September 6, 2005 - Signature Vacations and Halifax
Signature Vacations will be adding a series of dedicated charter flights out of Halifax this winter, marking the first season the operator has ever operated its own aircraft in Atlantic Canada. The flights, which will operate to a total of seven sun destinations, will be offered between early March and late April on board a 180-seat Skyservice Airbus 320. Destinations featured include Cancun and the Mayan Riviera; the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana and Puerto Plata) and Cuba (Varadero, Holguin and Cayo Coco). Varadero is available in combination with Havana for a two-centre, one-week vacation.
"Premier Service" will be available in Atlantic Canada for the first time. For $130, passengers receive a wide range of benefits, including advance seat selection, free inflight headset and drinks, a duty-free shopping and excess baggage credit, US$15 towards a day trip on holiday, and $75 towards their next Signature Vacation. Advance seat selection is also available on its own for $15 per person, each way.
A number of seats will also be allocated to Sunflight, Signature's value vacation brand. Because of this new commitment to the Halifax gateway, Signature will be discontinuing the small programs initially planned from Moncton and St. John's for this coming winter. However, it will offer hotel stopover rates for travellers connecting on to their flights out of Halifax or even Toronto, starting at $59.50 per person, double occupancy.
Find out more about Signature and other Canada Tour Operators
September 8, 2005 - Ontario Science Centre Packages Hotel Stays
The Ontario Science Centre is now offering 14 different hotel packages that provide accommodation and admission to the Ontario Science Centre for travellers visiting the Greater Toronto Area. Packages start at $105 (plus taxes) and are available directly through participating hotels listed at www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca. Vacationers can purchase up to four Ontario Science Centre general admission passes, valid for two adults ages 18-64 and two children ages four-17, with their hotel package. Hotel patrons also receive a 20-per-cent discount on IMAX films at the Shoppers Drug Mart OMNIMAX Theatre. Packages are valid until March 31, 2006, with the exception of Dec. 25 and March Break (March 11-19, 2006).
Also available is a "Summer of Thrills Hotel Package" in conjunction with the Crowne Plaza Toronto Don Valley Hotel that includes an IMAX film, a full breakfast and parking for $199 (plus taxes) for a family of four.
September 13, 2005 - Long Stays with Signature Vacations
Signature Vacations offers long stay vacation for 1-8 week stays. Departures from Toronto include vacations to: Algarve, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.Flight only is available for: Paro, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, St Martin, St Kitts, Antigua.
For a sample of pricing, an 8 week vacation, air and hotel at Puerto Village in Algarve is $1979 plus taxes per person. This is for departures from January 23-Feb 5, 2006.
Find out more about Signature Vacations and other Canadian tour operators.
September 17, 2005 - Air Canada Launches Unlimited Air Pass
Air Canada is expanding its line of multi-trip pass products to include the airline industry's first-ever subscription to unlimited flights. The airline's new " North America Unlimited Pass " provides pass holders the freedom to fly as often as they wish to more than 100 destinations served by Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz in Canada and the continental United States , for a two-month period from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, inclusive. The pass will be available for purchase for two weeks beginning today (Sept. 14-30). "Our North America Unlimited Pass gives customers the freedom to fly when and where they want throughout Air Canada 's extensive North America wide network," said Sean Menke, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer. "Subscribing to air travel with online convenience is an airline industry first, and underlines Air Canada 's commitment to lead the way by putting control back in the hands of consumers. We plan on introducing more innovative products using technology to simplify travel, based on the overwhelmingly positive response from customers to our multi-trip pass products."
To purchase a pass, customers or their travel agent simply visit www.aircanada.com, click on " Flight Pass " on the home page, and enter their Aeroplan membership number and personal identification number. The price of the two-month pass is $3,499 per month, for a total of $6,998, plus GST (and QST for residents of Quebec ).
Further details on booking conditions are available at the Air Canada website. To promote its new online subscription pass, Air Canada is launching a cross-Canada contest for the chance to win five pairs of unlimited flight passes. The contest takes off Sept. 14 for a two-week period. Clues to enter the draw at www.aircanada.com will be provided online and on aerial banners in the skies over Toronto (Sept. 14), Montreal (Sept. 16), Calgary (Sept. 21) and Vancouver (Sept. 22).
September 19, 2005 - WestJet Extends Flights between Charlottetown and Toronto
WestJet Airlines Ltd.'s non-stop service between Charlottetown and Toronto will continue year-around, the airline announced Wednesday after starting the flights this summer on a seasonal basis. The Calgary-based airline's move follows Air Canada's decision to end year-round service between Charlottetown and Toronto service because the P.E.I. government provided subsidies to lure WestJet to the province.
''This new route has performed extremely well, and we are pleased to now be offering flights year-round,'' said Sean Durfy, WestJet's executive vice-president of marketing and sales.
WestJet was lured to the island by $500,000 in marketing and revenue incentives.
The decision angered Air Canada which said the subsidies made it difficult for the airline to continue service in the fall and winter, when there are fewer travellers.
Both airlines were set to put their non-stop service between the provincial capital and Canada's largest city on hold in October and resume flights next spring.
However WestJet said Wednesday it will have six flights per week starting Oct. 17 between the cities.
