Air Travel

People wait in line to check in at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Thursday, May 12, 2022.The Canadian Airports Council is asking the federal government to do away with COVID-19 protocols at customs to clear up the chaos that international travellers experience when they arrive in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Regular travel and public health measures can’t coexist: Canadian Airport Council

Council wants federal government to do away with random tests and public health questions at customs

People wait in line to check in at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Thursday, May 12, 2022.The Canadian Airports Council is asking the federal government to do away with COVID-19 protocols at customs to clear up the chaos that international travellers experience when they arrive in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
An airliner lands at Tampa International Airport Friday, March 19, 2021 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puska, File)

Passenger brings small plane in for safe Florida landing after pilot falls ill

‘My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the airplane’

An airliner lands at Tampa International Airport Friday, March 19, 2021 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puska, File)
Guide Eli Schellenberg, in red, leads climbers down from the summit of the Mt. Norquay Via Ferrata near Banff, Alta., Thursday, June 20, 2019. Even as gas prices hit record highs, Canadians are fanning out across the country for fresh travel experiences after two years of bottled-up demand. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Canadians hold their noses at gas prices as they hit the road, skies once again

Some tourism operators expected to double down on domestic markets

Guide Eli Schellenberg, in red, leads climbers down from the summit of the Mt. Norquay Via Ferrata near Banff, Alta., Thursday, June 20, 2019. Even as gas prices hit record highs, Canadians are fanning out across the country for fresh travel experiences after two years of bottled-up demand. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Grounded Air Canada planes sit on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Air Canada reported a first-quarter loss of $974 million compared with a loss of $1.30 billion a year earlier as its revenue more than tripled. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Air Canada to jack up fares amid higher fuel costs, weak business travel

Carrier more than tripled its revenues last quarter, but losses still significant

Grounded Air Canada planes sit on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Air Canada reported a first-quarter loss of $974 million compared with a loss of $1.30 billion a year earlier as its revenue more than tripled. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
A Sunwing aircraft is parked at Montreal Trudeau airport in Montreal on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Sunwing Airlines Inc. says thousands of passengers remain stranded and the start of vacations delayed as the company continues to struggle with a technical problem that has grounded flights. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Technical issue continues to disrupt travel plans for thousands of Sunwing passengers

About 15 out of the more than 40 scheduled flights have been processed since issue surfaced

A Sunwing aircraft is parked at Montreal Trudeau airport in Montreal on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Sunwing Airlines Inc. says thousands of passengers remain stranded and the start of vacations delayed as the company continues to struggle with a technical problem that has grounded flights. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

‘Almost stranded:’ Sunwing delays dozens of flights, leaving passengers up in the air

Several thousand Canadians are affected due to what is being called a ‘system issue’

A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
Lynx Air CEO Merren McArthur poses for a portrait in Calgary, Alta., Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. Lynx Air is making its inaugural flight today, the latest entrant to Canada’s increasingly crowded budget airline market.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Lynx Air launches maiden voyage, joining Canada’s low-cost carrier dogfight

Firm formerly known as Enerjet aims for 148 flights a week on more than a dozen routes by July

Lynx Air CEO Merren McArthur poses for a portrait in Calgary, Alta., Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. Lynx Air is making its inaugural flight today, the latest entrant to Canada’s increasingly crowded budget airline market.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
FILE - Residents watch as a China Eastern passenger jet prepares to take off on a test flight from the new Beijing Daxing International Airport on Monday, May 13, 2019. State media are reporting a Chinese airliner from China Eastern with 133 people on board crashed in the southern province of Guangxi on Monday, sparking a mountainside fire. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

Chinese airliner crashes with 132 aboard in country’s south

Forest fire visible from space in the country’s worst air disaster in a decade

FILE - Residents watch as a China Eastern passenger jet prepares to take off on a test flight from the new Beijing Daxing International Airport on Monday, May 13, 2019. State media are reporting a Chinese airliner from China Eastern with 133 people on board crashed in the southern province of Guangxi on Monday, sparking a mountainside fire. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
A passenger checks in at a Westjet counter at the Calgary Airport in Calgary, Alta., Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. WestJet Airlines Ltd. is preparing for an “immediate and dramatic” uptick in demand in the wake of the government of Canada’s decision to remove pre-entry COVID-19 testing requirements for vaccinated travellers.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

WestJet foresees busy summer travel season as testing requirements dropped

WestJet has seen a dramatic jump in bookings as a result of recent changes in travel requirements

A passenger checks in at a Westjet counter at the Calgary Airport in Calgary, Alta., Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. WestJet Airlines Ltd. is preparing for an “immediate and dramatic” uptick in demand in the wake of the government of Canada’s decision to remove pre-entry COVID-19 testing requirements for vaccinated travellers.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
A plane is silhouetted as it takes off from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, May 13, 2019. Airlines are facing a second headwind of skyrocketing oil prices — which could make airfares even more expensive.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Rising fuel costs could mean pricier airfares as carriers confront another hurdle

