Jim Bits: WestJet Begins Halifax-Paris Service, Transat Says Thanks and Florida Keys Update

WestJet late Thursday night connected Atlantic Canada to the City of Light, with its inaugural flight between Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). The flight was tp in France at 10 am local time.

"This is a historic day for WestJet as we touch down on the European mainland for the first time," said Tim Croyle, WestJet Interim Executive Vice-President, Commercial. "This new service reinforces our confidence in Atlantic Canada and our ongoing support of Nova Scotia's tourism and economic development objectives outlined in its Atlantic Gateway initiative. Paris is the latest milestone chapter in WestJet's drive to become a truly global airline, bringing Canada to the world and the world to Canada."

"Adding direct air access to key markets is an important part of growing our economy," said Premier Stephen McNeil. "This new link strengthens Nova Scotia's long-standing relationship with France and will create opportunities across many sectors. We're pleased to see WestJet's confidence in our province and the region, and I look forward to the route's success."

WestJet's daily non-stop flights between Halifax and Paris are operated on the Boeing 737 MAX, the airline's newest, most efficient and guest-friendly aircraft.

Nova Scotia is a brilliant part of Canada, with not only Halifax and Cape Breton (home to one of the world's most breathtaking drives) but beautiful towns such as Lunenburg, home of the historic Bluenose II, Annapolis Royal and Wolfville. I had a fabulous visit to the eastern shore of the province a couple years ago; a seldom-visited stretch that goes from Lawrencetown Beach (near Halifax and Cole Harbour) to the Strait of Canso, which separates the main part of Nova Scotia from Cape Breton.

In case you missed it (I did), Thursday May 31 was International Flight Attendant Day.

With that in mind, Air Transat was pleased to acknowledge the importance of these frontline employees and to highlight the excellence of the company's approximately 2,000 flight attendants and flight directors.

Transat, Canada's leader in holiday travel, has been highlighting the expertise of its employees, including its flight attendants, in its latest advertising campaigns. These are people who are passionate about travel and love sharing their favourite destinations and discoveries with their customers.

"Being a flight attendant means not only seeing to customers' comfort and establishing a special and reassuring contact with them, it's first and foremost about ensuring their safety," said Air Transat President Jean-François Lemay. "I feel very strongly about emphasizing that flight attendants are safety professionals, trained to react in any situation, normal or otherwise. And so on this very special day, I want to recognize their valuable contribution to the Air Transat inflight experience and to thank them for accompanying our passengers as they start or end their holidays."

It's a job I don't think I'd want, but I salute them for their hard work, perseverance and ability to withstand the onslaughts of everything from screaming babies to in-flight nail clippers, not to mention those ridiculous, ill-behaved, poorly-trained, thoughtless passengers who leave the bathroom looking as if Hurricane Maria swept through.

A woman on Southwest Airlines the other day complained that a man next to hear was watching porn on his iPad for a couple hours during her flight.

Honestly, folks…..

At the start of the year of its 40th anniversary, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) transported more than one million passengers over the first quarter of 2018, an increase of 12.4% over 2017. The company closed the quarter with an 11% increase in passenger revenues, mainly due to the continued popularity of its intercity services on the Québec City-Windsor corridor.

Canada's two major airlines are improving in terms of customer satisfaction. The latest survey from JD Power found that Air Canada enjoyed the largest gain in satisfaction among traditional carriers in North America, rising 25 points to 734 on a 1,000-point scale.

WestJet scored 747 in the low-cost carrier segment, up from 736 a year ago.

It's good news on the surface, but both airlines have a lot of work to do to move up the rankings. Air Canada's 734-point total was less than the 741-point average in the traditional carrier rankings, the Globe and Mail reports, while WestJet's 747 points were below the 799-point average among low-cost carriers.

Alaska Airlines ranks highest among traditional carriers for the 11th consecutive year, while Southwest Airlines tops the low-cost carrier list for a second straight year.

Throughout the Florida Keys & Key West, 86 percent of all lodging units are back online after Hurricane Irma passed through the island chain last fall.

The Keys are to add nearly 1,500 rooms to their lodging inventory as the destination continues to unveil new and fully refurbished properties.

In Key West and nearby Stock Island, 95 percent of all properties are open. Elsewhere in the island chain, 86 percent are open in Key Largo, 71 percent in Islamorada, 77 percent in Marathon and 64 percent between the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge and Big Coppitt Key.

Key Largo

The 60-acre Ocean Pointe Suites continues its reopening with a newly restored marina and private beach and a new over-the-water gazebo for intimate weddings and events. All 170 suites, sleeping up to four or six guests, are set to reopen in June. The Keys' first adults-only, "luxury-inclusive" resort is to be unveiled by late fall. The new Bungalows Key Largo is to showcase 135 new stand-alone units, two pools and several restaurants and bars.

Islamorada

Islamorada Resort Co.'s 145-unit Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina is scheduled to reopen by Aug. 30 in time for Labour Day weekend. The company's other three Islamorada properties, including the 63-unit Pelican Cove Resort, 54-unit La Siesta Resort & Marina and the 110-room Amara Cay Resort, are open. The 27-acre, 214-unit oceanfront Cheeca Lodge Resort & Spa reopened March 30 with a $25 million overall redesign and new Mia Cucina pizzeria and pasta bistro. A second oceanfront pool and second Tiki bar, named South 25, are scheduled to open by late summer.

Marathon

On Duck Key, the 60-acre Hawks Cay Resort, a AAA Four Diamond Award-rated and Preferred Hotel Group Lifestyle Collection member, partially reopened in mid-March with 100 villas, the Calm Waters Spa, Sunset Pool, Coral Cay kids' activities center and Angler and Ale restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The main hotel, with 177 guestrooms, is to reopen this summer. Near the Seven Mile Bridge, oceanside at mile marker 47, The Singh Group is constructing an all-new 24-acre, 199-unit oceanside resort to be named Isla Bella Beach Resort, with several restaurants, pools and a marina. The resort, scheduled to open in early 2019, is to include 100 suites with two bedrooms.

Key West

In Key West, all major properties except two are open. The 148-unit Parrot Key Resort, with four pools and a new food and beverage concept with poolside al fresco dining, is to reopen Aug. 1. The property currently known as Key West Bayside Inn & Suites is undergoing full renovations and scheduled to reopen in September.

More than a third (35 per cent) of Canadians admit to getting stressed out by planning travel for friends and family… but why? From managing your high-roller BFF who demands the very best, to reeling in your party animal aunt or better yet, trying to do the impossible - appease the group critic - KAYAK knows that travel planning with friends & family can be…rough.

That's why they came up with Trip Huddle, a new tool that helps take the pain out of planning that group trip.

To start, the planner simply needs to choose a trip name and invite friends/family. Once in the tool, the group can enter destination options, select up to 20 different date combinations and browse hundreds of hotels. Once all of the information is entered, group members can cast their vote by selecting a rating from 1 to 3 for each option. No more long chain emails that no one reads or distracting group texts at work… just planning, made simple, in one spot.