueJetBlue Airways (893) Delta Air Lines (865) United Airlines (848) Alaska Airlines (833) Air Canada (830) American Airlines (826)Segment Average: 846Premium EconomyDelta Premium Select. Delta Air LinesDelta Air Lines (848) JetBlue Airways (840) Alaska Airlines (823) American Airlines (821) Air Canada (797) United Airlines (784)Segment Average: 820Economy/Basic EconomySouthwest Airlines cabin. Jimmy Rooney/ShutterstockSouthwest Airlines (827) Delta Air Lines (801) JetBlue Airways (800) Alaska Airlines (781) WestJet (777) Allegiant Air (775) United Airlines (770) Air Canada (765) American Airlines (764) Spirit Airlines (727) Frontier Airlines (705)Segment Average: 782

☆ Pilots at Canada's WestJet Airlines approve possible strike action
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 18 (Reuters) - WestJet Airlines pilots on Tuesday voted for possible strike action as early as May 16, underscoring broader efforts by North American pilots to make gains on salary and working conditions as traffic rises. Pilots at Onex Corp's (ONEX.TO) WestJet Group, Canada's second-largest carrier, could strike or be locked out if notice is given on May 13, union representative Bernard Lewall said. Participating pilots voted 93% in favor of strike authorization, said Lewall, chair of the local union with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Calgary-based WestJet said the carrier wants an agreement that is competitive within Canada's airline industry. Their union, the Allied Pilots Association, is also holding a strike authorization vote that concludes on April 30.

☆ Air Canada pilots decry 'embarrassing' pay gap with U.S. after Delta deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MONTREAL, March 3 (Reuters) - Air Canada (AC.TO) pilots are pressing for higher pay in the run-up to fresh contract talks, following recent gains secured by pilots at U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), union representatives told Reuters. Delta's latest hourly pay rates are up to 45% higher than current Air Canada hourly pay rates, the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) said in an email. Air Canada pilots have received a 2% wage increase per year, since 2014, said ACPA, which represents about 4,500 pilots. ACPA is in talks to possibly join the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the world's largest pilots' union, representing more than 60,000 pilots in the United States and Canada. Air Canada, which expects to return to 2019 levels of capacity next year, is also facing cost pressures.

☆ Passenger says airline offered him an 8-hour bus ride to his destination after his connecting flight was canceled
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A passenger said WestJet offered him an eight-hour bus trip after a connecting flight was canceled. The Canadian airline said it was arranging a bus service, which would depart at 4:30 pm to ferry passengers from Calgary to Regina. Other passengers in the line weren't so lucky and had to wait until Wednesday to fly to Regina, Henderson said. A spokesperson for WestJet told Insider in a statement the flight cancellation was due to "unscheduled aircraft maintenance." Ground transportation was arranged to offer a travel option to impacted customers who couldn't wait for another flight, the spokesperson added.

REUTERS/Cole Burston/File PhotoFeb 24 (Reuters) - Airports are taking steps to avoid gridlock during the upcoming holiday travel seasons, with some limiting flights during peak hours to avoid the long lines and luggage piles that marred last summer. While smoother holiday travel is expected for Europe and North America, airlines and airports which learned tough lessons on holiday travel in 2022, are taking a more prudent approach as global traffic rebounds roughly to pre-pandemic levels. Despite extensive planning and hiring this year, some airlines and airports are still wrestling with industry staff shortages, including baggage handlers. Germany's Lufthansa AG (LHAG.DE) said it has cut summer flights by an unspecified amount due to shortages of personnel like ground handlers at airports in Frankfurt and Munich. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency were not immediately available to comment on staffing.

One of Amazon 's key air cargo operators said Monday that the e-commerce giant is scaling back on flights this year, citing lower demand and slower economic growth. Air cargo rates, which surged in recent years due to port congestion and high demand for fast deliveries, have slumped. The International Air Transport Association said last month that air cargo demand in November was down nearly 14% from the year-ago period, while capacity fell 1.9%. Through Amazon Air, the company has built up a burgeoning air network to control more aspects of the delivery process and ensure faster delivery. WATCH: How the pandemic shifted how Boeing and airlines think about air cargo

☆ Delta was the most on-time North American airline during a chaotic 2022, data shows. See which carriers made the top 10.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Aviation data analytics company Cirium has revealed its annual on-time performance review for 2022. Delta Air Lines led the pack with a rate of about 84%, while Air Canada came in last at just 55%. Travel data provider Official Aviation Guide says a score of at least 80% is considered "pretty good." Fortunately, aviation data analytics company Cirium has the answer. Here is a closer look at North America's best and worst airlines for on-time performance in 2022.

☆ Winter storm causes havoc across Canada, disrupts holiday travel
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] People arrive at terminal 3 during a winter storm at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada December 23, 2022. The storm was expected to affect about two-thirds of all Canadians as it moves across Canada's two most populous provinces, Ontario and Quebec, toward Atlantic Canada, said Environment Canada meteorologist Steve Flisfeder. Winter storms have increased in frequency and intensity over the past 70 years, according to the U.S. Canada's second-largest carrier WestJet Airlines proactively cancelled all its flights at airports in Toronto, Ottawa and the province of Quebec, citing bad weather. Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa and Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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