Bradley

Bradley

Brad has been writing on the Internet since 2004. Writing for numerous online magazines, he's built a strong reputation. He is the Head Editor and CEO of FlightNews.ca, specializing in airline news and reviews.

Home page: http://flightnews.ca

Posts by Bradley

Will Operating a Regional Airline Hurt WestJet?

0
56 days
by in Canadian Airlines

Everyone has probably heard about WestJet’s plans to introduce a new low cost regional carrier by now. By doing so, they will give smaller communities more access to larger destinations and reduce the driving time of those who have to travel to larger cities to fly. However, this new addition seems to be going against WestJet’s idea of being a low cost carrier.

WestJet Co-Founder and previous CEO Clide Beddos has been quoted many times as saying that the secret to operating a low cost airline is by using one type of airplane. This way they can avoid paying the extra costs of hiring maintenance workers, purchasing replacement parts, and opening additional facilities.

“The secret to the low cost model is flying one type of airplane. Now, the competitors, Air Canada and CanadaAir at a time flew 13, 14 different types of airplanes. So they were grossly inefficient,” Beddos said during a lecture to a group of university students.

WestJet’s announcement of operating a low cost regional carrier using small turboprop airplanes seems to be going against their philosophy of staying the path. I personally don’t think it’s worth it for WestJet to venture off into other markets when they have done increasingly well servicing larger cities and flying to more sun destinations.

Penticton BC has been quite vocal in their quest for getting WestJet to fly there. In fact, the small town even organized a flash mob in attempt to attract the airline. However, is it really economically viable for WestJet to fly to Penticton when Kelowna is only an hour away? — I don’t think so. Furthermore, I don’t think it would be a great idea for WestJet to compete with Air Canada Jazz in those smaller markets, especially when the population in those locations are extremely small. I could see two competing airlines in smaller cities destroying the regional industry all together.

With all of those doubts I have about WestJet introducing a smaller carrier, it is important to note that WestJet employees voted 91 percent for a regional airline according to one of their press releases in early February.

“The opportunity presented to WestJetters has been very well received and I thank them for their input and consideration in this important matter,” said Gregg Saretsky, WestJet President and CEO. “Clearly, WestJetters have recognized and embraced that the service we have provided for 16 years is in demand in even more communities across Canada. Bringing WestJet to these communities will benefit Canadians while providing increased shareholder value. We now look forward to planning the launch of this new airline as early as 2013.”

With profit margins slim in the Canadian airline industry, WestJet is taking a huge risk by bringing about this regional service. Although the idea seems to be popular at the moment, I just don’t see enough room in smaller markets for competing regional airlines, especially servicing communities with populations between 10 and 50 thousand.

WestJet plans to introduce their regional service in early 2013. What are your thoughts?

The Secret To Getting Cheaper Flights in Canada: There Isn’t One

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57 days
by in Canadian Airlines

Is it possible to actually get a good deal from an airline? Well, the answer is it depends. The reasoning is that the airline industry in Canada is so competitive between the two major airlines, WestJet and Air Canada. Sure, there are often seat sales. But if you look closely, you’ll notice that both major airlines always seem to have the same deals going on at the same time.

Now many also point out the fact that air fares in the United States seem to be much cheaper than in Canada. Unfortunately, this has little to do with the airlines and much to do with airports and government. In fact, Canadians are stuck paying a variable rate on the Canadian Airport Improvement Fee, the Harmonized Sales Tax and Government Sales Tax, along with additional surcharges. Americans, on the other hand, simply pay a flat rate on the “Airport Passenger Facility Charge,” and other smaller fees. The big difference between the two is the flat vs. variable rate. Some Canadian airports charge much more than their counterparts, whereas all American airports have to charge below $18.

It’s also important to take a look at the size of the market. The United States population is roughly ten times the size of Canada. This means there is more room for competition, whereas additional competition in Canada could destroy the airline industry all together. Proof of this is JetsGo, a once low cost carrier based in Montreal, who couldn’t withstand its’ $55 million in debt. Furthermore, Air Canada is having a tough time right now with WestJet closing the market share gap.

