CANADA: WestJet Dissabled Passenger Complains About His Wheel Chair Getting Damaged By Baggage Handlers

A Vancouver man says baggage handlers dropped his specialized wheelchair on three separate WestJet flights, but the airline has yet to repair the damage.

Mitch Stark moved from Toronto to Vancouver earlier this year. Between May and August, he flew between the two cities on three flights operated by WestJet.

During the first flight in May, he watched from his window seat at the front of the plane as baggage handlers attempted to manually lift and load the 250-kilogram (450-pound) chair into the aircraft.

Instead, Stark said, it was dropped.

These are my legs and in my mind I’m thinking, they just dropped my legs, he said, describing what went through his mind as he saw the chair falling.

Whats more, Stark said he witnessed this happen on multiple occasions.

It would literally drop onto the ground, bounce off of the ground like a basket ball, he said.

Then when they did get it into aircraft they would turn the wheelchair on its side because it doesn’t fit in the aircraft.

He immediately filed a complaint with the airline and has tried for the last several months to get his wheelchair repaired.

In addition to missing fenders and lights, cracks and a dysfunctional armrest, the specialized chair that once enabled him to stand upright can no longer do so.

This wheelchair is missing one of the integral parts in a wheel in order for it to be stable for me to stand up, he said.

From the first incident until now, I haven’t been able to use something that me and my family paid a lot of money for me to be able to stand, like any other person in the world.

Damage is estimated at around $9,000, according to Stark.

A WestJet spokesperson apologized for the delayed repair, saying the company is working with a third party to fix the damage.

WestJet said it hopes to have the repairs done soon.

A Halifax man who uses a wheelchair is calling out WestJet for giving him the runaround and being ill-equipped to accommodate his disability.

Connor Hirtle, who is a C6 quadriplegic and requires the assistance of a caregiver, was travelling back to Halifax on Sunday after a weekend with friends in Toronto.

He says he arrived at the airport an hour and a half before his flight was set to take off, but was subjected to a lengthy search by airport security.

All my bags got searched. We each had a carry on, each of us, my medical bag all of it was for some reason thoroughly searched, Hirtle said.

That took up an easy 45 minutes, but two WestJet representatives came to security and advised me, ‘We’ll wait for you.’”

Hirtle says he was at the gate about 10 minutes prior to his flight, but a manager with WestJet told him he wasn’t allowed to board.

We sat there for probably 10 or 15 minutes watching the plane, just sitting there at the gate, said Hirtle. There were three other ladies that WestJet wouldn’t allow on either.

After the flight departed, Hirtle and his caregiver booked the next flight available to Halifax. The flight included a layover in Ottawa, which Hirtle says makes travel even more difficult, as he frequently has to get in and out of his chair.

He called WestJet and tried to get his money back, but was told that wouldn’t happen.

She just explained this was a basic fare flight, we can’t really change it for you, we can’t supply you with another flight, he said.

Hirtle is a part of a special program with WestJet that gives him a little extra seating room. But Hirtle says that was ignored on both the flight to Ottawa and Halifax, and he was seated in sections of the planes with little to no leg room.

Hirtle also noted that his flight from Ottawa to Halifax experienced a delay, as flight attendants were waiting for a mother and her son to board.

Which was perfectly fine, I don’t mind waiting at all, said Hirtle, but it was just the fact that WestJet just told me in Toronto that we weren’t allowed to do that.”

When Hirtle travels, he brings a second wheelchair that he uses to shower. That wheelchair, Hirtle says, ended up on his original flight. His other wheelchair received partial damage to his brake and wheels.

I expect some, with how airports and companies handle your luggage. It’s just this a bit more fragile, which they even mark on, but this time I guess they just didn’t care, he said.

After speaking with several different WestJet communications representatives and receiving the same response, Hirtle turned to social media to express his frustrations.

His Facebook post was shared hundreds of times, with many others calling for Hirtle to get his money back.

People are sort of disgusted with what went on, Hirtle said. I don’t usually do that, but I’ve been on many flights and never had this issue.

WestJet called the situation unfortunate and stated they are reaching out to Hirtle to again offer our apologies along with a further explanation on our policies.

The company would not, however, confirm whether he would receive a refund.

As we take all claims of this nature very seriously, our team will also ensure that any mobility device damage claim is expediently processed, the statement reads.

While we recognize this situation was disappointing, to ensure we meet the needs of guests requiring special assistance we do request at least 48 hours of advance notice to ensure we support those requests.

WestJet added that guests are encouraged to be present at their gate at least 40 minutes prior to departure, as their cut-off time for boarding is 10 minutes prior to any scheduled departure.

Since we operate over 700 flights daily, understandably any delay can impact thousands of guests and our policies are in place to ensure we offer a consistent experience across our network, the statement adds.

Air passenger rights activist Gabor Lukacs says Hirtle’s situation with WestJet speaks to a larger problem that people with disabilities have to deal with whenever they fly.

It so appalling to see a man with a disability being treated this way. This type of treatment is way too common when it comes to flying.

WestJet treated Hirtle poorly from both a legal and common sense perspective.

It was unreasonable. Ten minutes is the cut-off in such situations, my understanding is Hirtle presented himself right at the 10-minute mark at the gate.

It was entirely unreasonable to not fly him out on the flight in which he held booking.

The airline bears some responsibility when a passenger shows up to security under their own recommended timeline.

The airline does have a way to prioritize passengers in security, he said. The airline cannot be expected to hold the flight, but in this situation it would have made sense.

USA: Air Canada Flight From Toronto To LAX Diverted To Salt Lake City After Passenger Was Found Dead

A plane flying to Los Angeles had to be diverted after a passenger was taken ill onboard and later died.

The Air Canada service from Toronto, Canada, to LAX was diverted to Salt Lake City after a passenger reportedly suffered a medical emergency.

He could not be revived and sadly died.

The Air Canada service from Toronto, Canada, to LAX was diverted to Salt Lake City after a passenger reportedly suffered a medical emergency.

He could not be revived and sadly died.

Speaking to US media, Air Canada confirmed flight AC795 left Toronto International bound for Los Angeles when it was diverted to Salt Lake City in Utah.

The plane left Toronto at 4.35pm local time on Monday afternoon (9.35pm BST).

It was expected to land at LAX at 6.53pm Pacific Summer Time (2.53am Tuesday BST).

The plane was expected to touch down at LAX in Los Angeles last night

But instead, it was diverted to Salt Lake City.

It finally landed at LAX at 9.24pm local time (5.24am BST).

According to Air Canada, the aircraft was met by medical services after landing.

The airline didn't give an update on the passenger's status.


Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: WestJet Boeing 787 Dreamliner First London Flight Begins

Although WestJet has flown to London for a few years now, this was the first transatlantic WestJet flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on April 29, 2019 that took off from Calgary and landed the next morning at London’s Gatwick Airport.

WestJet has previously operated transatlantic routes. In the past, as a low-cost carrier, WestJet offered service in two-classes on Boeing 767 aircraft.

These 767s previously flew for Qantas before WestJet took them over. This was a huge step for WestJet and the airline put their widebodies on their route to London’s Gatwick airport.

Seating up to 262 passengers, these 767s were relatively stuffed and lacked many traditional features of a full-service aircraft. WestJet’s 767s lack seatback screens and instead have a tablet holder.

There is no business class, only Economy and Premium, which really is just economy with a few extra perks and legroom.

On the bright side, the 767 is a comfortable aircraft for passengers. WestJet had a 2-2-2 configuration in Premium and a 2-3-2 configuration in Economy.

It looks like WestJet really has shed much of their low-cost model in favor of a traditional full-service approach.

No doubt, WestJet is aiming to compete against the larger and well-known Air Canada.

For WestJet, operating a newer, fuel-efficient aircraft with an upgraded hard product will easily make them a force for Air Canada to reckon with.

Air Canada really didn’t have any other full-service competition. Canada has a relatively large low-cost market with players like Air Transat and Sunwing. Air Canada ventured into the low-cost market with Air Canada Rouge.

WestJet’s 787s will go head-to-head with Air Canada’s product on key transatlantic routes including to London.

WestJet is to use the 787 to fly to Dublin, Paris, and London from their hub in Calgary. In addition, the 787 will operate flights between Toronto and Calgary. However, Air Canada flies to Heathrow while WestJet flies to Gatwick.

For WestJet, the first transatlantic 787 flight was a major success. According to their news release, the flight was completely sold out. WestJet’s 787 represent an increase in capacity from 262 passengers on the 767 to 320 on the 787.

Speaking on the launch of 787 transatlantic service, WestJet’s Chief Commercial Officer, Arved von zur Muehlen, said: the London market has quickly become an important one for us with service from six cities across Canada. It is no accident that the first transatlantic flight on the Dreamliner is to our largest international market, from our largest hub and home in Calgary.

We’re glad to see WestJet’s commence 787 transatlantic service and look forward to future advancements WestJet makes with their fleet and route network.

This is a major step forward and places WestJet at the standard of a full-service carrier. Now, WestJet will have to maintain principled growth and remain profitable in a time when many airlines have undergone rapid expansion and subsequent failure.