Price of jet fuel up by more than 27 per cent to US$142 a barrel as of last week

A plane is silhouetted as it takes off from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, May 13, 2019. Airlines are facing a second headwind of skyrocketing oil prices — which could make airfares even more expensive.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Transport Canada fines passengers on Sunwing party flight

6 passengers who were not fully vaccinated have received fines that could reach a maximum of $5,000

A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

WestJet Airlines to buy Sunwing Airlines

Terms of deal unclear, virtual town hall between management and employees planned today

A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
People wait at OR Tambo’s airport in Johannesburg, South Africa’, Friday Nov. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Eased requirements in effect as travel industry demands end to COVID-19 testing

Industry hosts news conference today to demand Ottawa remove all COVID-19 border restrictions

People wait at OR Tambo’s airport in Johannesburg, South Africa’, Friday Nov. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
A flight arrives at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C. Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Canada’s aviation sector has launched a new organization aimed at boosting the development of sustainable aviation fuel, a technology advocates say is the industry’s best shot at reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Airlines, industry join together to spur sustainable jet fuel growth in Canada

Sustainable aviation fuel is non-petroleum based jet fuel made from renewable materials

A flight arrives at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C. Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Canada’s aviation sector has launched a new organization aimed at boosting the development of sustainable aviation fuel, a technology advocates say is the industry’s best shot at reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
A WestJet Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft taxis to a gate after arriving at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Airlines cancel flights, call for restriction rollbacks despite glimmers of hope

‘It is disappointing that Canada remains stagnant in its approach’

A WestJet Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft taxis to a gate after arriving at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Air Transat to deny boarding to passengers from Sunwing party flight to Mexico

Sunwing cancelled the group’s return flight from Cancun scheduled for today

A Sunwing Boeing 737-800 passenger plane prepares to land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
A Sunwing Airlines jet prepares to take off at Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport, Friday, March 20, 2020. Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says he has asked Transport Canada to investigate reports of “unacceptable” behaviour on a recent Sunwing Airlines flight to Cancun, Mexico.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Federal transport minister asks for investigation into Sunwing party flight to Mexico

Videos appear to show singing and dancing in the aisle and on seats, vodka and electronic cigarettes

A Sunwing Airlines jet prepares to take off at Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport, Friday, March 20, 2020. Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says he has asked Transport Canada to investigate reports of “unacceptable” behaviour on a recent Sunwing Airlines flight to Cancun, Mexico.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Air India flight 187 from New Delhi lands at Pearson Airport in Toronto on Friday, April 23, 2021. Direct passenger flights from India to Canada resumed Monday as Transport Canada lifted a months-long ban imposed due to high COVID-19 case counts. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Direct passenger flights from India resume as Canada lifts ban

Direct flights from India can land in Canada, but travellers must have a negative COVID-19 test

Air India flight 187 from New Delhi lands at Pearson Airport in Toronto on Friday, April 23, 2021. Direct passenger flights from India to Canada resumed Monday as Transport Canada lifted a months-long ban imposed due to high COVID-19 case counts. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
FILE— In this Dec. 22, 2020 file photo, signs advising facial covering requirements are shown as travelers stand in line at a Delta Air Lines desk at San Francisco International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic in San Francisco. Health officials in San Francisco and six other Bay Area counties announced Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 that they are reinstating a mask mandate for all indoor settings as COVID-19 infections surge because of the highly contagious delta variant. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Delta Air Lines will make unvaccinated employees pay charge

Airline will require unvaccinated workers to be tested weekly beginning Sept. 12

FILE— In this Dec. 22, 2020 file photo, signs advising facial covering requirements are shown as travelers stand in line at a Delta Air Lines desk at San Francisco International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic in San Francisco. Health officials in San Francisco and six other Bay Area counties announced Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 that they are reinstating a mask mandate for all indoor settings as COVID-19 infections surge because of the highly contagious delta variant. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Christine Mak poses for a photo at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., in this February 2020 handout photo. For more than four decades, Christine Mak travelled every year to Disney parks and various conventions to commune with fellow fans of fantasy and science fiction. But her streak was interrupted early last year when the COVID-19 crisis halted cross-border celebrations. The Toronto resident thought vaccination would be her ticket to reuniting with the global group of friends she’s made through shared enthusiasm for the British sci-fi serial “Doctor Who” and all things Disney. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Derwin Mak

Post-vaccination getaway plans scrambled by ongoing pandemic uncertainty

Every nation has its own convoluted set of COVID-19 testing, vaccination and quarantine requirements

Christine Mak poses for a photo at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., in this February 2020 handout photo. For more than four decades, Christine Mak travelled every year to Disney parks and various conventions to commune with fellow fans of fantasy and science fiction. But her streak was interrupted early last year when the COVID-19 crisis halted cross-border celebrations. The Toronto resident thought vaccination would be her ticket to reuniting with the global group of friends she’s made through shared enthusiasm for the British sci-fi serial “Doctor Who” and all things Disney. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Derwin Mak
Pop-up banner image