There is one sale in Canada that seems to be unique to WestJet. It’s their Blue Tag Thursday event, in which they have three hours designated to offering a specific route(s) for a decreased price. The destination depends on a lot of factors including the economic environment — WestJet usually offers discount on flights that aren’t filling up as fast as they’d like. I personally have taken advantage of this sale many times, seeing prices slashed by as much as 40 percent. I have yet to see a similar sale offered by Air Canada, but if you know of one please feel free to link to it in the comments.

Tips on Getting The Best Fare

  1. Know the economic conditions in Canada – A lot of the deals that Canadian airlines released are based on sales. If the airline is experiencing low ridership, chances are that fares are about to decrease. You won’t find discounts around Christmas, Spring Break, or Easter. In my experience, the best time to travel is January, February, September, October, and November. Now unfortunately these months don’t always produce the best weather, hence the lower ridership in these months. 
  2. Monitor all Canadian airlines – I have yet to see a significant sale where both major carriers don’t offer the same deal. This meaning that if one airline is having a “big sale” expect its competitor to do so also. In my experience, there has been some instances in which one airline is surprised by the other and is someone delayed in offering the sale, but I have never seen a time when they’ve completely ignored them.
  3. Book early – Airlines price their tickets based on demand. For example; a certain portion of seats will be allocated to one price. Then once those are sold out another set of seats will be sold at an even higher price. This means that it’s extremely beneficial to book tickets as early as possible, that way you can avoid paying the next level up. This is especially important when booking tickets around Christmas holidays, as prices for these tickets will begin increasing early the following year.
Unfortunately, the Canadian airline industry is extremely unpredictable, with many sales depending on market conditions. This is mainly because profit margins are so slim, offering little wiggle room for the airlines. Additionally, the fact that the industry can’t support much more competition is a huge factor in why prices rarely drop. 
image source: ANDREW VAUGHAN / The Canadian Press 

Tips and Tricks on How To Collect More Air Miles Reward Miles

0
141 days
by in Uncategorized
Many people have given up on the Air Miles program because they don’t feel that they’ll be able to attain enough miles to earn a free flight. Unfortunately, the main reason for this happening is because people aren’t seeking out deals and bonus offers available to collectors. For the first few months I collected I was also a little confused as to how people were able to earn so many miles, but after I was introduced to the tips below I was multiplying my miles by as much as ten times. In fact, I was able to earn enough miles in my first year to get a short round trip flight. Here are some of the methods I used.
  1. Get an Air Miles credit card – When I first started using Air Miles I noticed that it was extremely difficult to get enough to even be awarded a short flight. One of the biggest reasons for this is that I didn’t have one of Air Mile’s credit cards. Air Miles offers multiple versions of credit cards from bothMasterCard and American Express. Some of these credit cards have fees, however, you don’t need to spend as much to earn miles. I personally went with the no annual fee MasterCard, and found it to be more cost effective than the other options available, plus I don’t like paying credit card companies if I don’t have to. By using my Air Miles credit card I have earned double Air Miles on many of my purchases. This is called double dipping: the process of using your credit card and collector card simultaneously at an Air Miles sponsor.
  2. Wait for bonus events – Bonus Air Miles are key if you want to be able to earn miles faster. Air Miles offers bonus events throughout the year promoting different stores. For example, Shell gasoline offers 3X bonus events every year or so, and Safeway promotes certain items they sell by tacking on bonus miles for shoppers who purchase specific products. One event that has become extremely popular throughout the past few years is Air Miles 10X bonus event, where users who shop online through AirMilesShop.ca earn up to ten times reward miles during a select few days.
  3. Seek out savings – Although this tip doesn’t necessarily earn you more Air Miles, it does keep you grounded when it comes to ensuring you don’t over spend. Even if you’re an avid Air Miles collector, it’s important to ensure that it’s worth shopping at an Air Miles sponsor. In many cases, sponsors will charge customers more just because their business offer Air Miles, leaving customers with a deeper hole in their pocket then they would’ve had when shopping elsewhere. That’s not to say that Air Miles sponsors don’t have great deals. In fact, some companies provide Air Miles collectors with exclusive deals.
  4. Shop online – Some of the best deals that I find with Air Miles are found online. As I mentioned earlier, Air Mile’s offers a 10X bonus event that is exclusive to online shopping. Furthermore, some bricks-and-mortar stores will offer Air Miles incentives to get customers shopping via e-commerce. In addition, purchasing through AirMilesShop.ca is a great way to know that you’re shopping with trusted online retailers, not a scam artist after your credit card number.
  5. Be social online – One of the best ways to find out about bonus Air Miles is by subscribing to their Facebook and Twitter pages. Throughout the week you’ll find exclusive bonus Air Miles offers that can only be found if you follow the company on one of the social networks their using. In fact, the other day I found fantastic deals on movie tickets that I wouldn’t of found if I wasn’t subscribing to them on Facebook. Even better, it is easier for Air Miles to send you bonus offers via social media because deals will show up on your Facebook or Twitter stream. This means that you aren’t going to have to navigate to the Air Miles website everyday to see the latest bonus offers.