Tourism Observer

LATVIA: Primera Air Review

Booking with a budget airline is always a risk, but with a number of out-of-country weddings to attend this summer, when Nordic airline Primera Air announced its £99 transatlantic flight sale in March, the deal was too good for me to resist.

The airline introduced transatlantic flights from London to New York, Boston, Washington DC, and Toronto earlier this year— and there were 99 tickets on offer in the sale for each of the routes.

Primera appears to have even cheaper deals from the US, with a number of $99 fares available to Paris and London.

There were even some $69 one-way fares available.

On the day of the £99 sale, the site was so busy I couldn't get on it for hours — but I still managed to bag a one-way fare from London Stansted to Toronto Pearson for August.

The light fare which normally starts at £149 one way from London, only includes the seat and 10kg hand luggage, so I paid £24.99 extra for a 23kg checked bag and £19.99 for an XL reserved seat, paying a total of £143.98 for the one-way ticket.

However, I was one of a number of lucky customers who were bumped up to the premium economy cabin, which would normally start at £499 each way, or $749 from the US.

Since not all reviews of the airline have been positive, I expected this would just mean I'd receive some food and perhaps board before other passengers.

But it was far more luxurious than I thought.

Primera Air is a leisure airline headquartered in Riga, Latvia owned by the Primera Travel Group, an Icelandic tourism company that consists mainly of Nordic tour operators Solresor, Bravo Tours, Lomamatkat, Heimsferðir and Solia.

Its provides scheduled and charter passenger services to leisure destinations from Northern Europe to more than 40 destinations in the Mediterranean, Middle East and North America.

The airline was founded in 2003 as JetX in Iceland, and operated under an Icelandic AOC.

In 2008 Primera Travel Group took ownership of the airline and rebranded it as Primera Air, while also appointing Jón Karl Ólafsson as the new CEO of Primera Air.

In 2009 Primera Air established the subsidiary Primera Air Scandinavia under a Danish Air operator's certificate (AOC) and in 2014 added a Latvian operating license under the name Primera Air Nordic.

Hrafn Thorgeirsson was appointed Managing Director of Primera Air Scandinavia in 2009 while Jón Karl remained CEO of Primera Air.

The head offices for the holding company and airline remained in Iceland until 2014 when the main offices were moved to Riga, Latvia.

The success of Primera Travel Group in Denmark, Sweden and Iceland facilitated further expansion and growth during the next years; in July 2014 Primera Air flew 155.000 passengers in 1006 flights with an average flight seat utilisation of 91%.

Initially, Primera Air operated charter flights for major Scandinavian tour operators, but gradually started selling surplus seats as flight-only tickets on some of the fixed charter flights in 2013.

The continued success allowed Primera Air to increase both the number of routes and flight frequency, resulting in a mixed charter/scheduled carrier business model.

Today the majority of Primera Air flights are scheduled, although some flights combine charter and regular passengers, and separate full charter flight services are also available.

In August 2014 Primera Air announced the founding of a new airline, Primera Air Nordic, IATA code 6F in Latvia, which would be run parallel to Primera Air Scandinavia.

Simultaneously, a new Network Control Center was opened in Riga for overseeing all operational matters of the airline, focusing on continuation of the healthy development enjoyed in prior years and to expand into markets beyond Scandinavia.

A supportive business environment, skilled workforce and high quality standards were the key factor for moving the control center.

Hrafn Thorgeirsson was appointed as the new CEO of both Primera Air Scandinavia and Primera Air Nordic.

The major restructuring and consolidation had a positive impact on the airline. In 2015 Primera Air operated eight aircraft with a turnover of 250 million USD, and earned more than 5.2 million euros in total revenue before taxes (EBITDA).

During the first 8 months of 2016, the airline had earned 4 million euros with an estimate of 7.60 million by the end of the year.

Today Primera Air is essentially a Danish-Latvian airline with Icelandic owners.

Generally Primera Air operates return flights from its Scandinavian airports to popular holiday destinations along the Mediterranean coast of

Europe and Africa, the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira, Bulgaria and Turkey, as well as custom charter flights to virtually any destination. The airline maintains seasonal summer and winter selections.

The selection of scheduled flight destinations has gradually expanded since their introduction in 2013.

In late 2014 Primera Air launched 10 new winter and summer direct flight destinations from Iceland, namely, Las Palmas, Tenerife, Alicante, Salzburg, Malaga, Mallorca and Barcelona, Bologna, Crete and Bodrum.

On 26 October 2014 Primera Air launched weekly flights from Gothenburg and Malmö to Dubai (Al Maktoum) and Tenerife, from Helsinki to Fuerteventura and Las Palmas.

On November 16 the airline commenced a new route from Keflavik to New York (JFK) after acquiring rights to serve the United States. Later that year the airline started four new weekly routes: Aalborg-Las Palmas, Copenhagen-Billund-Lanzarote, Aarhus-Tenerife and Aalborg-Fuerteventura.

In 2015, Primera Air signed agreements worth 30 million euros with several leading travel agencies in France for operating a series of flights with 2 aircraft from Charles de Gaulle airport to popular holiday destinations during summer.

In February 2016 Croatian destinations of Dubrovnik and Pula were added to the range of flight destinations. In May 2016 the airline commenced regular flights from Billund to Nice and Venice.

Shortly afterwards flights to Antalya were introduced. Later that year Primera Air announced the increase in frequency for existing destinations as well as new destinations (Milan and Rome) from Stockholm for the summer season of 2017.

It was done in an effort to strengthen its operations and presence in Sweden and in line with plans for further fleet and destination range expansion.

Later that year Trieste, Almería and Lamezia Terme were added as destinations.

Summer 2017 saw the addition of routes to Kalamata, Ponta Delgada and Madeira. In July 2017, Primera Air announced they would start transatlantic flights in 2018 to Newark, Boston and Toronto-Pearson from Birmingham, London Stansted and Paris Charles de Gaulle with a fleet of 8 Airbus A321neo aircraft.

In early 2018 Washington DC was added as the latest transatlantic destination, while Athens, Kos and Zakynthos are the latest holiday destination additions.

Primera Air has announced increased flight frequency for flights to its most popular destinations in southern Spain, and the pricing policy on these routes has allowed it to compete with the low-cost carrier Norwegian.

In June 2018, citing delivery delays by Airbus of its A321neo fleet, Primera cancelled all transatlantic flights to and from Birmingham Airport scheduled on or after 21 June 2018.

Transatlantic flights to and from Birmingham were expected to resume in 2019. However in July 2018, Primera Air announced it will terminate all operations at Birmingham Airport by October 2018.

In August 2018, the airline announced 3 new routes from Brussels to Boston-Logan begins 2 June 2019, Newark begins 9 May 2019 and Washington-Dulles International Airport begins 2 June 2019.

2 Boeing 737 MAX 9 will be based in Belgium. And it announced 3 new routes from Berlin to Boston-Logan begins 9 June 2019, Newark begins 7 June 2019 and Toronto begins 10 June 2019 using their Boeing 737 MAX 9.

In September 2018, Primera announced 4 new routes from a new European base at Frankfurt. The routes are New York Newark begins 16 June 2019, Boston begins 21 June 2019, Montreal begins 16 July 2019 and Toronto begins 16 July 2019. This will be operated by their 737 MAX-9s.

Primera Air offers charter services for the following companies:

Travel agencies within Primera Travel Group: Heimsferoir, Bravo Tours, Matka-Vekka, Lomamatkat, Solia, Solresor and Terra Nova Iceland.
Third-party travel agencies: 747 Travel, Travel City Sports and Urval-Utsyn.

The Primera Air fleet, consisting of aircraft operated by Primera Air and Primera Air Nordic, consists of the following aircraft:

- Airbus A321neo = 5

- Boeing 737-700 = 2

- Boeing 737-800 = 7

- Total = 14

Primera Aircraft Orders Currently:

- Boeing 737 MAX 9 = 18 To be delivered in 2019. 8 aircraft leased from Air Lease Corporation.

- Boeing 737-800 = 1

- Airbus A321neo = 1 To be delivered in 2018

- Airbus A321LR = 2 To be delivered in 2018


Tourism Observer

ST KITTS: Air Canada Now Flying To St Kitts

For the first time in the island’s history, Air Canada will fly to St Kitts for a full six months for the 2018-2019 peak season.

The non-stop Saturday flights from Toronto will operate from November 3, 2018, all the way through April 27, 2019.

This is an unprecendented air service expansion by Air Canada that marks yet another historic first for St Kitts, said Lindsay Grant, minister of tourism, international trade, industry and commerce.

I could not be more pleased to welcome this additional flying, which expands the options for visitors and Diaspora from our key Canadian source market to get to island.

From November 3 through December 10, Air Canada will operate a 136-seat Airbus A319-100 Rouge aircraft with 124 economy class and 12 business class seats for the non-stop Saturday flights.

From December 15, 2018 through April 27, 2019, Air Canada will operate a 200-seat Airbus A321-200 Rouge aircraft with 184 economy class and 16 business class seats for these flights.

Air Canada’s decision to expand service into St Kitts is a testament to the strength of our growing tourism sector, said Racquel Brown, CEO of the St Kitts Tourism Authority.

