JimBits: Canadian Airport Security, Sandals Resorts and a New Whistler Option

In a statement that should surprise no one, Canada's airlines say they're frustrated with Ottawa's lack of movement on reducing airport security delays.

In a story in this week's Globe and Mail, the National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents major Canadian airlines, said it's been waiting a couple years to hear how Ottawa will address the issue of slow-moving lines at Canadian airports.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced a review of the situation in the fall of 2016; almost two years ago.

The best part of the study to me was a chart that showed the percentage of passengers screened in 15 minutes or less during peak periods at eight Canadian airports. The national average was 76.7 per cent; meaning 23.3 per cent of folks are delayed more than 15 minutes on average.

The study was conducted between Jan. 1 and March 31 of this year.

The best figure was for Winnipeg, which managed to get 84.3 per cent of its passengers screened in 15 minutes or less. Next was Calgary (83.6), then Halifax (82.1) and Vancouver (79). Those were all above the national average of 76.7 per cent.

In fifth spot was Toronto at 75.4, followed by Edmonton (75.1), Ottawa (73.8, surprising for a smaller airport) and Montreal, down at 69.3 per cent.

Folks in a hurry to get to their gate should keep Winnipeg and Calgary in mind for their flights. If you're the sort who's unhappy in a long queue, however, you might want to avoid Ottawa and Montreal.

Hawks Cay Resort, which has been closed for renovation since Hurricane Irma hit the Florida Keys in September 2017, has announced it will reopen Aug. 30, 2018, unveiling a refreshed resort experience.

Opening in time for its 10th annual Heroes Salute kickoff event, which takes place over Labour Day weekend, the Resort will celebrate the holiday with a full schedule of events including a 5K run/walk, live music concert, heroes tribute ceremony, and fireworks.

"After months of restoration and hard work, we're eager to reopen and introduce guests to the reimagined Hawks Cay," stated Sheldon Suga, Hawks Cay Resort VP managing director. "We're bringing back what guests loved about Hawks Cay with a fresh design in the main hotel and new experiences that will take the Resort into a new era."

Ushering in the next phase of this legendary resort's iconic history, the debut of the upgraded Hawks Cay will further elevate its status as a leading, one-of-a-kind vacation experience in the Florida Keys. The $50 million USD renovation focused on the main hotel with a brand-new design of the lobby, 177 guestrooms, and public areas. The main hotel's new look celebrates its island sensibility with a coastal-inspired décor that is infused with a color palette of tropical hues and incorporates a range of natural seaside elements.

Kim Clarke, director of sales for the Globus family of brands, is pleased to announce the following appointments to the company's Canadian sales team:

Carolina Torres has been promoted to BDM Southwestern and Northern Ontario, and can be reached at 905-518-2360 or at [email protected]. Torres was most recently with the company's inside sales department.

Joining the company in inside sales is Mathew Viveiros, most recently with American Express Aspire client concierge service. Viveiros will be looking after BC, Alta., Yukon and NWT and can be reached at 416-915-7450 , toll free 1-888-268-1928 or at [email protected].

Sandals Resorts continues to innovate and elevate the all-inclusive vacation experience with the announcement that guests in top room categories at Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Royal Caribbean will enjoy complimentary, private luxury airport transfers beginning this fall.

Starting Oct. 15, 2018 for Sandals Montego Bay and Nov. 15, 2018 for Sandals Royal Caribbean, all guests staying in either a Club Sandals or Butler Elite room category will step into a luxury BMW transfer upon landing at Sangster International Airport (MBJ). The private airport transfers are round-trip, ensuring that guests arrive and depart from Sandals in style. Between these two resorts, an incredible 72 per cent of the entire available inventory of suites and rooms in Montego Bay will now receive the luxury transfers.

In addition to this new service, Club Sandals and Butler Elite guests benefit from extraordinary privileges, unique experiences and exceptional services across the full spectrum of their stay. Club Sandals offers private check-in at a dedicated Club Sandals Lounge and private orientation with a Club Sandals Concierge, tailored assistance with planning their vacation experience and booking dinner, spa and tour reservations and access to the 24-hour Club Sandals Lounge. Butler Elite guests enjoy the utmost in pampering with their personal Butler, an unprecedented offering available in Sandals' highest level of suites. This includes everything from private in-suite check-in to a cell phone guests can use to reach their Butler for personal poolside or beachside service.

For more information, agents can contact their local Sandals Business Development Manager or call Inside Sales at 1-800-545-8283.

When the Pangea Pod Hotel opens its doors this month it will revolutionize the hospitality industry by bringing chic and price-conscious solo accommodation to one of North America's top tourist destinations.

The first hotel of its kind in Canada, Pangea's rooms will, at most, cost half the price of a conventional hotel room, and usually far less. This new style of accommodation will make the resort more accessible to solo and budget travellers wishing to experience all that Whistler has to offer.

Husband-and-wife team Russell and Jelena Kling spent several years traversing the globe, garnering first-hand experience about what makes for a comfortable and satisfying stay. Loosely inspired by Tokyo's capsule hotels, Pangea, located in the heart of Whistler Village, is the result of three years of planning and prototype development.

"Pangea combines the affordability of a hostel with the perks of a boutique hotel," says co-founder Russell. "We wanted to cater to the type of traveller who enjoys the conviviality of shared spaces but prefers their own personal space at the end of the day."

The hotel's 88 independent sleeping pods are divided among eight separate "suites". One suite is dedicated to female-only guests. Bathroom facilities are divided into individual components (more than 60 in total) to offer privacy and limit line-ups. These individual components include washrooms with vanities, showers with changing space, stand-alone vanities, and changing rooms.

Created by award-winning tourism and travel executives with nearly 100 years of combined experience in entertainment, hospitality, and travel, VACAYA offers LGBT+ travelers a new choice - one with an unprecedented and maniacal guest focus, perfectly tailored to the needs and desires of the LGBT+ community.

"We're rewriting the playbook," proclaims VACAYA CEO Randle Roper. "With only a few notable exceptions, options for our community have been severely limited. Now, LGBT+ travellers have a rock solid new choice. They've waited a long time for a guest-focused company like VACAYA to come along, and we can't wait to share all we have in store!"

VACAYA will be the first large-scale full-ship/full-resort LGBT+ vacation company to offer a full-resort takeover from The Leading Hotels of the World's UNICO Riviera Maya, sail the largest ship in history into Provincetown Carnival and sail on Celebrity Summit following her multi-million-dollar refresh, not to mention other programs and perqs.

A new report shows that tourism demand has definitely shifted east, and in a very dramatic fashion. The study by Global Data found that eight of the top ten destinations in the world in 2017 for international tourists were in Asia.

Topping the charts was Bangkok, with 20.8 million international tourist visits. Next was London, at 20.4 million, followed by Singapore (17.42), Tokyo (16.4), Dubai (15.8), Hong Kong (14.03), New York City (13.10), Seoul (13.07), Kuala Lumpur (12.10) and Shenzen, China (12.07).

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Delta has been named the international business class winner in Global Traveler's annual Wine on the Wings competition.

Global Traveler selected a panel of more than 20 wine professionals to oversee this year's competition. The judges conducted a blind taste test of wines submitted by airlines around the world, giving each wine a score based on its taste and quality. When the scores were tallied, Delta rose to the top as the highest scorer among international business class selections.

"This award speaks to our efforts to continuously elevate the onboard dining experience for our customers," said Lisa Bauer, Vice President - On-Board Services at Delta. "From recognizable brands for the occasional wine drinker to surprising selections from small, artisanal wineries for the most discerning of wine enthusiasts - our robust wine program has something to offer for everyone."