What are your tips for earning more AirMiles? Leave a comment below or send me a Tweet with your suggestions.

image source: Wikipedia

 

Best Way To Get From YVR Airport To DownTown Vancouver

0
224 days
by in Airports

It has now been a few years since the Canada Line SkyTrain system was introduced in Vancouver. Initially, people had their doubts about the project, but it has now become an extremely popular means of getting to and from the airport from downtown Vancouver. In fact, I’ve found it to also be one of the fastest modes of transportation to travel to the downtown core. The trains also arrive at stations at regular intervals and are rarely ever late. If you’re concerned about missing a train, there are message boards above the station platform that display how long it will be until the next train arrives.

However, I’ve noticed that quite a few people visiting Vancouver haven’t heard of the train line, therefore, end up paying more for a taxi or a shuttle service. Although at certain times of the day (mainly during rush hour) the SkyTrain fare increases, I still think it’s worth while, as you won’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic.

What Is The Canada Line?

The Canada Line is an automated train system in Vancouver Canada. It works similarly to a subway system, but runs above ground and doesn’t have a human driver. Furthermore, the trains can reach speeds of up to 90 km/h, providing quick and easy access to the downtown core. What’s even more impressive is that there has never been an accident recorded in the history of SkyTrain. If you’d like more information about how the Canada Line works check out this Wikipedia page.

The purpose of implementing the Canada line was for Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic winter games. It was designed to allow athletes, team personnel, and tourist easy access to downtown venues and hotels.

5 Reasons Why Canada Line Is The Best Way To Travel To and From The Airport

  1. Reliability – I’ve been living in Vancouver for a very long time and rarely get delayed when I take the SkyTrain. The maintenance crews perform an excellent job in ensuring that on-time performance is maintained by working through the night. Compare this to driving, where traffic jams are a regular occurrence in Vancouver, especially during rush hour.
  2. Network – Vancouver’s transit system goes way beyond SkyTrain and Canada Line systems. They’re also equipped with a vast bus network that can get you to all corners of the Lower Mainland quickly and efficiently. I usually purchase a day pass and use transit as my primary mode of transportation throughout the day.
  3. Price – The price it makes it very economical to take transit in Vancouver. Prices range between $2.50 and $5.00, depending on how far you plan on travelling. Additionally, the price of gas in the province is sky high, not to mention that the provincial government has implemented a gas tax on every litre of fuel you purchase. This gives you even more reason to ditch the car and use transit.
  4. Access – The fact that the Canada Line goes right up to the airport is absolutely phenomenal. In fact, the YVR station is attached directly to the building, making it a short trip to get from your flight to a train. The trip downtown is quick, taking just under 26 minutes.
  5. You can relax – One of my favourite reasons to take the Canada line is that it gives you time to relax, especially after a long flight. When I take the train, I usually take a quick nap so that I can be ready to go when I have to get off. Even better, the trains are extremely quiet and smooth, making it easy to get some shut-eye.