As our airlift from North America expands to accommodate our recently announced new hotel developments and upgrades to existing hotel product which include all-inclusive options, Canadians now have a full range of vacation choices available.

This is truly is a complement to our existing North American airlift and gives us significantly increased capacity for this season and beyond.

Air Canada first began serving St Kitts non-stop on Fridays in peak season from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in 2011 and subsequently shifted to Saturday service.

It is the island’s only non-stop scheduled service from Canada. In previous years, the flight operated from late December through early April.

With the expanded service, St Kitts will receive an additional six weeks of non-stop flying that provides the potential for an increase in Canadian air passenger arrivals.


Tourism Observer

NORWAY: Norwegian Goes To Canada To Three New Routes

Norwegian has announced its entry into the Canadian market with three new routes.

The airline will launch seasonal service from Montréal to the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in late October.

Additionally, Norwegian will launch the only transatlantic flight out of Hamilton International Airport near Toronto, in March 2019, with daily service to Dublin, Ireland.

The airline also announced a new four-weekly service from both Guadeloupe and Martinique to Cayenne in French Guiana.

We are very excited about entering the Canadian market, and provide Canadians with Norwegian’s combination of affordable low fares and award-winning service, whether they are heading to the Caribbean or Europe.

This is only our first step into Canada and as the world’s fastest-growing airline, we look forward to expanding our presence here in the next few years, said Thomas Ramdahl, Norwegian’s Chief Commercial Officer in a press release.

Norwegian was the first airline in more than 20 years to link both French Caribbean islands to New York City and in these three years, we have seen our operation continue to grow and expand.

We will now be the only airline to connect the French Caribbean with both Canada and the United States, as well as French Guiana, said Thomas Ramdahl.

Winter seasonal service from Montreal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to Guadeloupe’s Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport will launch on October 29, 2018, and operate three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Flights to Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport will launch on November 1, 2018, and operate three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Launch fares to both cities start as low as $219 CAD one-way, including taxes. Both routes will operate during the winter season until end of March, 2019.

Year-round daily service from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to Dublin Airport will launch March 31, 2019. Launch fares start as low as $279 CAD, one-way, including taxes.

Winter seasonal service from Martinique to Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport Cayenne will launch on October 31, 2018, and operate four times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Flights from Guadeloupe to Cayenne will launch on November 1, 2018, and operate four times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Launch fares from both islands start as low as EUR139, one-way, including taxes.

Norwegian operates one of the world’s youngest fleets. The French Caribbean routes are operated by Boeing 737-800s, while the new transatlantic route will be operated by a brand-new Boeing 737 MAX, which Norwegian was the first airline to operate to/from North America last summer.

Returning existing U.S. winter seasonal routes:

- The Fort Lauderdale to Guadeloupe service will resume on October 28, 2018, with three flights per week.

- The Fort Lauderdale to Martinique service will resume on October 31, 2018, with four flights per week. An increase from three flights per week during winter 2017/18.

- The New York-JFK to Guadeloupe service will resume on October 28, 2018, with six flights per week.

- The New York-JFK to Martinique service will resume on October 28, 2018, with six flights per week. An increase from four flights per week during winter 2017/18.

All fares are now available for sale on Norwegian’s Canadian and American websites. Additionally, the website’s Low fare calendar displays the lowest available fares to all of Norwegian’s destinations.

Passengers on all of Norwegian’s routes are eligible to join Norwegian Reward, the airline’s loyalty program and can earn CashPoints every time they fly, stay at a hotel or rent a car.

Earlier this year, Norwegian Reward was named Program of the Year Europe and Africa for the second consecutive year.


Tourism Observer

CANADA: Air Canada Rouge Goes To Bucharest From Montreal And Toronto

Air Canada Rouge inaugurated new service from Montreal to Bucharest on Thursday and events were held on both sides of the Atlantic to celebrate the new service to the Romanian capital.

Air Canada Rouge president Duncan Bureau and his team flew on the inaugural flight.

Air Canada Rouge is the only North American airline flying to Romania, the largest European market without trans-Atlantic flights.

And so the new, seasonal route from Montreal to Bucharest, as well as seasonal Toronto-Bucharest service which launched on June 9, are the only direct air links between North America and Romania, and the first from Canada in over 16 years.

In the departure lounge at Montreal-Trudeau, passengers sampled Romanian treats, while a troupe of Romanian dancers in traditional costume entertained.

Several dignitaries then addressed the room including Adrian Ligor, Romanian Ambassador to Canada, Ioana Gabriela Costache, Romanian consul general in Montreal, Stephane LaPierre, Aeroport de Montreal’s vice president operations, and Adina Georgescu, president of the Romanian Chamber of Commerce of Quebec.

This new link will make it easier for investors and tourists from both Romania and Canada to travel either for business or pleasure. said Ambassador Adrian Ligor.

It also brings closer families and friends of the large Canadian-Romanian community in the Montreal area. I wish Air Canada every success with its new direct service to Bucharest.

This direct connection with Romania comes at the right time. At a time where Europe is at our doorstep and where the business relationships between Canada and our European neighbours will only get stronger with the coming into force of the CETA Agreement - Canada EU Trade Agreement, said Adina Georgescu.

It paves the way for the deepening of bilateral trade between Romania and Canada, be it commercial, personal, cultural or tourist.

I congratulate Air Canada and Aeroports de Montreal for their initiative and efforts to put this service in place. Air Canada can count on our support to help make this new direct air link a success.

Duncan Bureau, who was recently named president of Air Canada Rouge, welcomed and thanked passengers.

Thank you for joining us today on our inaugural flight to Bucharest. Bureau said.

We're extremely proud of this new route…This route opens up new economic ties between Canada and Romania, also tourism, cultural exchange, and a great opportunity for people to get home to visit their friends and family.

He then introduced the crew on the flight, saying We have a tremendous crew, one of the best crews in the world, and some of them are here, they’ll be with you today and I’ll be joining you as well, so I’m looking forward to flying over to Bucharest with all of you on this very, very first flight.

Following cake cutting and ribbon cutting ceremonies, it was time to board the aircraft for the eight hour and 55 minute flight from Montreal to Bucharest, the nonstop flight cutting three hours off the typical travel time between the cities when you factor in connections.

Following a smooth flight, we touched down just a few minutes early at Bucharest’s Henri Coanda airport, and what a welcome we received.

In addition to a water cannon salute from the airport’s fire department, which is customary when an airline begins flying to a new destination, Henri Coanda Airport also rolled out the red carpet, with a host of Romanian and Canadian dignitaries on hand to welcome the flight.

Also on hand were throngs of local media, who literally swarmed the tarmac, interviewing passengers as they deplaned on a hot, bright, sunny day. The arrival of Air Canada flight 1928 was big news in Bucharest, with the arrival even featured on that evening’s TV news programs.

Once all passengers had deplaned, and following another ribbon cutting ceremony, a press conference was held with local media.

Responding to a question from one reporter asking if Air Canada Rouge planned to expand service, Bureau responded We’re very happy with the advanced bookings and for the month of June we have a 90 per cent load factor and for the rest of the summer we’re very, very strong.

Typically what happens with these routes, we’ll start out with a few flights a week and then we’ll grow that operation as we start to see the market react.

Nothing would please us more if we could go to daily service if we get the support from the markets. So we’ll wait and see how the market reacts.

While most of the passengers between Canada and Romania will be VFR - Visit Friends and Relatives, Bureau said Canada that the Canada-Romania business communities are behind the new service and that there’s still a significant tourism opportunity as well.

Kevin Hamilton, Canadian Ambassador to Romania, was also on hand and had the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one about Air Canada Rouge’s new service and what it means for Canadians and Romanians.

First of all, it reinforces those people-to-people ties, which are already so strong. We have 200,000 Canadians of Romanian descent, and so the family ties across the ocean are already very strong and so this will make it that much easier for family reunifications.

For people to visit one another’s country. So that’s the most immediate impact over the summer.

Of course we hope that business-to-business ties are going to grow as well. We’ve got the new Canada-EU Trade Agreement, which is effectively in force right now, and so with Visa free travel especially, this is going to provide an opportunity for Romanian and Canadian business communities to get together more often.

In November 2016, Canada dropped the Visa requirement for Romanian nationals visiting Canada, although Visa-exempt travellers like Romanians must still obtain an eTA - Electronic Travel Authorization, prior to travelling.

From a tourism perspective, Hamilton seconded Bureau’s remarks adding Canadians more and more are looking for that sweet spot, between adventure tourism and all the comforts of home at the same time.

You get that in Romania. You’ve got a lot wild parts of the country, in Transylvania for example, but you’ve got larger, really dynamic cities with great nightlife and food.

And so I think you’re going to see Canadians attracted to that sense that Romania is still a little bit exotic. It’s an up and coming country for tourism and there’s lots to do and lots to see.

Air Canada Rouge’s service from between Montreal and Bucharest will operate twice weekly until October 4, 2018, while their twice weekly Toronto-Bucharest service will end on October 6.

Flights will operate using Air Canada Rouge Boeing 767ER aircraft equipped with 24 Premium Rouge seats and 258 seats in Economy class.

