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6How Canada Jetlines plans to work with agents
Canada Jetlines wants to work with travel agents, says CCO Duncan Bureau
By Kathryn Folliott
TORONTO — The executive team at Canada Jetlines isn’t daunted by the pandemic and its impact on travel and the airline industry. In fact, the pandemic is not an obstacle, but an opportunity, says Canada Jetlines CEO Eddy Doyle. Briefi ng the media on Dec. 9 in a virtual presentation with the airline’s executive team, Doyle said Canada Jetlines “can take advantage of competitors who have been fi nancially weakened by the pandemic. We also have the benefi t of starting with a clean slate … without debts and vouchers accumulated by established airlines.” The start-up carrier is also fi nding many highly trained airline employees who are looking for work, he added. Crew training is set to start in early 2022. As reported last month, the airline and its wholesale arm, Jetlines Vacations, will market and sell seats on GlobalX public charter fl ights, on GlobalX aircraft, between Toronto and Miami. The fl ights will operate for six weeks, March 4-April 17, 2022 and tickets are expected to go on sale before the end of December 2021. The six-week run will help Canada Jetlines dip into the market, says Doyle. Currently the airline is awaiting the green light from the Canadian Transportation Agency for its own operations, which will then review the company’s proof of adequate funding submission. Canada Jetlines has been trying to get off the ground in one form or other for the past several years, but with diff erent executive teams. The executive team in place now - including Doyle as CEO, and another industry veteran, Duncan Bureau, as Chief Commercial Offi cer - looks to have momentum. Whether or not the Canadian market needs yet another airline - or can absorb even more capacity - coming out of the uncertainty of a pandemic remains to be seen. So far the company’s ramp-up plan appears to be measured, with one aircraft scheduled for delivery in March 2022, three more in July 2022, another seven in June 2023, 12 in June 2024 and 15 in June 2025. All of the aircraft will be A320s, with all economy class seating, with extra
Clockwise from top left: Canada Jetlines’ Chief Commercial Offi cer Duncan Bureau; CEO Eddy Doyle with CFO Barbara Syrek; Grant Howard, President, The Howard Group; and Chairman of the Canada Jetlines board, Ryan Goepel
comfort seats available at a premium. The pandemic “provided a rare opportunity to cut some incredible deals” on aircraft, says the company.
TRAVEL AGENTS ARE A PRIORITY As outlined by Doyle on Dec. 9, Canada Jetlines is aiming to operate its fi rst revenue fl ight in Q2 2022, and wants to introduce fl ights from Toronto to the U.S., Mexico, Caribbean and Canadian destinations throughout 2022. In 2023, the goal is growth out of Toronto and new direct fl ights to the Caribbean from Atlantic Canada. By 2024 the airline wants to enter the Western Canadian market, and continue to expand through 2025 with more U.S. and Caribbean destinations from gateways across Canada.
And it wants to do it all with the help of travel agents. As the former president of Air Canada Rouge, and with years of airline industry experience, Canada Jetlines’ CCO Duncan Bureau knows the strength behind the travel agent distribution channel. Maybe that’s why ‘traditional travel agencies’ were at the top of Canada Jetlines’ distribution channel list in the presentation. Bricks-and-mortar travel agencies were followed by TMCs, the airline’s own online booking engine and call centre, OTAs, tour operators and consolidators. “We want to be on as many shelves as possible,” says Bureau. “Whatever the preferred way is that the consumer wants to look and book, we will be there.” He added that Canada Jetlines is currently in talks with a number of retail travel groups, with agreements pending. “We are actively working with strategic partners,” he said. In October 2021 Canada Jetlines announced its partnership with Softvoyage. The tech provider will give Jetlines’ customers access to hotels, attractions, air packages and other ancillary travel services. It will also provide the airline with distribution via the group’s network, both on a B2B and B2C basis. As Bureau notes, Softvoyage’s SIREV is used by more than 90% of Canada’s travel advisors.
OVERCAPACITY CONCERNS
There’s no shortage of airlines in the Canadian market, and overcapacity has been a chronic problem some years, especially to winter sun destinations. And Canada Jetlines isn’t the only carrier with growth and expansion plans.
Flair Airlines is on an expansion tear, with added service to the U.S. and Mexico. Porter Airlines is planning to add up to 80 new jet aircraft to its fl eet, opening up destinations in Western Canada and the U.S. West Coast from new gateways including Toronto’s Pearson Airport, plus potentially sun spots in Mexico and the Caribbean as well. And just last month, another upstart - Lynx Air - entered the fray. Meanwhile Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, and WestJet and Swoop, plus Sunwing and Transat, have in most cases decades in this market. Canadian travellers - and the travel industry - have seen start-up airlines come and go. And while the pent-up demand coming out of the pandemic is undeniable, the uncertainty and the glut of capacity are two big unknowns. Bureau says Canada Jetlines’ objective is to be the preferred Canadian leisure airline. And it wants to be a sustainable and profi table airline and tour operator. Asked if Canada Jetlines will compete with Flair Airlines and its “crazy prices”, Bureau said: “We’re not a low-cost carrier, and we’re not an ultra low-cost carrier. We will price our product competitively in the marketplace. We all know it doesn’t cost $29 to fl y an aircraft from Toronto to Vancouver. We will not be leading the race to the bottom. We’re going to walk before we run.” He added that Canada Jetlines will be working with tour operators. “We believe the right way to launch an airline is as a charter operation.”
