Airlines

A passenger boards a WestJet Encore Bombardier Q400 twin-engined turboprop aircraft in Kamloops, Saturday, June 3, 2023. WestJet and Swoop pilots ratified their collective agreement after a bargaining process that saw the threat of a strike snarl many Canadians’ long weekend plans. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

WestJet to wind down budget airline Swoop, fold it into main operation

Each trip by the carrier’s 180-plane fleet will offer a portion of ultra-low-cost fares

 

This airport surveillance camera image released in an FBI affidavit shows alleged suspect Marc Muffley at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pa., on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. Muffley was arrested Monday after an explosive was found in a bag checked onto a Florida-bound flight, federal authorities said. (FBI via AP)

No bail for Pennsylvania man with explosives in suitcase

A Pennsylvania man admitted packing explosive materials, fuses and a lighter in…

 

Cascadia Air has ceased its commuter air service operations according to a Jan. 11 announcement. Cascadia held a ribbon-cutting at the Chilliwack Airport in this file photo with Cascadia CEO Jeremy Barrett shaking hands with Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove on July 6, 2022. (Jennifer Feinberg/ Chilliwack Progress file)

Cascadia Air shuts down flights to Chilliwack, Abbotsford and other cities citing tough times

‘We recognize that this decision is going to have a significant impact on those we serve’

Cascadia Air has ceased its commuter air service operations according to a Jan. 11 announcement. Cascadia held a ribbon-cutting at the Chilliwack Airport in this file photo with Cascadia CEO Jeremy Barrett shaking hands with Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove on July 6, 2022. (Jennifer Feinberg/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. From long hours waiting on hold to sleepless nights on airport floors and desperate scrambles to rebook flights and find missing bags, it was a holiday travel season that no one had on their wish list — but that thousands of people got. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

‘Not hiding’: Transport minister says Ottawa will be accountable on travel mess

MPs are probing what went wrong in the days before and after Christmas

Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. From long hours waiting on hold to sleepless nights on airport floors and desperate scrambles to rebook flights and find missing bags, it was a holiday travel season that no one had on their wish list — but that thousands of people got. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
A flight departure board at Abbotsford International Airport illustrating the the cancellations and delays that were common through the holidays across Canada. (Jane Bouey/Twitter)

Frustrated travellers turned to Twitter when winter storm slammed Abbotsford airport

Missing luggage, no staff and cancelled flights made travel less than merry this Christmas

A flight departure board at Abbotsford International Airport illustrating the the cancellations and delays that were common through the holidays across Canada. (Jane Bouey/Twitter)
Aviation analytics company Cirium says Canada’s two biggest airlines ranked low in terms of on-time performance this year. The data firm says that among the ten biggest airlines in Canada and the U.S., Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. ranked worst and second-worst for their punctuality. An Air Canada flight taxis to a runway as a WestJet flight takes off at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on March 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canadian airlines come in at low end of on-time performance: analytics firm

WestJet and Air Canada only managed on-time arrivals for around 40 to 45 per cent of their flights

Aviation analytics company Cirium says Canada’s two biggest airlines ranked low in terms of on-time performance this year. The data firm says that among the ten biggest airlines in Canada and the U.S., Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. ranked worst and second-worst for their punctuality. An Air Canada flight taxis to a runway as a WestJet flight takes off at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on March 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The Kelowna airport is full of passengers hoping to get to their destination for the holiday season. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

‘I’m just a number, not a person’: Kelowna traveller re-routed and stranded in Victoria

Cam Lainchbury was told that WestJet does not have enough pilots qualified to fly in poor weather

The Kelowna airport is full of passengers hoping to get to their destination for the holiday season. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
Passengers walk at Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Passengers walk at Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
(@jhodyharper / Instagram)

Kelowna residents claim racism, sue Swoop airline after being kicked off flight

A couple is suing Swoop after being escorted off the low-cost flight

(@jhodyharper / Instagram)
Cascadia Air held an official ribbon-cutting at the Chilliwack Airport on July 6, 2022 to celebrate the first daily service from Chilliwack in a decade. Cutting the ribbon included Cascadia chief operating officer Jeremy Barrett, Chilliwack councillor Chris Kloot, Mayor Ken Popove, and Magnum Management’s Garry Atkins. (Jennifer Feinberg/ Chilliwack Progress)

Daily flights from Chilliwack to 6 B.C. destinations celebrated with Cascadia Air ribbon-cutting

A ‘very great, professional approach’ to scheduled air service from Chilliwack, says airport rep