Schedule details:

- AC1928 departs Montreal on Mondays and Thursdays at 6:00 PM, arriving in Bucharest at 9:55 AM the following morning, until October 4, 2018. Flight duration is approximately eight hours and 55 minutes.

- AC1929 departs Bucharest on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1:45 PM, arriving in Montreal at 4:20 PM the same day, until October 5, 2018. Flight duration is approximately nine hours and 30 minutes.

- AC1964 departs Toronto on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 5:30 PM, arriving in Bucharest at 9:55 AM the following morning, until October 6, 2018. Flight duration is approximately nine hours and 30 minutes.

- AC1965 departs Bucharest on Wednesdays and Sundays at 1:45PM, arriving in Toronto at 5:00 PM the same day, until October 7, 2018. Flight duration is approximately 10 hours and 15 minutes.

Air Canada Rouge’s new Montreal-Bucharest service is one of ten new destinations launching from Montreal in 2018, alongside domestic flights to London, Windsor and Victoria, transborder service to Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and International flights to Tokyo-Narita, Dublin and Lisbon.


Tourism Observer

CANADA: McDonald’s Rolls Out McCafé

McDonald’s has announced it will be opening additional McCafé locations this year.

The two new locations will be owned and operated by local McDonald’s franchisees and will occupy street-front retail space in Toronto, marking a strategic evolution in location and format since the initial launch of the cafés in late 2015.

The response to the current McCafé locations has been tremendously positive in the past year, the two locations at Union Station and Exchange Tower are enjoying more guests through the doors and increasing sales.

The McCafé locations are a winning offering with our guests, says John Betts, president and CEO of McDonald’s Canada.

That’s why I am thrilled we’re doubling the number of them this year with plans to build even more down the road.

The McCafé locations feature a unique menu and smaller footprints than traditional McDonald’s restaurants, allowing the brand to expand into high-density urban locations.

While the brand continues to grow market share in Canada, establishing McCafé as a café destination is part of the company’s ongoing strategy to build on its reputation as a leading coffee brand and marks the next step of the McCafé brand evolution.

I’ve been a McDonald’s franchisee for more than 28 years and it’s been amazing to see the growth and evolution of McCafé alongside our guests,” says Andre Hu-A-Kam, McDonald’s Toronto franchisee.

The new McCafé site will be located at 253 College St. in Toronto and is expected to open this summer. Another location at Yonge and Gerrard streets will also open by the end of 2018.


Tourism Observer

CANADA: Mississauga Is A Populous City And Fairly Safe, But Muggings Can Sometimes Happen

Mississauga is a city southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is Toronto's largest suburb and Canada's sixth largest city.

Mississauga is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, bordering Toronto.

With a population of 721,599 as of the 2016 census, Mississauga is the sixth-most populous municipality in Canada, third-most in Ontario, and second-most in the Greater Toronto Area.

It is also one of the most populous suburbs in the world outside of Asia.

The growth of Mississauga is attributed to its proximity to Toronto. During the latter-half of the 20th century, the city attracted a multicultural population and built-up a thriving central business district.

It is home to Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada's busiest airport, as well as the headquarters of many Canadian and multinational corporations. Residents of the city are called Mississaugans or Saugans

Mississauga covers 288.42 square kilometres (111.36 sq mi) of land, fronting 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of shoreline on Lake Ontario.

Mississauga is bounded by Oakville and Milton to the west/southwest, Brampton to the north, Toronto to the east, and Lake Ontario to the south/south-east.

Halton Hills borders Mississauga's north-west corner. With the exception of the southeast border with Toronto (Etobicoke Creek), Mississauga shares a land border with all previously mentioned municipalities.

Two major river valleys feed into the lake. The Credit River is by far the longest with the heaviest flow, it divides the western side of Mississauga from the central/eastern portions and enters the lake at the Port Credit harbour.

The indented, mostly forested valley was inhabited by first nation peoples long before European exploration of the area. The valley is protected and maintained by the Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVCA).

Etobicoke Creek forms part of the eastern border of Mississauga with the city of Toronto. North of there it passes through the western limits of Pearson Airport.

There have been two aviation accidents, in 1978 and 2005 where aircraft overshot the runaway and slid into the Etobicoke creek banks.

In 1954, heavy flooding resulted in some homes along the riverbank being swept into the lake after heavy rains from Hurricane Hazel. Since that storm, houses are no longer constructed along the floodplain.

The creek and its tributaries are administered by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).

Most land in Mississauga drains to either of the two main river systems, with the exception of the smaller Mary Fix and Cooksville Creeks which run roughly through the center of Mississauga entering the lake near Port Credit.

Some small streams and reservoirs are part of the Sixteen Mile Creek system in the far north-west corner of the city, but these drain toward the lake in neighbouring Milton and Oakville.

The shoreline of former Glacial Lake Iroquois roughly follows the Dundas Street alignment, although it is not noticeable in some places but is more prominent in others, such as the site of the former brickyard Shoreline Dr. near Mavis Rd.

The ancient shoreline promenteau affords a clear view of downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario on clear days.

The land in Mississauga in ranges from a maximum elevation of 214 m (699 ft) ASL in the far western corner, near the Hwy. 407/401 junction, to a minimum elevation at the Lake Ontario shore of 76 m (249 ft) ASL.

Apart from the embankments of Credit River valley, it tributaries and the Iroquois shoreline, the only noticeable hills in Mississauga are actually part of the former Britannia Landfill, now a golf course on Terry Fox Way.

Mississauga's climate is considered to be moderate, and is located in plant hardiness zone 6b. Mississauga has a humid continental climate.Summers can bring periods of high temperatures accompanied with high humidity.

While the average daily high temperature in July and August is 27 °C (80.6 °F), temperatures can rise above 32 °C (89.6 °F). In an average summer, there are an average of 15.8 days where the temperature rises above 30 °C (86.0 °F).

Winters can be cold with temperatures that are frequently below freezing. In January and February, the mean temperature is −6 °C (21.2 °F) although it is common for temperatures to fall to −15 °C (5.0 °F).

In an average winter, there are an average of 3.9 days where the temperature falls below −20 °C (−4.0 °F).

Occasionally, there can be brief periods of warmer weather during the winter season. Compared to the rest of Canada and Ontario, the amount of snowfall received during the season is relatively low.

On average, Mississauga receives 108.5 centimetres (42.7 in) of snow per year and there are 44.4 days with measurable snowfall.

The climate of Mississauga is officially represented by Pearson International Airport but because of its topography and large surface area conditions can differ depending on location.

Fog tends to be more common along the lakeshore and in the Credit River Valley at certain times of year, particularly during the spring and autumn.

During snowfalls when temperatures hover close to freezing, northern parts of the city, such as around Derry Road away from warmer Lake Ontario usually get more snow that sticks to the ground because of the lower temperatures.

The reverse occurs when a strong storm approaches from the south kicking up lake effect snow, bringing higher snowfall totals to south Mississauga.

The city usually experiences 6 months of snow free weather however there is the odd occurrence where snow does fall either in October or May.

The Port Credit and Lakeview areas have a micro-climate more affected by the proximity of the open lake, warming winter temperatures as a result but it can be sharply cooler on spring and summer afternoons, this can also be the case in Clarkson, but with much less consistency.

Most thunderstorms are not severe but can occasionally bring violent winds.

The last known tornado to cause significant damage touched down on 7 July 1985, when an F1 rated tornado struck an industrial park in the Meadowvale area on Argentia Road, heavily damaging some buildings and some parked tractor trailers.

A relatively strong tornado tore a path across Mississauga then part of Toronto Township on 24 June 1923, cutting a swath from present-day Meadowvale to near Cooksville, killing 4 people and causing massive property damage in a time when most of Mississauga was still rural farmland dotted with fruit orchards.

Mississauga has many different neighbourhoods including the incorporated townships. There are 23 neighbourhoods in Mississauga.

- Applewood

- Central Erin Mills

- Churchill Meadows

- Credit Valley

- Clarkson/Lorne Park

- Cooksville

- East Credit

- Erindale

- Fairview

- Hurontario

- Lakeview

- Lisgar

- Malton

- Meadowvale

- Meadowvale Village

- Mineola

- Mississauga Valleys

- Port Credit

- Rathwood

- Sheridan

- Streetsville

Mississauga was a fast-growing city until 2016 when the population growth rate fell below the national average. It is also multicultural city with 57.15% of the city's population identified as visible minorities.

Statistics Canada estimates that Mississauga now has 734,000 people,an increase of 150,000 from the previous decade and the population has roughly doubled in the past twenty-five years.

Also, the Regional Municipality of Peel estimates that as of 2016, the city of Mississauga has a population of 758,000, based on the Canada 2006 Census which as of the Canada 2016 Census, is about 27,000 over expected.

Mississauga is now the third most populous city on the Great Lakes; far smaller than Chicago and Toronto, but recently surpassing the cities proper of Detroit, Milwaukee, and Cleveland.

About 52% of the population speaks a language other than English, and 52.4% of the population are members of a visible minority - non-white or non-aboriginal.

18% of the population is under 14 years of age, compared to those of retirement age; 8.51%. The median (middle) age in Mississauga is 35.0.