Contact MPs now to help expedite passing of Bill C-2: ACTA
TORONTO — There’s a chance Bill C-2 and its fi nancial support for hardest-hit sectors may not pass before the holiday break, and that has ACTA sounding the alarm bell. Travel agencies who have been without fi nancial support since October, when the government’s main COVID-19 fi nancial aid programs wound down, could be facing bankruptcy if Bill C-2 is not passed in the coming days, says ACTA President, Wendy Paradis.
“We implore this government not to go on their holiday break without passing this bill,” says Paradis. “The government has brought in new travel restrictions and testing requirements that have dampened Canadians’ enthusiasm for travel and it is imperative that they support travel agencies through this. This bill is the only lifeline open to travel agencies right now,” said Paradis in a statement issued Dec. 14. If Bill C-2 is not passed before the lengthy government holiday break, many travel agencies will not survive, she added. ACTA has also alerted the government and the industry that independent agents are not covered by Bill C-2. Bill C-2, which introduces the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, is currently before the House of Commons. It would provide up to 75% wage and rent support to businesses with revenue losses of over 40%. The Finance Committee is currently reviewing the bill. The House of Commons closes out the year on Dec. 17 and won’t reconvene until Jan. 31, 2022, notes Paradis. “So ACTA is urging all Members of Parliament to pass this bill before Friday. Travel agencies simply cannot wait until February at the earliest for assistance.” ACTA is joining the Coalition of Hardest-Hit Businesses in a call to action for travel agencies to write to their MPs now, urging them to pass Bill C-2 without delay. The link to that template is hac-business-en.csaeconnect.net.
Nisbet Plantation Beach
DESTINATIONS
The island of Nevis has eliminated the quarantine period for fully vaccinated travellers. As of Dec. 11, fully vaccinated travellers are no longer required to quarantine upon entry with proof of a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Properties currently open include Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Montpelier Plantation Inn, Paradise Beach Nevis, Golden Rock Inn, Oualie Beach Resort and The Hermitage Inn. There’s good news for cruise passengers, too, as they no longer need to tour the island in a ‘bubble’ and are permitted to sightsee without restriction. All travellers are still required to complete the travel form at knatravelform. kn before arrival and upload their vaccination card. Children ages 11 and under will be covered under their parent’s vaccination status; ages 12-18 are who not vaccinated will be required to vacation in place upon arrival and be tested within 24 hours.
Anguilla has new protocols for day trippers and passengers on one-day cruise excursions to the island. The new protocols do not require these visitors to make an application for entry permission on the visitor portal. However, they must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination to the fixedbased operations agent/ship or aircraft carrier and officials upon arrival in Anguilla. Fully vaccinated means that visitors have received the last dose (in a 2-dose vaccine) or the only dose in a 1-dose vaccine 21 days prior to arrival on Anguilla. They must also provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test from a nasopharyngeal swab taken two days prior to their arrival date. Self-administered and antibody tests will not be accepted. Accepted vaccines include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm, Sinovac (CoronaVac) and Covaxin.
France has announced new entry requirements for nonEuropean people, effective immediately. As of Dec. 4, all persons aged 12 years and older who travel to France are required to carry: proof of full course of vaccination; RTPCR or antigenic test that detects SARS-CoV-2, performed less than 48 hours before the departure of the first flight in case of connecting flights; Sworn declaration, which can be downloaded from the Interior Ministry’s website stating that they have no symptoms of COVID-19 infection and have not been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to their journey. IATA is calling on governments to follow the WHO’s advice and immediately rescind travel bans that were introduced in response to the omicron variant. IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh says that public health organizations, including the WHO, have advised against travel curbs to contain the spread of omicron: “Blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods.” Earlier this month, UNWTO spoke out against travel bans. Here in Canada, travellers dealing with Canada’s new quarantine rule for arrivals via Canada’s 10 omicron watch-list countries are reporting a dire lack of communication and delays in quarantine release sign-off.
