August 2010

Effective August 1, Air Canada will discontinue the sale of Rapidair and Transborder Upgrade Certificates available for purchase at the airport. Customers holding these certificates will be able to use them until their expiry date, one year after date of purchase.

WestJet 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." 

Effective Sept. 15, 2010, American Airlines has announced plans to inhibit the ticketing of reservations with travel dates Nov. 1, 2010 and beyond if Secure Flight Passenger Data  is not present in the Passenger Name Record .  Delta and United have announced similar plans to inhibit ticketing when SFPD is not present however, no effective dates have been announced.

Customers planning to travel by air must provide the following data when making a reservation:

• Name as it appears on your passport

• Date of Birth

• Gender

• Redress Number (where applicable)

United Airlines (UA) and Delta (DL) have integrated SFPD collection requirements in their booking policies. UA has noted in its policy that it “reserves the right to cancel any reservation not containing SFPD at least 72 hours prior to departure. PNRs created within 72 hours must include SFPD when the PNR is initially booked.”

Mobile phone applications, called apps, are quickly becoming an everyday necessity for smartphone users everywhere. Now millions of travelers are beginning to rely more on these portable programs than guidebooks, because guidebooks can’t send postcards of you standing before the Parthenon to your friends or give you precise directions to the nearest restroom. 

Here’s a list of quality travel apps for both Apple’s iPhones (the most popular smartphone) and Google Android system phones (the fastest growing smartphones). Remember: our travel agency is all of these apps combined into one, so be sure to have our phone number and email address in your phone!

Top Travel Apps: iPhone

Packing – You’ll never forget the camera again! Packing helps you create lists of necessary items for your next vacation that you can check off as you pack.

HearPlanet – Consider this your pocket tour guide. HearPlanet tells you what attractions are nearby and then plays the Wikipedia description of that attraction aloud.

Lonely Planet Phrasebook – There are many language convertor apps, but this one speaks the translated phrase aloud so that the listener can determine what you need.

Toilet – For those times when you really need to go in a foreign land, tap the Toilet icon, pick the local language, and show it to a kind stranger who can point you to the right direction.

Postino – We all take pictures with our phones. Now Postino gives you the ability to turn those pictures into real postcards you can send to friends, complete with a handwritten message and virtual stamp, right from your phone.

Top Travel Apps: Android

Nru (Near You) – A virtual compass created by Zagat that literally points you to nearby Zagat-rated restaurants. Also includes reviews, menus and prices.

ConvertMe – This nifty little app not only converts currency, but also shoe and clothes sizes, measures, distances and more.

WikiPock – Now you can carry an encyclopedia in your pocket. WikiPock allows you to access all three million Wikipedia articles on your phone without an internet connection!

Compass – Never get lost again. Compass uses the accelerometer in your phone to keep you going in the right direction.

                                           -Travel Tips Quarterly

Starting September 8, 2010 international passengers traveling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program will be required to pay a fee of US$14 for the compulsory ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) application or renewal prior to travel.

Revenue from the new fee will be used to cover operational costs for administering the system and to promote US travel.

Travelers are encouraged to apply for travel authorization 72 hours prior to entering the US by air or sea. Once approved, authorisations are generally valid for multiple entries into the US for up to two years or until the applicant's passport expires, at which point travelers will be required to pay the fee again.

All payments for electronic travel authorization applications must be made by credit card or debit card at the time of application. Accepted forms of payment include MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover cards.

This brand new Montreal Airport hotel, connected to P. E. Trudeau International Airport, boasts vibrant settings, luxurious guestrooms and legendary service. Perfect for the business and leisure traveler, the U.S. Departures Terminal is located an escalator ride away. The Montreal Airport Marriott Hotel is only 20 minutes from the excitement that downtown Montreal has to offer and close to top attractions including the Notre-Dame Basilica, Old Port of Montreal, Bell Center, Six Flags Amusement Park, Olympic Stadium and Botanical Gardens. Bijou, this Montreal hotel's trendy restaurant and bar features fresh cuisine in an innovative, upscale setting. The hotel also features an indoor pool, fitness and business centres. This Montreal Airport hotel offers premier meeting facilities with over 14,000 sq. ft. of flexible event space, perfect for engaging corporate meetings, successful group events and exquisite weddings in Montreal. Experience the newest hotel at the Montreal Airport for your next visit to Montreal.

Save $400 per couple when booking an air & hotel package and paying in full by November 1, 2010 for travel between November 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011 for all sun destinations.

Save $300 per couple when booking an air & hotel package to the US, including Florida, Hawaii and Las Vegas, and paying in full by November 1, 2010 for travel between November 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011.