Christianity is the majority faith of the city. The 2011 census indicated that 59.9% of the population are adherents, with Catholics constituting 36.9%, while the remaining 23.0% belong to various Protestant, Orthodox Christian, and other Christian groups.

Other practiced faiths were Islam (11.9%), Hinduism (7.0%) Sikhism (3.4%), Buddhism (2.2%), and Judaism (0.3%). Those who claimed no religious affiliation made up 14.9% of the population.

The 2011 census found that English was spoken as single mother tongue by 47.6% of the population. The next most common languages were Urdu (4.9%), Polish (4.1%), Punjabi (3.2%), Arabic (3.1%), Tagalog (2.8%), and Portuguese (2.5%).

Over 60 of the Fortune 500 companies base their Global or Canadian Head Offices in Mississauga. Some of the strongest industries are pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, electronics and computers, Aerospace, transportation parts and equipment industries.

TD Bank also has Corporate IT development centres in the city along with Royal Bank of Canada. Laura Secord Chocolates is headquartered in the city, and Hewlett Packard's main Canada offices are also in Mississauga.

Air Georgian, a regional airline, is headquartered in Mississauga as well. Air Canada Jazz operates a regional office in Mississauga and Kam Air has its North American office in Mississauga.

Mississauga is also an aircraft development hub with Canadian headquarters of Aerospace companies such as Magellan Aerospace and Honeywell Aerospace.

In addition Walmart Canada, Kellogg's Canada, Panasonic Canada, Esprida and NetSuite have their Canadian head offices in the city.

Mississauga has a growing arts community, which is promoted by the Mississauga Arts Council, which holds an annual awards ceremony, called the MARTYs, to celebrate the city's artists, filmmakers, writers and musicians.

Mississauga's largest festivities such as Canada Day Celebration, Mississauga Rotary Ribfest, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and New Years' Eve Bash generally occur in Celebration Square.

The Canada Day celebration was attended by 130,000 people in 2012, the Ribfest has recorded 120,000 visitors in 2012, and the inaugural New Years' Eve in 2011 has attracted 30,000 spectators.

One of the most anticipated events in the city is Carassauga, a festival of cultures that occurs annually during mid-May. It is the second largest cultural festival in Canada.

During 2013, 4014 performances took place and 300,000 people attended. Carassauga attempts to display the different cultures around the world by setting up pavilions for countries around Mississauga.

Visitors get free public transportation with their ticket to tour the city and explore the different pavilions. Various countries showcase their culture through food stalls, dance performances and small vendors.

The event largely takes place in the Hershey Centre, where an outdoor stage is set up amidst many tiny pavilions. Other venues include the Tomken Twin Arena, the Canadian Coptic Centre and the Frank McKechnie Community Centre.

There are also culture-specific festivals held in Celebration Square.

Here Fiesta Ng Kalayaan for the Philippines, Viet Summerfest for Vietnam, Muslimfest for the city's Muslim community, and Mosaic Festival, which is the largest South Asian multi-disciplinary arts festival in North America.

The village of Streetsville holds its annual Bread and Honey Festival every first weekend of June at Streetsville Memorial Park to commemorate the founding of the village of Streetsville.

The festival has been incorporated in 1974, in response to amalgamation with the city of Mississauga. Activities include the Bread and Honey Race, which raises money for charities and local hospitals.

It also has its own annual Canada Day celebrations, which are also held at Streetsville Memorial Park.

Another former town, Port Credit, Ontario holds multiple festivals throughout the year. During the summer, there are street performances on multiple venues scattered throughout the former town during Buskerfest.

The town also holds a grand parade named - Paint the Town Red - during Canada Day. Finally, during August, the town holds the Mississauga Waterfront Festival, which includes concerts as well as family activities.

During September, the Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle is being held to celebrate the town's Blues and Jazz Festival, which includes musical performances from local blues and jazz artists.

The community of Malton, which contains a significant number of Sikhs, holds its annual Khalsa Day parade, marching between Sri Guru Singh Sabha or Malton Gurdwara and Sikh Spiritual Centre - Rexdale Gurdwara Sahib, in Toronto. This parade is attended by 100,000 people.

Mississauga has a significant number of Jews, with active community classes, cultural activities and holiday celebrations.

In 2006, with the help of Project for Public Spaces, the city started hosting - My Mississauga - summer festivities at its Civic Square. Mississauga planned over 60 free events to bring more people to the city square.

The square was transformed and included a movable stage, a snack bar, extra seating, and sports and gaming facilities, basketball nets, hockey arena, chess and checker boards including a skate park.

Some of the events included Senior's day on Tuesday, Family day on Wednesday, Vintage car Thursdays, with the main events being the Canada Day celebration, Rotary Ribfest, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and Beachfest.

Civic Square has completed its restructuring project using federal stimulus money, which features a permanent stage, a larger ice rink which also serves as a fountain and wading pool during the summer season, media screens, and a permanent restaurant.

It officially reopened at 22 June 2011 and has since been renamed as Mississauga Celebration Square. More events have been added such as holding free outdoor live concerts, and live telecast of UEFA European Football Championship.

The square also holds weekly programming such as fitness classes, amphitheatre performances and movie nights during the summer, children's activities during spring and fall, and skate parties during the winter.

The opening of the square has also allowed the city to hold its first annual New Years' Eve celebration in 2011.

The upper and lower parts of the square used to be separated by a segment of City Centre Drive.

However, pedestrian safety issues and commitment to building a vibrant downtown led the city council to permanently close this segment, uniting the upper and lower parts of the square.

In October 2012, the square had attracted its one millionth visitor.

The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) is a public, not-for-profit art gallery located in the Mississauga Civic Centre right on Celebration Square across from the Living Arts Centre and Square One Shopping Centre.

AGM is sponsored by the City of Mississauga, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council.

The art gallery offers free admission and tours and is open everyday. AGM has over 500 copies and is working on creating a digital gallery led by gallery assistant Aaron Guravich.

Mississauga also boasts one of the largest shopping malls in Canada called Square One Shopping Centre, located at the City Centre. It has 350+ retail stores and services and attracts 24 million annual visits.

It is operating on most holidays, apart from Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, making it the only shopping mall in the city and one of the few in the Greater Toronto Area that do so.

The mall is surrounded by several bars and restaurants, as well as the City Hall, the Central Library, and Playdium.

Erin Mills Town Centre, the second largest mall in Mississauga. It is located at the western edge of the city, near Eglinton Avenue at Erin Mills Parkway.

The mall used to be notable by a clock tower placed in the center of the building. As its successor, the clock has been replaced with an iconic glass sphere 283 feet in circumference, as a part of the mall's $100 million redevelopment project.

The mall also used to have a movie theatre, a mini-golf course, and a daycare centre, all of which were converted to retail space

Located at the southeastern corner of the city is the Dixie Outlet Mall, which is Canada's largest enclosed outlet mall.

It opened in 1956, making it Mississauga's first shopping mall, even though the city at that time was still known as Toronto Township, Ontario. Many factory outlets of premium brands are located in this mall.

As a supporter of Bullfrog Power, it operates using 100% renewable energy. Heartland Town Centre is an unenclosed outlet mall with 180 stores and restaurants.

A flea market, the Fantastic Flea Market, is Mississauga's oldest flea market, which opened in 1976.

Erin Mills Town Centre and Dixie Outlet Mall are both closed for most holidays, except for Civic Holiday.

Toronto's Pearson International Airport is the main regional airport serving Canada's largest city, as a result it is reasonably well served by flights from cities across Canada as well as many American cities and several European, Asian, Latin American, African and Oceanian cities.

The Airport is a short taxi ride from anywhere in Mississauga.Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ), operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority in the northeastern part of the city, is the largest and busiest airport in Canada.

In 2015, it handled 41,036,847 passengers and 443,958 aircraft movements.It is a major North American global gateway, handling more international passengers than any airport in North America other than John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Pearson is the main hub for Air Canada, and a hub for passenger airline WestJet and cargo airline FedEx Express. It is served by over 75 airlines having over 180 destinations.

Mississauga is served by 4 major expressways.

The 401 links Mississauga with Windsor, Detroit and beyond in the West direction, and Kingston, Ottawa, and Quebec in the East direction.

The 403 links to Hamilton and Niagara Falls in the west, and connects with the 401 and 410. The 410 leads to Brampton in the North.

The QEW links Mississauga with the Gardiner Expressway and downtown Toronto in the east, and connects with the 403 in the west.

The 407 is an East-West toll route running parallel with the 401.

Mississauga is reasonably accessible from Toronto by transit. GO Transit runs trains during rush hour and buses the rest of the day from various terminals in Toronto to several stations in Mississauga.

Square One shopping centre contains the main bus terminal for the city, it is regularly served by GO buses as well as local Mississauga Transit buses.

MiWay is operated by the City of Mississauga. Because of the lack of urban planning in its early years, the city has become too spread out, causing it to be difficult to traverse without a personal car.

As a result, the transit system is still used, yet the routes are somewhat infrequent, waiting times are typically 15 to 45 minutes on week days, and some bus routes are only offered exclusively on week days.