CRUISE LINES
UnCruise Adventures has commenced operations in Hawaii over the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, becoming the sole smallship company currently operating overnight inter-island adventures. The 36-guest Safari Explorer kicked off its winter season with an in-depth cultural immersion in Halawa Valley on the island of Molokai. Although recent widespread cruise line cancellations proved to be a major setback for largeship cruise lines, UnCruise Adventures does not fall into the large cruise ship ranks, and has received permission to operate in ports and parks in Hawaii. It worked with the Hawaii Department of Health to gain approval of its 100% full vaccination and testing requirements for all guests and crew. UnCruise is now celebrating 12 years in Hawaii with its 7-night Hawaiian Seascape adventures from Molokai to the Kona Coast and reverse.
CRUISING
According to new research from Expedia Group and Environics Analytics, there has been more than a 20% month-on-month increase in demand in Canadian cruise searches for travel in Q4 2021 and Q1 2022. Additional research by Environics Analytics measured a sample of approximately 3,000 post-pandemic ‘early adopters,’ defined as having booked trips after March 1, 2021 that depart between July 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022. Findings revealed that there was a higher percentage of total Canadian passengers ages 3049 (29%) cruising in Q4 2021 compared to the U.S. (22%) for the same time period. Search data for Canada also showed that the Caribbean (40%), the Bahamas (5%), Mexico (5%), and Europe (5%) accounted for nearly 75% of all Canadian searches.
Restricting travel not the answer, say ACTA and global agency groups
TORONTO — ACTA has joined travel agency associations from around the world in the call for governments to fast-track the lifting of travel bans. ACTA was one of half a dozen organizations behind a statement issued on Dec. 13 outlining the gravity of the situation facing the global travel industry, already devastated by close to two years of on-again, off-again travel restrictions. The organizations collectively represent hundreds of thousands of people who work at travel agencies and related businesses around the world.
“Given their clear and devastating impact on the global economy, travel restrictions and outright bans cause severe economic harm. The ability to travel safely continues to be a fundamental marker for our success over this virus. Restricting access to travel only perpetuates the economic impact and postpones global recovery in terms of travel and multiple other economic drivers around the globe,” says the group. “ASTA, ASATA, ACTA, CHTA, ECTAA and WTAAA call on government leaders around the world to provide dedicated financial support for travel reliant businesses and to lift travel bans as quickly as possible. Loosening restrictions on fully-vaccinated travellers for entry into the U.S. and other markets should continue to be a top priority, but more needs to be done to ensure that travel-reliant businesses have access to immediate relief when government action is the direct cause of economic hardship.” When elected officials make public policy decisions in the interest of public health, those governments have an obligation to provide financial resources to those industries and individuals most affected by their decisions, they add. Tourism represents one in every 10 jobs globally. “Recent and more stringent border closures have severely impacted already-complex international travel. We collectively call on global government leaders to follow the best available science when determining border measures, including testing and prohibitions. “Many countries follow strong biosecurity protocols, including masking, social distancing, and vaccination requirements. The addition of new border measures has significant economic impacts on travel and tourism businesses that may not add additional community protection. It is critical that government policy is guided by science, not political pressure or the desire to be seen as “doing something” since these measures have significant, sometimes irreversible impact on businesses and jobs.
“We implore governments to take responsibility for their actions by sustaining travel reliant businesses until such time as they lift restrictions and normal travel patterns re-emerge. Thus far, government responses to this economic factor have been uneven at best.”
Air Transat resumes Colombia flights
MONTREAL — Air Transat has resumed service to Colombia after several months of forced suspension due to COVID-19. The airline celebrated its first flight from Montreal to Cartagena on Dec. 13. Direct flights from Toronto are set to resume this Friday, Dec. 17.
At the height of the season, three direct flights per week will be offered from Montreal, and one from Toronto.
For more details of Air Transat’s complete flight schedule go to Agent Direct.
RIU is coming to Chicago with new 350-room urban hotel
CHICAGO — RIU Hotels & Resorts has set its sights on Chicago as its next big destination. After purchasing a plot of land in Streeterville, the city’s commercial and cultural centre, the company has announced a new-build skyscraper for its line of Riu Plaza urban hotels. Upon completion, it will house a four-star hotel with 28 floors and more than 350 rooms. Construc-tion is set to begin in spring 2022 and is expected to continue for another two years.
“We have been working to make this opportunity a reality for several years. It’s a dream loca-tion for any investor, right in the heart of the city,” says Luis Riu, CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts. “Chicago is a great tourist destination that complements and enhances our range of urban ho-tels and strengthens RIU’s commitment to the United States, where we are about to open our fourth hotel, the Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square.” The future Riu Plaza hotel will be located at 150 East Ontario Street in the Streeterville neigh-bourhood, close to Navy Pier. It will offer a range of services that caters to business and leisure guests including breakfast and a standout Sky Bar on the 26th floor. In the next few years, the Riu Plaza brand will also debut new properties in Canada and the United Kingdom. The newly-built Riu Plaza Toronto hotel will feature 350 rooms, meeting rooms, a gym, bar and restaurant, while another Riu in London, which has already begun con-struction next to Victoria Station, will open in 2023 with 435 rooms.
