NEWS a domestic travel program," said Sims. "As we look ahead to contributing to the economic recovery of Canada, the relationship between testing and quarantine must evolve based on data and science.” In October 2020 WestJet announced it was indefinitely suspending operations to 4 Atlantic Canada gateways – Moncton, Fredericton, Sydney and Charlottetown – and significantly reducing service to 2 more, Halifax and St. John’s, amid the sharp downturn in travel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Flights to Quebec City were also discontinued. As a result of the suspensions, WestJet says it will be working with newly established third-party service providers in St. John's and London, ON, and directly with Pacific Coastal Airlines for affected WestJet Link operations in Lloydminster and Medicine Hat. WestJet continues to operate at more than a 90% reduction year over year. The airlines says passengers impacted will be contacted directly regarding their options for travel to and from the regions. Service is set to resume to all communities as of June 24, 2021.
Travel agents, the bailout, and one travel retailer’s 5-point plan TORONTO — Knowing that travel agents and commission recalls are on the radar for the federal government amid the airline bailout talks - and hearing from ACTA that it’s a matter of ‘how’, not ‘if’, commissions will be protected - is a significant light at the end of the tunnel after a very long 11 months for Canada’s travel agents. ACTA is currently in talks with the Ministry of Finance, which has taken over the airline industry bailout file from the Ministry of Transport. “Our talks have moved on from asking that travel agents and travel agencies be protected from commission recalls, to HOW to achieve that in whatever aid package is arrived at,” said ACTA President Wendy Paradis. “We are very encouraged by this and it is becoming clear that negotiations are at a critical stage and that decisions are expected very soon.” 10 | TRAVELWEEK | February 25, 2021
Feedback sent to Travelweek from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, has underscored that positive news. We wanted to know, with Canadian travel agents looking at potentially $200 million in recalled commissions in the face of mass refunds from Canada's airlines due to the pandemic, what if anything is the federal government doing to protect travel agent commission as part of the airline bailout, one that's contingent on refunds?
“We remain committed to supporting Canadian airlines, people who work in the air sector, and travel agents who have been especially hard-hit during this unprecedented and difficult time.” Says Katherine Cuplinskas, Press Secretary for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance: “We remain committed to supporting Canadians airlines, people who work in the air sector, and travel agents who have been especially hard-hit during this unprecedented and difficult time.” Discussions between the airlines and the government to finalize the financial assistance package, first announced back in November 2020, are reportedly now in the home stretch.
Cuplinskas went on to note that since the beginning of the pandemic, the air sector has received more than $1.7 billion in support through CEWS, and that in the Fall Economic Statement, more than $1 billion was committed in support for airports and smaller airlines. “Any further taxpayer support will prioritize (1) refunding Canadians for cancelled flights; (2) retaining and reinstating regional routes in Canada; and (3) protecting jobs across the air sector. We continue to emphasize this in our ongoing conversations with the airlines. In a country as vast as Canada, it’s essential we maintain connections between people and our communities. Maintaining a vibrant, competitive Canadian air sector and Canadian airlines is a priority,” says Cuplinskas, reiterating the federal government's messaging since talk of a potential bailout began back on Nov. 8, 2020. ONE AGENCY OWNER’S 5-POINT PLAN Jamie Milton with Uniglobe Carefree Travel in Saskatoon, SK says there needs to be a multi-pronged approach to be effective and to get the assistance where it needs to go. Milton adds: “I am heartened by ACTA’s thoughts that a commission protection fund is getting closer to a reality.” Here’s Milton’s 5-point plan for how best the federal government can help travel agents, especially with the potential bailout … “Step 1 would be to ensure that any future refunds by airlines and tour operators protected travel agent commissions and that those commissions that were rightfully earned would not be