In an effort to increase their number of passengers however, Mississauga has put in major efforts to improve the system, including their Clicknride web page, which plans out the most appropriate trip for the rider as well.

As of April 27, 2015, a ride on a Mississauga Transit bus costs $3.50, and transfers for free entry onto buses within the following one and a half hour since the beginning of the route must be requested when you are paying.

Transfers can also be used for discounts on other public transportation systems in adjacent areas.

The transit system operates two types of services:

MiWay Local which can be recognized by the orange/white bus livery. This operates like the old Mississauga Transit using most of the same routes with new routes being added as more areas of the city get developed.

The current fleet of buses are being replaced with newer hybrid-electric buses.

MiWay Express which can be recognized by the blue/white bus livery. All express routes except Routes 107,109, and 110 operate only during weekday morning and evening rush hours.

These buses travel on expressways and major thoroughfares making a limited number of stops at designated bus stops. Buses are equipped with reading lights and power outlets at each seat.

Route 110 runs throughout the day each day including weekends and holidays. Routes 107 and 109 also operate on Saturdays except holidays.

A 12-station busway similar to Ottawa's transitway is being built along Highway 403 from Winston Churchill Boulevard to Renforth Drive via the City Centre.

This will provide faster service for passengers by cutting commuting times by as much as half. The first phase of the bus rapid transit project has been completed with stations at Central Parkway, Cawthra, Tomken, and Dixie.

The remaining east to Renforth and west to Winston Churchill sections were completed in 2016.

Toronto Transit Commision (TTC) services some of the east end of the city near the Toronto boundary.

Oakville Transit services some of the west end of the city near the Oakville boundary.

Blue & White Taxi

Golden City Taxi

In 2010, the City of Mississauga approved a Cycling Master Plan outlining a strategy to develop over 900 kilometres (560 miles) of on and off-road cycling routes in the city over the next 20 years.

Over 1,000 Mississauga citizens and stakeholders contributed their thoughts and ideas to help develop this plan.

The plan focuses on fostering cycling as a way of life in the city, building an integrated network of cycling routes and aims to adopt a safety first approach to cycling.

Port Credit An older, historic village at the centre of Mississauga's Lake Ontario shore features many intimate small restaurants, cafes and bars. Annual events include the Waterfront Festival and Jazz/Bluefest.

Nice Marina and walking paths at the Credit River entrance and along the lakeshore.

Streetsville. This small village is where the renowned mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, resides. It has many shops, restaurants, and green areas to explore.

Visit in June to enjoy the Bread and Honey Festival or in winter months for Remembrance Day services and the Santa Claus Parade.

Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM), 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga Civic Centre, Ground Floor.. Monday-Wednesday, Friday 10am-5pm; Thursday 10am-8pm; Weekends 12pm-4pm.

The AGM has over 3000 square feet divided into four gallery spaces, and programmes approximately 10 exhibitions a year of national and international contemporary art. Free.

Parks. Mississauga has over 350 parks of various sizes. Many small parkettes with trees and park benches form green spaces in busy neighbourhoods.

Other large sports parks feature baseball diamonds, tennis courts, soccer and football fields. There is also an authentic Japanese park right in the City Centre as well as 9 picnic parks, many of them offering barbeque facilities.

Wahoosh Falls. To get a sample of the nearby Hamilton waterfalls concentration, head down the ravine at Burnhamthorpe Rd W and Mississauga Rd. A miniature 10ft waterfall is a fair reward after a healthy urban hike.

Playdium A large video arcade that also has wall climbing and go-karting. Some nights you are able to pay a flat fee for three hours of arcade gaming.

Golf. Mississauga features two primary golf courses: The BraeBen Golf Course and The Lakeview Golf Course. The Lakeview features an 18-Hole course, while The BraeBen features a 9 and 18-hole championship course.

Hershey Centre. A sports and entertainment facility which has staged numerous high profile events including regional, provincial, national and world hockey championships, Skate Canada, and concerts.

Fishing. The Credit River is a jewel set in the heart of southern Ontario, Canada. The Credit boasts huge runs of Chinook salmon and steelhead as well as some coho, pink and Atlantic salmon.

Scooter's Roller Palace. Just south of the Clarkson GO station, this is a popular option for families and teenagers. Skate rentals available.

West 50 is good for a selection of more than 100 beers on tab.

Square One, Ontario's largest mall.

Erin Mills Town Centre

Heartland Town Centre, a shopping complex located in the eastern part of the city mostly consisting of big box stores.

Old Credit Brewery, 6 Queen St. W. Tel:905-2719888, Open 10-19, Excellent small brewery that sells an ale and a pilsner.

Dixie Outlet Mall

Streetsville. Small shops along Queen Street including accessories for home and garden and vintage clothing.

Starsky Fine Foods, 2040 Dundas St. East, Second location at 3115 Dundas St. West. A bustling local Polish supermarket chain with top quality yet affordable deli meats, cheese and desserts.

Buy Houses for Sale in Mississauga, 30 Eglinton Ave West. Buy Houses for Sale in Mississauga Ontario located in various areas of the city near schools, amenities, transit and shopping.

Axia Restaurant and Bar, 5045 Plantation Place, along Eglinton Ave W near Erin Mills. In the community of Erin Mills. A nicely designed ambient place with fully authentic Asian food being produced from separate kitchens.

Specializes in Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisine. Mains $15-20, appetizers $5-10. Fully liquor licensed with unique flavoured Korean soju and alcoholic bubble tea. A must for any Asian food lover and enough variety to last countless visits.

Nirvana, 35 Brunnel Road in the north end of Mississauga close to Brampton. the Flavors of India. Slightly upscale Indian restaurant . It is a friendly place with great food.

Moxie's Classic Grill. Locations in Meadowvale and Square One.

Richtree Market Restaurant. Located in Square One, this market-style restaurant allows you to see your food being freshly made throughout the day. Offers a nice ambiance in the middle of an otherwise hectic area.

The Apricot Tree Cafe, 1900 Dundas St. W., Mississauga, ON The Apricot Tree is on Dundas St. between the Erin Mills Pkwy and Mississauga Rd. Monday 10am-9pm, Tuesday-Friday 10am-10pm, Saturday 9am-10pm, closed Sunday.

Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, with a wide range of excellent pastries and cakes for dessert. Features an open kitchen design which allows guests to watch their order being prepared.

Breakfast average $8; lunch mains average $11; dinner mains average $17.

West 50, 50 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. The Sussex Centre. Mo-Th: 11am-1am,Fr: 11am-2am, sa:4pm-2am, Su:5pm-2am.

Excellent steaks, salads and desserts. Stylish interior with a huge stainless steel bar on the inside and two rings of tables at different levels around it.

They have more than 100 beers from around Canada and the rest of the world on tap, try a 6-beer sampler menu if cannot decide $20 for mains.

Master Steaks, 5895 Dixie Road, three lights north of the 401. open late. This is about the cheapest place in Mississauga where you can get a steak dinner for less than $20. Portions are very generous for the price.

Atmosphere is somewhat reminiscent of a 70's fast food eatery where you place your order at the till and wait until your number is called.

Very popular with the after-hours bar crowd. Look out for specials under $15. Licensed. Take out available. $7-$25.

Bistro Narra, 3030 Thomas Street, Unit A404, West of Winston Churchill Blvd. Sister restaurant of Apricot Tree. Wonderful bistro-style food, with great desserts.

Especially check out the Prix Fixe and Crepe Fest menus at both restaurants when they are available. Lunch $10-18. Dinner starts at $15.

Arkady Bistro Cafe, 3631 Dixie Rd near Burnhamthorpe. Great Polish cafe that serve generous portions. Excellent mains and salads. Website is in Polish. $11-30.

Song Cook's, 1310 Dundas St E west of Dixie Rd. Mississauga location of a local Korean restaurant chain. Hearty Korean stews and dishes. Great lunch and group specials.

Man Doo Hyang, 169 Dundas St E near Kirwin Ave. Another local Korean chain restaurant. Specializes in dumplings, and has delicious tabletop cooking, including family-sized stews and barbecued meats.

Lucy's Seafood Kitchen, 6905 Millcreek Drive, Unit 8. Cajun-style seafood restaurant, serving lunch and dinner. Friendly, casual atmosphere, with great seafood entrees. Check out their Southern-style desserts as well.

Drink and Club in Mississauga City

&Company, 295 Enfield Place, andcompany.ca. Upscale nightclub in Mississauga City Centre featuring world-class DJ's. Strict dress code which is stylish and sophisticated enforced.

&Company is open Wednesday-Saturday 6pm-2am. Seasonal rooftop bar and patio. Bottle service available.

Blue Suede Sue's, 75 Watline Avenue, Top 40, Hip-hop, R & B, Dance. Open Thursday, Friday Ladies' night, and Saturday nights.

My Apartment Two locations is one in Mississauga and one in Oakville now called Rehab bordering Mississauga.

Sugar Daddy's, 5165 Dixie Road, 4 lights south of the 401, Mississauga. Established in 2003. Club MC is Slick Vic, with DJ Constantine.

Capitol Singles' Dance, Capitol Banquet Centre, 6435 Dixie Road, 4 lights north of the 401, Mississauga. Every Friday night from 7:00pm till 1:00am.