Cascadia Air held an official ribbon-cutting at the Chilliwack Airport on July 6, 2022 to celebrate the first daily service from Chilliwack in a decade. Cutting the ribbon included Cascadia chief operating officer Jeremy Barrett, Chilliwack councillor Chris Kloot, Mayor Ken Popove, and Magnum Management’s Garry Atkins. (Jennifer Feinberg/ Chilliwack Progress)
Jeremy Barrett, Cascadia Air’s president and chief operating officer. (Cascadia Air)

New daily flights scheduled from Chilliwack to Vancouver and beyond by Cascadia Air

Air service offered to Abbotsford, Pitt Meadows, Campbell River, Tofino, Penticton, and Vancouver

Jeremy Barrett, Cascadia Air’s president and chief operating officer. (Cascadia Air)
In this Aug. 2, 2019 photo, Mike Tyson attends a celebrity golf tournament in Dana Point, Calif. Authorities are investigating after cellphone video appears to show Mike Tyson hitting another passenger on a plane at San Francisco International Airport. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
In this Aug. 2, 2019 photo, Mike Tyson attends a celebrity golf tournament in Dana Point, Calif. Authorities are investigating after cellphone video appears to show Mike Tyson hitting another passenger on a plane at San Francisco International Airport. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
Passengers wait to have their bags checked-in at Montreal–Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Saturday, December 19, 2020. Canadian airlines are asking a Federal Court of Appeal judge today to quash rules that beef up compensation for passengers subjected to delayed flights and damaged luggage. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Passengers wait to have their bags checked-in at Montreal–Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Saturday, December 19, 2020. Canadian airlines are asking a Federal Court of Appeal judge today to quash rules that beef up compensation for passengers subjected to delayed flights and damaged luggage. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Rachele Jamieson of Chilliwack said Sunwing had left her all alone in YVR after returning home on a flight from Cuba at 3 a.m. on March 1, 2022. She found out on March 14 that Sunwing will be reimbursing her the full amount of her trip. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Sunwing to fully reimburse Chilliwack woman, 94, who was abandoned at airport

After hearing Rachele Jamieson’s ‘horror’ story, Sunwing has agreed to pay her back

Rachele Jamieson of Chilliwack said Sunwing had left her all alone in YVR after returning home on a flight from Cuba at 3 a.m. on March 1, 2022. She found out on March 14 that Sunwing will be reimbursing her the full amount of her trip. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
Rachele Jamieson of Chilliwack said Sunwing had left her all alone in YVR after returning home on a flight from Cuba at 3 a.m. on March 1, 2022. She is seen here three days after the incident in her Chilliwack home. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

‘I yelled and screamed’: Chilliwack woman, 94, abandoned at airport following Sunwing flight

Rachele Jamieson shares ‘horror’ story of being left alone at 3 a.m. after returning home from Cuba

Rachele Jamieson of Chilliwack said Sunwing had left her all alone in YVR after returning home on a flight from Cuba at 3 a.m. on March 1, 2022. She is seen here three days after the incident in her Chilliwack home. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
A worker checks the temperature of a traveler departing from Pearson International Airport, in Mississauga, Ont., Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. Canadian air travellers are experiencing an uptick in flight cancellations this holiday season, but airlines say weather is a bigger factor than COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin

Weather, not Omicron, taking the biggest bite out of Canadian airline schedules

Frigid temperatures and arctic air have left most of the western provinces with wind chills dipping to -55C

A worker checks the temperature of a traveler departing from Pearson International Airport, in Mississauga, Ont., Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. Canadian air travellers are experiencing an uptick in flight cancellations this holiday season, but airlines say weather is a bigger factor than COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin
A Porter airlines flight makes its final approach as it lands at the airport Tuesday July 2, 2019 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Porter could shake up Canadian airline industry with jet expansion from Pearson airport

Porter has placed a firm order for 30 planes and 50 purchase right options

A Porter airlines flight makes its final approach as it lands at the airport Tuesday July 2, 2019 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Baggage stacks up from delayed travellers in the baggage claim area in Denver International Airport Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Denver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/David Zalubowski

Feds lay out beefed-up flight refund rules after gaps laid bare by pandemic

The majority of large airlines have now agreed to reimburse customers

Baggage stacks up from delayed travellers in the baggage claim area in Denver International Airport Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Denver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/David Zalubowski
An industry group is calling on Ottawa to follow the United Kingdom’s lead and help bring in a restart plan for Canada’s airline sector. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Airline industry group wants Ottawa to follow U.K.’s lead, help bring in restart plan

The U.K. has announced that starting May 17 it will allow travel to and from a select list of countries.

An industry group is calling on Ottawa to follow the United Kingdom’s lead and help bring in a restart plan for Canada’s airline sector. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward