July 2010

WestJet today announced that it is expanding its self-service options to include self-serve baggage tagging, the latest in the airline's suite of self-service products, to other airports across Canada. The move follows overwhelmingly positive feedback from guests in Vancouver, Montréal and Edmonton, where the feature was launched earlier this year.

Self-serve baggage tagging allows WestJet guests to use mobile, web or kiosk check-in to check in for their flight and print their own baggage tags when they arrive at the airport. Guests checking in via kiosk may print their boarding passes and baggage tags at the same time. Once the tags have been attached, guests drop baggage off at the appropriate location.

"The feedback from our guests in Vancouver, Montréal and Edmonton has been tremendous," said Dale Tinevez, WestJet Vice-President, Guest Services. "Guests have commented on the significant reduction in time spent at our check-in and baggage drop counters. In addition, our amazing customer service agents have a greater opportunity for more meaningful interactions with our guests now that they are conducting fewer transactions. We are confident that the same level of efficiency and personal assistance will occur with the introduction of self-serve baggage tagging in many other Canadian airports over the next year or so."

WestJet was the first airline in North America to introduce the electronic boarding pass via mobile device, one of many self-service options the airline offers.

"WestJet guests have shown over the years that they love self-service tools," continued Dale Tinevez. "In great numbers, they check in online or via their mobile device, email or print their own boarding passes, use our flight tracker tool to check the status of their flight, and so on. The fact that our self-serve baggage tagging has been so successful confirms that we're on the right track by providing additional self-service opportunities to enhance the travel experience of our guests. We are striving to lead the way in the airline business when it comes to self-service options." 

To tip, or not to tip? The more confounding question for the occasional road warrior is more like: what should I tip, and can I expense it?

If your organization has a travel policy, it may already include tipping guidelines, which typically allow for expensing 10 per cent to 15 per cent on top of services (the pre-tax price) before a claim gets red-flagged. But that can still leave all those true gratuities on the table for the multitude of people who help us endure life on the road, from bellhops to concierges.

As general guidelines, we draw on the expertise of service-savvy travel agencies for these suggested tips of the trade:

Taxi/limo drivers: Fifteen percent or a $2 to $3 tip; more if you get assistance with your bags or call for an unusual route

Porters: At the airport, an acceptable rate is $1 per bag, or more if you have particularly heavy suitcases or have a long way to go.

Hotel bellhop: One dollar per bag is standard. Tip more if he provides any additional service. Note: A $5 tip upon arrival can usually guarantee you special attention should you require it.

Doorman: Typically, a $1 tip for hailing a taxi is appropriate. However, you may want to tip more for special service, such as carrying your bags.

Concierge: A $10 to $20 tip upon arrival can generally ensure you get attention for the duration of your stay, for standard services like making dinner reservations or providing directions. Alternatively, a la carte, tips typically run from about $2 to $10 for one-off requests; the amount should recognize the complexity of the service. This can be given immediately or when you depart.

Hotel maids: The staff is generally instructed not to touch any money in the room unless it is left in the hotel room in a marked envelope.

Parking attendants: Tip $1 to $2 when your car is delivered.

Waiters: The standard pre-tax tipping rate of around 15 per cent of your pre-tax check applies to room service waiters as well as those in restaurants. Before you lavish your gratitude, ensure that a gratuity hasn't already been added to your bill, or face expense-account wrath.

Coat check: No tip necessary if there's already a fee for this service. If not, a $1 to $2 tip is standard.

Source: American Society of Travel Agents

Whether arriving, departing, in for a business trip or traveling for leisure the Montréal Airport Marriott is the new convenient and stylish gateway to Montréal.  This full-service hotel has become an exciting destination for locals, visitors, business and leisure travelers. Showcasing a distinctively contemporary design fused with intuitive, traveler-smart services that cater in particular to the business traveler.

The Montréal Airport Marriott joins the ranks of high-caliber international airport hotels featuring state-of-the-art facilities in an ultra comfortable environment. Boasting 279 beautifully appointed guestrooms and suites, the hotel offers the luxury of room-to-gate access to the Montréal-Trudeau airport. From its comfortable, modish lobby to the understated elegance of its Bijou Resto | Bar, through to its innovative hourly-rentable interview rooms, the hotel has a warm and friendly ambiance.

Bijou Resto | Bar is a stylish eatery that perfectly reflects the international culture of Montréal with a broad range of market-fresh dishes that fuse casual local and up-scale international ingredients. For travelers and business people with tight schedules, Bijou bar lounge offers an innovative menu with fresh, light meals ready in 5-10-20 minutes. You can also relax in the casual lounge while sipping your favorite coffee from espressamente illy while staying connected with free high speed Internet access.