All singles 19 and over welcome; however, the majority of attendees tend to be the 30+ after-work crowd. DJ Dianne plays a mix of today's dance hits with the greatest hits from the 50's to the 90's as well as country, swing, waltz, polka, and latin favourites.

She also gladly takes requests. Admission is $15 as conditions apply and includes a buffet dinner served 7:30 till 9:30. Dress code, no jeans or sneakers. Cash bar. Draw and spot dances. Ample free parking.

Accomodations in Mississauga

The Waterside Inn, 15 Stavebank Road South. Waterfront hotel located in Port Credit. Uniquely decorated and furnished guest suites. Wifi, restaurant, and conference rooms.

Novotel Toronto Mississauga, 3670 Hurontario Street. The Novotel Toronto Mississauga is located 25 min from the centre of Toronto and 18 km from Pearson International Airport. 325 Rooms, Wifi, and a restaurant.

Hilton Garden Inn - Toronto/Mississauga, 100 Traders Boulevard. checkin: 3:00PM; checkout: 12:00PM. Guest rooms selected at check-in featuring single or double beds. Free complementary parking, no pets allowed.

Best Western Plus Toronto Airport Hotel, 5825 Dixie Road, Mississauga, Toronto, Ontario L4W 1E8. Complimentary airport shuttle & overnight parking, meeting and banquet fascilities, indoor heated pool, whirlpool, sauna, suites available.

Comfort Inn Airport West Mississauga, 1500 Matheson Blvd. East, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 3Z4. checkin: 2:00 p.m.; checkout: 11:00 a.m.. Complimentary 24 hour airport shuttle, free ample parking, meeting facility, suites and renovated rooms available.

Mississauga is a fairly safe city, however use common sense and vigilance at night like any other large city, as muggings can sometimes happen. The local police are friendly, trustworthy, and approachable, so any issues you have you can ask them for help.

On the weekend, clubs and bars in Mississauga can fill up with people fast. If you see a confrontation in a bar or club, it is best not to get involved, as these can escalate quickly.

For life threatening emergencies, dial 9-1-1 to be connected to Police, Fire, or Ambulance. For non-emergency inquiries, you can dial the following:

Mississauga Fire - 905-615-3777 Peel Paramedic Services - 1-800-668-7821 Peel Regional Police - 905-453-3311

On the whole, Mississauga is a safe city, and for the average tourist, you should have no problems.

Do not wait to go to Mississauga.


Tourism Observer

USA: Florida Tourism Boosted By Canadian Visitors

Florida’s tourism arm is touting marketing efforts that attracted an increase in travelers from America’s northern neighbor, less than a year after admitting the state had taken its Canadian visitors for granted.

Visit Florida announced Monday that its expanded attention on Canada played a role in the nearly 4 percent growth in tourism from 2016 to 2017.

The rise in Canadians comes as the state continues to experience a decline in overseas travel, which has fallen more than 6 percent over the past two years.

By creating innovative programs such as the Canadian Power Play Program and the Canada Takeover, we made it more exciting and affordable to visit the Sunshine State, Visit Florida President and CEO Ken Lawson said in a press release.

We will keep working to send a warm, open and welcoming message to our Canadian friends, and let them know that there is no better time than right now to visit Florida.

The power play program offered 20 percent discounts on airfare, rental cars and lodging to balance the stronger American dollar.

The takeover was the fall and early winter marketing campaign, which included wall murals; digital columns and digital billboards; advertising on underground transit networks in Toronto and Montreal; partnership programs with The Weather Network, Air Canada Vacations and Expedia.

As well as a paid push on social media sites Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Visit Florida spent $1.8 million last year on its Canadian marketing efforts, up from $1 million in prior years.

Susan Harper, Consul General of Canada in Miami, said in the press release the marketing effort resonated with Canadians for its focus on warmth, diversity, openness and inclusion.

Last July, Lawson told a group of Canadian tourism industry leaders that the public-private tourism agency had taken this market for granted.

We have the snowbirds with their Florida vacation homes. They're kind of like, We've been there, done that.

We have new Canadians. And we have the millennials, and they're saying, We don't want to do what our grandparents did, Lawson said while in in Toronto for meetings with travel industry leaders.

Scott traveled to Toronto in November for a two-day tourism and business mission to announce the marketing plans.

The estimated number of Canadian tourists grew from 3.35 million in 2016 to 3.48 million last year.

The latest numbers from Visit Florida were slightly revised upward, using input from Statistic Canada, since first posted on March 20.

Tourism numbers from Canada had been falling since a high of 4.2 million in 2013, due in part to the weakened Canadian dollar against its U.S. counterpart.

Overall, the state recorded 102.3 million domestic travelers last year, up from 97.9 million in 2016 and 91.3 million 2015.

Overseas travel to Florida dropped for the second consecutive year, from 11.4 million in 2015 to 11.1 million in 2016 and 10.7 million last year.

The tourism numbers for the first quarter of 2018 are not expected until mid-May.



Tourism Observer

MEXICO: More And More Tourists, Feeling Unwanted In U.S. Are Opting For Canada.

Many tourists, feeling undesirable in the U.S., are going elsewhere instead.

Airports in Miami, Orlando, San Antonio and Denver clocked fewer travelers coming from Mexico City and Guadalajara in the first two months of 2017, while Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver saw a surge in traffic from Mexico’s capital.

It’s not hard to see why Mexicans may be choosing to alter their travel plans, what with all those Twitter jabs by U.S. President Donald Trump, his plans for a wall between the two nations and uncertainty over travel restrictions.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, on the other hand, announced plans last June to lift a visa requirement for Mexicans that allows them to enter the country with only a passport.

A lot of people have canceled their trips to the U.S. because they don’t understand the new rules or are simply scared of them.

That’s been bad news for airlines focusing on U.S.-Mexico routes. Mexico’s two largest carriers, Grupo Aeromexico SAB and Controladora Vuela Cia. de Aviacion SAB, which operates as Volaris, recently cut their growth estimates on softer-than-expected demand.

Volaris Chief Executive Officer Enrique Beltranena blamed the Trump phenomenon and its effect on international travel as the main reason the carrier pared its second-quarter forecast for capacity growth to as much as 18 percent from as much as 23 percent — the first downward revision since 2014 for the fast-expanding discounter.

The Trump administration has ordered customs officials to enhance visa screening on visitors, including those from Mexico.

And while Mexicans aren’t directly affected by a proposed ban on travel from some countries or restrictions on electronic devices on flights from some airports, the measures add to the confusion.

A decline in tourism from Mexico could hurt American businesses that cater to travelers, including hotels and destinations like theme parks. Mexican visitors spent $19.7 billion in the U.S. in 2015, trailing only Chinese and Canadian travelers, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

U.S.-bound passengers from Mexico City to San Antonio declined 34 percent in January and 37 percent in February, according to data from Mexico’s Communications and Transportation Ministry.

Meanwhile, traffic from Mexico City to Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver surged, with gains of as much as 67 percent in January and 46 percent the following month, depending on the destination.

Aeromexico, with a wider route network than Volaris, can partially offset the decline with its stream of steady business travel. Volaris, which relies heavily on Mexican leisure passengers and customers visiting friends and family in the U.S., started seeing some improvement in March, analyst Duane Pfennigwerth at Evercore ISI wrote in a note Thursday.

It appears demand trends have recovered since February when U.S. travel policy uncertainty was very high. Mexico domestic leisure trends are strong but northbound leisure travel to the U.S. has not fully recovered.

The peso’s 10 percent gain this year and a more moderate tone from the U.S. could help Volaris further, Pfennigwerth said. On the other hand, he said, headline risk remains and the new administration has thus far given leisure travelers from the rest of the world reasons to delay or reconsider travel to the United States.

That’s certainly the case for Mario Hinojosa, a businessman in Monterrey, Mexico.

Hinojosa said he can understand why folks may not want to visit the U.S. after Trump took office. His daughter had been considering a study-abroad program in either New York or Washington when they started noticing a change in sentiment toward Latinos.

I said to her: no. Not this year, he recalled. I will pay for you to go to Italy for the summer if you want, but not the United States.

CANADA: Air Transat Commences Nonstop Flights From Montreal To Tel Aviv

Air Transat announced that it will be offering direct flights from Montreal to Tel Aviv. Also available from Toronto with a connection in Montreal, this nonstop flight between the Montréal–Trudeau airport and the David Ben-Gurion international airport of Tel Aviv will operate twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Sundays, from June 18 until late October.

We are thrilled to feature our very first destination in the Middle East.

The demand for a direct Montreal-Tel Aviv flight was high for travelers visiting friends and family in the two cities and those in search of new discoveries, states Annick Guérard, President and General Manager of Transat Tours Canada.

Tel Aviv is a vibrant and modern metropolis with plenty to offer when it comes to culture, gastronomy and nightlife. It is also the ideal gateway for a vacation immersing travellers in ancient and religious history.

This is great news for Quebecers who are eager for the re-establishment of a direct air link between Montreal and Israel, presenting travellers with a wonderful opportunity to discover the riches of the Holy Land, the beauty of its landscapes and the diversity of its peoples, says Ziv Nevo Kulman, the Consul General of Israel in Montreal and its Permanent Representative to ICAO.