What If I Get Lost?

As many of you know, Canadians have a very good reputation of being helpful. Furthermore, Vancouver is a multicultural city, with many citizens speaking a variety of languages. If you get lost, I’ve found that Vancouver residents are typically very helpful in getting you on your way. Also, many of the stations have staff members that will be able to help you out. With that said, they are usually located at busier stations, meaning that you may have to travel a bit before you find someone.

Resources

 

WestJet and Air Canada Stock Take Sudden Tumble

0
231 days
by in Canadian Airlines

Both WestJet and Air Canada stocks took a steep drop at close today, with both airlines decreasing by over five percent. WestJet stock dropped .67 of a point to finish the day at 12.26 per share, while Air Canada dropped .16 to close at 1.32.

This all comes after WestJet had begun crowd sourcing their employees to promote ways of reducing costs. And according to this report, there was an overwhelming response. Furthermore, the airline was able to gather new product ideas by using this method.

It isn’t clear yet what exactly caused the slide today, however, both stocks had been maintaining their worth for the past week. Below is the graph of how today’s stock for both WestJet and Air Canada played out.

WestJet

 

Air Canada

Randstad Ranks Air Canada as One of The Most Attractive Employers In Canada

0
232 days
by in Canadian Airlines

Air Canada is boasting it’s newest achievement as one of the premier airlines in Canada. A survey conducted by Randstad Canada and ICMA International has ranked Air Canada as one of the top five most attractive companies to be employed by. The international airline employs over 26, 000 people world wide, with an average of 70 applicants per job posting.

This is a surprising statistic, especially with Air Canada facing heavy criticism by customers regarding their customer service. You wouldn’t expect large amounts of people applying to a company that has consumers whining about them. Furthermore, I’ve found many reviews by employees on the web criticizing Air Canada’s management and their uncaring attitude.

However, it’s also important to consider the fact that Air Canada offers their employees excellent benefits, along with a stable union that can represent them at the bargaining table. Some of the more prominent benefits include personal insurance programs, health benefits, dental benefits, life insurance, pension plan, and vacation benefits.Furthermore, the travel benefits are more extensive than Air Canada’s rival WestJet, with many more international destinations available. It’s also important to note that there were very few travel related companies listed among the top employers, meaning that competition was minimal regarding the airline industry.

Other companies among the top five include Research In Motion, IBM Canada, McGill University, and Bombardier. In order to be listed as a top company, the employer must have at least 1000 people working for them. Furthermore, they must also be one of the one hundred and fifty largest employers in Canada.

All in all, it’s important to remember that the survey conducted reflects on the attractiveness of working for Air Canada, not the opinion of employees already working for the airline. I’m concerned that results may have showed differently if the survey included people already working for them. On the other hand, there are very few companies who offer benefits that are on par with Air Canada.

image: DiscoveryFinance

WestJet Announces Hamilton To Las Vegas Route

0
301 days
by in Canadian Airlines

WestJet has announced in a press release today that they’ll be providing service to Las Vegas from Hamilton beginning in the fall. The twice-weekly trip will initially start out as a trial run for 11 weeks, and then will be re-evaluated afterwards.

The flight will commence on Mondays and Fridays, with the flight originating in Las Vegas. It will depart the entertainment capital at 9:45 AM, arriving in Hamilton just after 5 PM. It will then depart Hamilton at 6 PM and arrive in Vegas at 7:39PM.

“This is definitely new for us,” commented John MacLeod, WestJet Vice-President, Network Management and Alliances. “As we prepare for the annual fall transition of our fleet we had a window of additional flying time over an 11-week period. The people of the greater Hamilton area have always supported WestJet and we wanted to thank them by testing the feasibility of service to Las Vegas. Based on the demand during the 11-week trial, we will determine if this route is a viable option to consider as our fleet grows.”