Event planners will delight in the selection of meeting rooms offering over 14,000 square feet of meeting, exhibit, reception and pre-function space all on one floor. With 20 flexible meeting rooms, 7 of which highlight floor-to-ceiling windows outfitted with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, the light shines naturally on the endless opportunities for special events. In addition, discover two interview rooms that can be booked by the hour or a luxurious 6,905 square foot ballroom. But perhaps the most innovative spaces are the glass-clad floating boardrooms that offer panoramic views.

Contemporary furnished guestrooms and suites offer panoramic views of the runways. The luxury starts with the Marriott Revive bedding guaranteeing a good night’s rest and spa-style bathrooms with upscale amenities. Each room has a work desk equipped with a connectivity panel to provide easy, simultaneous access to multi-media electronic equipment.

An ergonomic chair is also accessorized in every room along with a 32” LCD flat-screen television. The hotel offers 68 Concierge rooms with access to a Concierge Lounge, where breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres are served during weekdays. After a long day’s work, you can unwind in the indoor pool and whirlpool or stay in shape in the fitness room open 24/7. Spa treatments are also available by appointment at YUL Spa.

Located in the West Island only steps away from shopping, restaurants and entertainment, as well as a 20-minute drive to the heart of downtown, the Montréal Airport Marriott offers unprecedented luxury with plenty of perks that are time-saving, practical and very convenient for the business traveler.

The temperature is tolerable and there are so many styles of portable chairs to choose from.

Do you really need another reason to attend an event or festival this summer? If you've only got one marked in your daybook so far (that being Canada Day, which is imprinted on your calendar thanks to the manufacturer, so it doesn't earn you any points) then perhaps you should tailor your summer plans to one or more of these:

Where: Vancouver, B.C.

When: June 3 to Sept. 25

What: Bard on the Beach, a summer-long Shakespeare festival presented against a breathtaking British Columbian backdrop: mountains, sky and ocean. This year's lineup includes Much Ado About Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, Falstaff and Henry V.

More info: www.bardonthebeach.org

Where: Pincher Creek, Alta.

When: June 17 to 20

What: Cowboy Poetry Gathering, where cowboy poets and musicians will try to fling a lasso 'round your heart with something softer than rope: words and feelings. Also includes ranch roping, old fashioned dancing and cowboy church.

More info: www.pcgathering.com

Where: Souris, P.E.I.

When: July 2 to 4

What: PEI Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival, where you can get a taste of P.E.I. in the olden days without encountering a headstrong red-headed orphan.

More info: www.bluegrasspei.com

Where: Shediac, N.B.

When: July 7 to 11

What: Shediac Lobster Festival, home of the nightly lobster-eating contest in which ten volunteers are chosen from the crowd and challenged to eat three lobsters with their bare hands as fast as they can (hopefully after they've removed the exo-skeletons).

More info: www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca

Where: Dawson City, Yukon

When: July 16 to 18

What: The Dawson City Music Festival - if you're looking an excuse to get thyself up to the remote but picturesque outpost known as Dawson City, let it be this celebration of tunes, now in its 32nd year. Be sure to catch The Good Lovelies, winners of this year's Juno for Best Roots Album.

More info: www.dcmf.com

Where: Saskatoon, Sask.

When: July 18 to 25

What: Back to Batoche Days, commemorating the Métis Resistance of 1885. This family-oriented event celebrates Métis culture. Visitors are invited to camp, pitch a tipi or sleep under the prairie sky, sample bannock, tap their toes to fiddle music and watch the experts execute a Red River Jig.

More info: www.mn-s.ca

Where: Kapuskasing, Ont.

When: July 23 to 25

What: Lumberjack Heritage Festival, including an arm wrestling competition, professional logging show, burling, chainsaw bucking, axe throw and all those activities that sound like they ought to come with the warning "do not attempt this at home."

More Info: www.kaplumberjack.com

Where: Winnipeg, Man.

When: Aug. 1 to 14

What: Folklorama, a way to meet the world within the confines of Winnipeg. Learn about cuisine, clothing, culture and everything in between at 40 international pavilions located around the city.

More info: www.folklorama.ca

Where: Quebec City

When: Aug. 4 to 8

What: New France Festival, when Quebec City does an impression of itself during the French regime. Expect costumes, food, performers, storytelling, dancing, music and re-enactments.

More info: www.nouvellefrance.qc.ca

Where: Conception Bay, N.L.

When: Aug. 12 to 15

What: Brigus Blueberry Festival, a Newfie party that's anything but blue. Think "screech ins," dinner theatre, beauty pageants, mooseburgers, fireworks and a pie eating contest.

More info: www.brigus.net/events.htm