Passenger Demand Recovery Grinds to a Halt in November

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the recovery in passenger demand which had been slowing since the Northern hemisphere’s summer travel season, came to a halt in November 2020. Total demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 70.3% compared to November 2019, virtually unchanged from the 70.6% year-to-year decline recorded […]

Ontario launches free, voluntary COVID-19 testing program at Toronto Pearson Airport

The Ontario government is launching a new voluntary and free border testing pilot program at Toronto Pearson International Airport for eligible international travellers returning to Ontario. According to the province, this is to help quickly identify and stop the spread of COVID-19. “With over 60,000 international passengers coming into Pearson airport every week, we can’t […]

Curaçao Lifts Travel Restrictions for All American Travelers

Curaçao has re-opened the country’s borders to American travelers from every U.S. state and waived the previously required 14-day visitor quarantine, government officials said Monday. Curaçao had previously limited inbound travel to residents of the New York tri-state and Florida upon the launch of its phased reopening in October. The Curaçao Tourist Board, the Ministry […]

Qantas To Resume Acceptance Of International Flight Bookings

Qantas has rung in the New Year with an upbeat note of confidence in the belief that COVID-19 vaccinations and pre-flight testing will help to restart international travel. Hinting at a return of overseas vacations, the Australian national flag carrier has said that international flights could resume in six months. Its reservations system is now […]

Delta works with KLM for new Covid-secure flights

Transatlantic partners Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are launching Covid-tested flights from Atlanta to Amsterdam. The airline partners have worked with the Dutch government, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to deliver a comprehensive Covid-19 testing program that will allow eligible customers to be exempt from quarantine upon arrival after […]

Delta announces ‘quarantine free’ flights from Atlanta to Rome

For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic swept across Europe and the United States, a pilot program will allow a limited number of passengers to travel across the Atlantic from Atlanta to Italy without having to quarantine upon arrival, according to a Delta Air Lines news release on Thursday. The airline said it had […]

IATA AGM Calls for Reopening Borders with Testing and Without Quarantine

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) 76th Annual General Meeting (AGM) unanimously resolved to urgently call on governments to re-open borders to travel. IATA is proposing systematic testing of international travelers which would permit the lifting of border restrictions and provide an alternative to current quarantine rules. Quarantines essentially kill demand for air travel and […]

Qatar Airways and Air Canada Sign Codeshare Agreement

Qatar Airways is pleased to announce it has finalised a codeshare agreement with Air Canada applicable for travel between Doha and Toronto. Sales have started with the first codeshare flight to operate from 15 December 2020. The agreement reinforces Qatar Airways’ long-term commitment to Canadian passengers, and to boosting Canada’s global connectivity to support the […]

IATA calls on Latin American countries to lower travel barriers

Aviation trade group IATA is calling on Caribbean and Latin American governments to implement more coronavirus testing, reduce taxes and quit restrictive quarantine requirements in order to kick-start travel as carriers prepare for a high season beginning with end-of-year holidays. Peter Cerda, IATA’s regional vice-president for the Americas, says on 12 November that though the […]