 

New Software Blocks Nudity With Full Body Scanner

0
305 days
by in Airports, Featured

The US Transportation Security Administration announced on Wednesday that they’ll be introducing new body scanning software to prevent naked images from being shown to TSA screeners. After continuous complaints from travellers, the TSA began testing this software to ensure that it could protect passenger privacy while still maintaining a high security level.

This addition allows the computer to use a generic body outline, while detecting and eliminating the actual physical form of the passenger. The TSA has says that passengers should expect this new measure in about 40 airports throughout the next several months.

There is still no word as to whether the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority will adopt this technology. Currently, their website states the following about privacy with the full body scanner.

A trained and certified screening officer examines the full-body scanner images from a separate room. This officer has no direct view of the passenger before, during or after the screening process, and receives no personal information that could associate the image to a particular person. To further protect passenger privacy, the images are deleted after they are viewed. Images cannot and will not be stored, printed or transmitted. The screening officer who assists the passenger during the scanning process never sees the image the scanner produces.

The TSA has been trying to recover from a public relations nightmare, as a result of complaints regarding pat-downs and body scanning of young children and senior citizens. However, the organization has maintained that passenger security continues to remain a top priority.

image: InfoWars

European Airline Begins Flying Using BioFuel

0
307 days
by in International Airlines

Big news coming out of Europe, as Lufthansa has announced that they have initiated a world’s first. They are the first airline to provide passenger flights using biofuel. The flights, which are operating Hamburg and Frankfurt Germany, will be using a 50% mixture of Hydro processed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), along with regular fuel in one engine. Regular jet fuel will be used in the other. The aircraft being used will be an Airbus A321, equipped with minor changes so that the engines can process the fuel more efficiently.

This is a huge step forward in green technology, especially considering that airlines are some of the biggest polluters in the world. Lufthansa plans on keeping these flights going for about 6-months, then re-evaluate after that. Furthermore, the airline, along with Airbus will be studying the long term impact of this new fuel on overall aircraft performance.

“Lufthansa is the world’s first airline to utilise biofuel in daily flight operations. This is a further consistent step in the sustainability strategy, which Lufthansa has for years been successfully pursuing. We want to secure future sustainable mobility by conducting research and development work today,” said Christoph Franz, Lufthansa CEO.

Airbus is the first airplane manufacturer to implement biofuel with their aircraft. Both Bombardier and Boeing have also made significant advancements, however, Airbus beat them to it.

image: tcgraf.de

WestJet Vs. Air Canada – Who’s Winning In The Small Town Markets?

0
309 days
by in Airline Reviews

This is the beginning of a new series on FlightNews.ca, where we will compare Canada’s two major airlines in a variety of different settings. From customer service to the aircraft they use, we’re going to go over both airlines with a fine tooth comb. Today we’re going to focus on the regional aspect of both Air Canada and WestJet.

Right of the bat, Air Canada has an advantage over WestJet; their own regional airline. Being affiliated with Air Canada Express (formerly known as Jazz) allows the airline to access airports with small runways, whereas WestJet and their fleet of Boeing 737s would not be able to land. Air Canada Express flies both DH3 and CRJ aircraft, which take up less runway when taking off. Having this ability gives Air Canada access to small rural areas, often being the only airline servicing a particular area.

The problem with both airlines, however, is that the small markets they’re trying to reach may not have enough population to support a regular route. In fact, many of these small routes aren’t profitable, forcing the airline to leave or cut their route frequency drastically. This has happened quite a bit post recession, especially in cities with less than 15 000 residents.

What’s interesting, however, is WestJet’s ability to attract small town markets to larger cities just to fly with them. For example, Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, and Abbotsford Airports have a large customer base coming from rural communities as far as three hours away. WestJet being so attractive to these smaller communities is probably due to their easy going customer experience.

With all of that said, the winner for this round is, hands down, Air Canada. The main reason for this is the fact that they are able to reach so many passengers with Air Canada Express. The large amount of routes they have available to customers puts them at a huge advantage over WestJet. Especially considering that WestJet isn’t even capable of landing in some of the destinations that Air Canada services.

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