News that has caught Chris' eye in the Travel World
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Passport Rule Change for Dual Citizens
Listeners who are dual citizens should be aware that starting from September 30, 2016 you will need to ensure that you use your Canadian passport to fly back into Canada. This new policy from the federal government is estimated to affect one million Canadians who have citizenship and Passports for more than one country. Currently dual citizens flying back into Canada only need to show their passport from one country. For example, a Canadian traveller who holds both Canadian and British citizenship can currently use their British passport to gain entry back into Canada, as long as they also show proof of residency in Canada such as a driver’s license. This policy change is part of Canada’s new electronic screening system, and so far only applies to air travel. But it is clearly also designed to increase Canadian Passport applications which currently cost $120 for a five year Passport, or $160 for the ten year version.
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First Cruise Ship through the North West Passage
Crystal Cruises has embarked upon its first trip through the Northwest Passage in 2016. The Crystal Serenity - the biggest ship to date ever to take on the Northwest Passage - set sail from Seward on the Pacific coast of Alaska on Tuesday 16 August, 2016. It will take a 32-day journey to New York City via the Northwest Passage. The ship will be calling at Ulukhaktok and Cambridge Bay on Victoria Island as well as Pond Inlet on Baffin Island, as it navigates the famous and illusive Passage. Around 85% of the almost 1,000 passengers are American. It’s global climate change that has made this unlikely cruise itinerary possible of course, but it remains a challenging trip – not least because the brochure price tag on the journey this year is $45,000 per person - U.S. of course.
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Whistler Ski Resort sold to foreign owners.
When it opened in 1966, the Whistler Ski resort featured a four-person gondola, a double chairlift and a day lodge. Whistler and Blackcomb, one time rivals, merged in 1997, becoming the largest and most visited ski resort in the whole of North America, with more than two million people visiting last year. It gained further renown on the world stage six years ago when it helped host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Earlier this year the resort announced a plan for an ambitious 345 million dollar expansion project, named the Renaissance Plan, to build more weather-independent facilities, improve infrastructure and expand its real estate offerings.
Now Whistler Blackcomb is being sold to an American resort operator.
Colorado-based Vail Resorts Inc., which is based in Colorado, has reached an agreement to buy Whistler Blackcomb Holdings in a deal that is expected to close in the fall. The deal is worth almost $1.4 billion dollars. The prospective new owners point to the fact that Whistler Blackcomb is the best positioned North American resort to benefit from the growth expected in skiers from China, especially as China starts to ramp up towards the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. But it is sad to see an iconic Canadian destination going to foreign ownership.
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If you are planning to fly out of Toronto Pearson Airport this summer, you should be prepared for the fact that summer is by far the busiest season of the year, with passengers heading out on summer vacations or flying into the city to enjoy all Toronto has to offer. Pearson will welcome over 9.6 million passengers in July and August with an average of 120,000 passengers per day flying in and out of Canada’s largest airport in the summer months. That’s up an extra 10,000 passengers per day over the same time period in 2015.
It’s predicted that there will be record-setting traffic on Fridays in August and so a number of measures have been introduced to increase Toronto Pearson’s efficiency, including streamlining security and customs processing for passengers travelling to the U.S. and adding automated baggage drop kiosks.
The airport has recommended a number of tips for passengers travelling this summer:
- Check in online from home or on a mobile device, to save time
- Arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight, and three hours before an international flight
- Reserve parking in advance to guarantee a spot
- Be sure to have the necessary travel documents well in advance, and have them in hand when moving through check in, security screening and customs processes
- Check the airline’s baggage policies in advance.
- Pack smart and ‘dress for success’ to help get through security smoothly
CATSA, the agency responsible for security screening at Toronto Pearson and all Canadian airports, has some tips on its website www.atcatsa.gc.ca
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New Leaf Travel Company have now commenced their low-cost flights within Canada. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that it appears they are no longer an airline at all. In order to get around the barriers to entry for new airlines that are imposed by the Canadian Transportation Agency they have become ‘a reseller of seats’, for flights operated on their behalf by Flair Airlines, a charter service out of Kelowna BC.
What does this mean for you, the Canadian traveler? There are probably no issues if your flight goes according to plan, but as New Leaf is no longer an airline, passengers who encounter problems with their travel arrangements would likely have to take these up with Flair. And this is likely to get complicated.
So: New Leaf is definitely NOT the ultra-low cost airline that it set out to be. My advice is to be cautious. I would normally suggest that you book with a travel agent so that you are protected with TICO, but New Leaf only sell direct, so this is not an option. Paying by credit card does offer a degree of protection though, so make sure you do this if you are flying Flair with New Leaf.
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