Thanks to this direct flight, more Israelis will also be able to enjoy the 150th and 375th anniversary festivities in Canada and Montreal.

I welcome the decision by Transat to expand its operations into Israel. The opening of an air route is further proof of the success of our marketing efforts and that airlines view Israel as a sought-after tourism destination with economic potential.

We view Transat as a partner that will help increase the numbers of tourists arriving in Israel and we hope to see additional routes opening soon, adds Yariv Levin, the Israeli Minister of Tourism.

We are delighted that Air Transat has decided to add Tel Aviv to its roster of over 40 summer destinations out of Montréal–Trudeau.

This year, Air Transat’s weekly seat capacity will be increased by 20%, compared to 2016. Travelers departing from the city now enjoy an unparalleled choice of flight options from Montréal–Trudeau, with nearly 140 direct-flight destinations, says Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal.

This new Montreal-Tel Aviv flight on Airbus A330-300 aircraft consisting of 345 seats will allow travellers to enjoy an unparalleled flight experience with Air Transat, named Best North American Leisure Airline five years in a row.

The cabin comfort, personal entertainment system accessible via individual touch screens, complimentary checked baggage allowance and attentive crew are just some of the reasons flying Air Transat is so enjoyable.

Travellers passing through the Montréal–Trudeau airport can also feel the joy of vacations in the new Espace Air Transat section, offering an immersive multimedia experience designed by Moment Factory, among other features.

Air Transat’s 2017 transatlantic flight schedule includes 28 destinations, now available to a greater number of travelers thanks to its enriched connecting flight program.

Air Transat recently announced that it will be multiplying its direct flights to France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Croatia, while maintaining service to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

MEXICO: Interjet to Fly Cancun To Montreal In July,Air France To Increase Paris - Cancun Flights

The low-cost Mexican carrier announces new flights to Montreal from Cancun and Mexico City, to reach the Canadian travel market.

After a year of announcing that it would arrive in Canada in 2017, Interjet finally offers its clients on its website new routes Mexico City – Montreal and Cancun – Montreal, flights that will begin to operate in the second week of July (July 13).

At the beginning it was announced by Interjet and several news pages that Toronto and Vancouver could be the destinations to reach with these flights, but Montreal turned out to be the first destination to conquer by this low-cost Mexican carrier, with flights from Mexico City and Cancun.

On its website the airline has already announced a one-way travel promotion of $2,819 pesos, taxes included, from Mexico City to Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal for an introductory fare, and on a round trip of just under $5,500 pesos.

From Cancun the rate that Interjet handles by introduction is $3,270 pesos in a single trip and $6,671 pesos in round trip.

Interjet comes to compete with Aeromexico and Air Canada, for a growing market. Canada is the second most important market for the country and the third for Cancun; from January to July 2016, 1,130,989 Canadians arrived in the country, of which 55% stayed in a hotel in Cancun, that is, 621,746 Canadians.

Air France increasing Paris-Cancun flights frequency. The flights previously were only available from October to April.

To celebrate its 65th anniversary in Mexico and in response to the strong Mexican demand, Air France-KLM announced that starting this year, the Cancun-Paris route will operate four weekly frequencies throughout the year. Previously the flights were only available from October to April.

Based on the electronic records of the National Institute of Migration (INM), at the points of aerial admission to Mexico, Cancun International Airport reached 93,726, from January to November 2016 (latest available), a figure that would increase with this new measure.

From Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, frequencies for the winter season were operated through a Boeing 777-300, with 468 seats; while weekly frequencies during the summer season 2017 will be aboard a Boeing 777-200, with seating capacity of 312, said Vincent Etchebehere, CEO of Air France and KLM in Mexico.

Winter frequencies were available from October 14, 2016 to March 25, 2017, on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; While from March 26 to April 30, 2017, for what is considered the summer season, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays; and from May 3 to September 2017, flights will operate on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

With the direct flight throughout 2017 is projected a 40% increase, taking into account a 95% occupancy, which is what AirFrance has registered on their flights to Cancun and Mexico City.

These direct flights to Cancun offer French and European passengers direct access to the Riviera Maya, one of the most popular regions in Mexico.

In the Boeing 777-300, seats are divided into 14 for business class, 32 in economy premiun and 422 in economy. While the Boeing 777-200 aircraft are 26 seats for business class, 24 economy premiun and 260 for economy.

Great Britain, Spain, Germany, France, and Italy were the top five European markets for Cancun and Riviera Maya last year.

CANADA: Canada Expects More Tourists From India

Canada's tourism board is expecting double-digit growth in tourist arrivals from India in 2017 with the introduction of a new non-stop flight between Mumbai and Toronto.

The number of Indians visiting Canada for leisure and business has doubled in the last six years. Canada received 215,664 Indian visitors in 2016, a rise of 13.2 per cent over the previous year.

“We are anticipating double-digit growth this year with the launch of the Air Canada service to Mumbai from July,” said Sanjeet, India representative of Destination Canada. Apart from new flights, tourism is also being driven by meetings and incentive tour segments and self-drive holidays.

The Canadian government has stepped up efforts to attract more visitors in 2017, the 150th anniversary of its foundation.

Canada's minister for small business and tourism, Bardish Chagger, met travel agents in Delhi and Mumbai over Wednesday and Thursday seeking more visitors and to get feedback from Indian trade partners. “Come visit us, we have a lot to offer,” she said.

Chagger is among four ministers of Indian origin in Canada's federal government and the seventh minister from the country to visit India in the last eight months. This was her maiden visit to India after assuming office in 2015.

Chagger was apprised of visa delays that could result in slowing down tourist movement from India. Sources said Canadian visa processing was taking 30-45 days now. Sanjeet said the visa issue was being addressed by the Canadian government.

“The High Commission in Delhi is handling around 1,000 applications daily and has introduced electronic visa applications. This is expected to reduce processing time,” he said.

Canada welcomes immigrants and refugees

At a time when the US government is planning to reduce the number of foreigners, the Canadian government says it will continue to welcome immigrants and refugees. Bardish Chagger, the Canadian minister for small business and tourism who is of Indian origin, tells Sahil Makkar in an interview that there are a lot of opportunities for Indian businesses in Canada.

Excerpts:

What brings you to India?

As a minister of for small business and tourism, I would like to ensure the Indian community knows Canada as a travel destination and our businesses grow together. Both countries have vision, we need our small businesses to grow to innovation and trade. We need to open up export markets. We are looking at high-impact, high-growth firms. We know that small businesses are job creators in Canada. Around 9 per cent are small businesses and it is very similar here in India.

Another area where we focusing is under-represented groups such as women entrepreneurship. It is interesting that in India 14 per cent businesses are majority owned by women and the number for Canada is 15.75 per cent.

How many small scale companies want to set up businesses in India?

There are now over 1,000 Canadian companies doing business in or with India, and some 690 Canadian companies and educational institutions have a physical presence here. On the other hand, nearly 100 Indian companies are invested in Canada. Our trade continues to grow in the double digits. This year is the 150th birthday of Canada, so the Canadian High Commissioner in India is taking 150 Indian companies to Canada.

How are you promoting tourism in India?

Over 280,000 Canadians visited India in 2015. Last year, Canada welcomed over 215,000 travellers from India. This represented an increase of 13 per cent over 2015 arrivals. We also want to target the business community and people who are coming in for conferences and conventions so that they not only come for business but also for leisure. On Canada Day (July 1) there will be a new direct flight offered by Air Canada between Toronto and Mumbai. This will be the third direct flight.

How is Canada addressing the concerns of the Indian government of the “radicalized Sikh” diaspora living in Canada?

We work closely with the Indian government. We take action when we receive information about Canadian citizens breaking Canadian laws. We discuss this with the Indian government frequently. There have been a number of high-profile visits to Canada on this issue.

We often hear of racist attacks against Indians in other countries. What is the situation in Canada?

It does not matter what country we live in, the reality is there are those kinds of challenges everywhere. I had a great conversation with people working here in the High Commission. Each of us has a role to play to ensure that we are not part of the problem but are a part of the solution. We have to provide more information so that people concerns are addressed. There have been no recent reports of attacks on Canadians of Indian origin in Canada. We have laws in place to ensure all Canadians are protected against discrimination and violence.

The US government is planning to reduce the number of H1-B visas. Do you see in this an opportunity to open doors for Indian IT firms?

Canada is a country of immigrants. There are ample opportunities. Therefore, we welcome people to visit, study and work in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made it clear that we will continue to welcome immigrants and refugees because diversity is our strength.

Is there a rise in the number of Indian students travelling to Canada?

The number is rising every year. It is encouraging. Canadian schools are not only world-class institutions, but we also offer incentives to make them a more attractive place of study. We have a population of 1.2 million Canadians of Indian origin and this makes it more attractive for Indian students.

The visit of the Canadian prime minister has been on cards, when can we expect him here?

We are working on dates. The PM is taking a whole government approach. There is no one minister who is working on his own. All ministers work together. We all share suggestions and comments. The PM has empowered all ministers to take a leadership role.