More options for Canadians heading south ... Watch your language at airport!

 

Word came today that the Harper government ie expanding Canadian airlines' options for Caribbean and Central America.

Details weren't immediately available as to frequency of flights, etc..., but Canada's Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (what a mouthful) Denis Lebel today announced that Air Transat and WestJet have been designated for international service between Canada and several sunny destinations.

Lebel designated Air Transat for flights to Costa Rica (see photo), St. Maarten, Barbados, Antigua/Barbuda and Nicaragua, which has been getting more ink the last couple years. WestJet was designated to serve Costa Rica and Curacao.

“Our government is promoting the growth and competiveness of the Canadian air industry”, said Minister Lebel. “These designations will expand options for air travellers between Canada and these countries.”

 

Air carriers may apply to the Minister of Transport for designation to operate scheduled international air services, officials said, adding that designations announced today were made possible by the existing air transport agreements with these countries.

LANGUAGE COPS COMING TO AN AIRPORT NEAR YOU

Interesting item at thestar.com today, wherein Canada’s bilingualism watchdog "is going undercover" at eight major airports to see if travellers are served equally well in English and French

Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser says his office will conduct more than 1,500 anonymous observations this fall at airports in Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

All airports that serve more than one million passengers a year must provide services in both English and French.

The commissioner will check if signs are in both official languages, if staff offer a bilingual greeting to travellers and if services are available in French in predominantly English-speaking parts of the country and in English in French-speaking parts.

Fraser’s office says the project will include observations of Air Canada’s services on the ground and in the air on flights designated as bilingual.

It will also look at the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority’s third-party services in security areas.

I've never noticed a lack of French signage at Pearson. But, then again, I don't really speak French and don't have much cause for paying a lot of attention.

I wonder if they have announcements in French that say, "Attention, you have landed at Pearson Airport in Toronto. If you are under the silly impression that your luggage is going to delivered to the baggage carousel within the next half hour you are horribly and sadly mistaken. HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

PORTER GETS AGGRESSIVE

Probably have more to say on this tomorrow. But this just came over the wires so thought I'd mention it Wednesday.

Porter Airlines sent out a press release today to say they're implementing its first interline partnership with Qatar Airways. The deal is effective immediately, providing expanded travel options for customers of both carriers.

“Establishing Porter’s first interline agreement is an important occasion for us and we couldn’t have chosen a better partner than Qatar Airways, one of the world’s elite airlines,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines. “It’s the beginning of a plan to add multiple interline partners in 2012, introducing Porter to an entirely new set of passengers.”

Qatar’s Doha service to Montreal and Washington-Dulles are both available for Porter interline flights. Montreal connections are available three times weekly to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Halifax. Washington service is available daily to Toronto City Airport.

Interline flights allow customers to purchase one ticket for a trip involving multiple airlines. At this time, all itineraries involving Qatar and Porter must be purchased from Qatar. Please inquire with Qatar or a travel agent for schedule and price information.

I don't think it's a huge deal on its own, as not that many of us fly to Doha. But it's yet another sign of Porter's aggressive stance as it takes on Air Canada and WestJet.

I expect a lot more of this is still to come....