Latest news with #travelexperience
Globe and Mail
25-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Toronto Pearson celebrates second annual Airport Workers Day
TORONTO, June 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Toronto Pearson is proud to host a celebration for the second annual Airport Workers Day – a day dedicated to recognizing people across the airport community whose work is essential to delivering an exceptional travel experience, keeping Canada connected and powering our economy forward.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Toronto Pearson celebrates second annual Airport Workers Day
TORONTO, June 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Toronto Pearson is proud to host a celebration for the second annual Airport Workers Day – a day dedicated to recognizing people across the airport community whose work is essential to delivering an exceptional travel experience, keeping Canada connected and powering our economy forward. Coordinated nationally by the Canadian Airports Council, Airport Workers Day is also an important opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions of the 52,000-plus people who make up the Toronto Pearson community. Toronto Pearson is more than a gateway for travel – it's an economic powerhouse for all of Canada. The airport supports more than 133,000 jobs across Canada, contributes $19.6 billion to GDP and anchors the Pearson Economic Zone, where 1 in 7 Toronto-region workers are employed. The celebration took place at the airport on Wednesday, and included remarks from Toronto Pearson President and CEO Deborah Flint, as well as Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and other elected officials. "Airport Workers Day celebrates the dedication of the people who keep Toronto Pearson – and airports across Canada – moving," said Deborah Flint, President and CEO, Toronto Pearson. "In hot summer or cold winters, day and night, airport workers are essential to delivering a safe travel experience. Airport workers stimulate the economy and work to bring joy to travel for each and every passenger. The airport workers at Toronto Pearson are simply incredible." "I want to thank the thousands of Ontario workers who help keep Toronto Pearson, Canada's busiest airport and an economic engine for Ontario's economy, running smoothly," said Premier Doug Ford. "Our government will always have your backs, including in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty. That's why I was so pleased to announce $2 million in support of Pearson Works which will help train 450 airport workers through our $2.5 billion Skills Development Fund. Once again, to all the workers here at Toronto Pearson: Thank you for all that you do to support and protect Ontario!" "Airport workers aren't just technicians, agents and drivers; they're community-connectors, family bridges and last-mile heroes - getting people where they need to be against improbable odds. More than that, they're the beating heart of our economy, and for that they deserve our thanks and gratitude," said John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour). To learn more about Airport Workers Day, please visit our website. About Toronto Pearson The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada's largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses, and goods. Toronto Pearson has been named "Best Large Airport in North America serving more than 40 million passengers" seven times in the last eight years by Airports Council International, the global trade representative of the world's airports. Toronto Pearson was also recognized in 2025 as one of "Canada's Best Employers" by Forbes. For our corporate X channel, please visit @PearsonComms. For operational updates and passenger information, please visit @TorontoPearson/@AeroportPearson on X. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram. SOURCE Toronto Pearson View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBS News
19-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
These are the top airlines in the U.S., according to The Points Guy
Looking to travel this summer but not sure which airline to fly for the best experience? The Points Guy (TPG), an online site dedicated to improving consumers' travel experiences while helping them save money, has revealed its annual ranking of the best airlines in the U.S. Founder and CEO Brian Kelly said the site ranks airlines based on four criteria: a carrier's reliability and performance; passenger experience; its cost and reach; and the quality of its loyalty or rewards program. Recent carrier meltdowns have travelers thinking more carefully about which airline — and through which airports — they want to fly. "This is not just my personal decision," Kelly told CBS Mornings. He also explained how the company weighs each metric. "We have a formula. We use lots of data. This isn't us just sticking our finger up in the air and kind of playing favorites. We look at reliability, first and foremost." "When you buy airfare, you need to get to where you're going, so we give a huge amount — 30% — to reliability," Kelly explained. Some airlines are going the extra mile to make flying more enjoyable for customers, from the minute they step foot in an airport through touchdown. For that reason, TPG assigned a 25% weight to an airline passenger's experience score to determine its overall ranking. An airline's cost and reach — including how expansive its network of destinations is — was assigned a 20% weight. And one-quarter of an airline's score was determined by the quality of its loyalty of rewards program. How the airlines stack up Delta Air Lines topped the list for the seventh year in a row, with its relative strength across all categories earning it the highest ranking, according to TPG. It is the most reliable on-time airline in America. It also provides passengers with free wi-fi, a wide selection of inflight entertainment options and meals from Shake Shack. United came in second place, rising from third place last year, aided by an improved onboard experience. It could continue to climb the rankings next year after announcing a partnership with JetBlue that will expand the airline's reach and improve perks for its loyalty members, TPG said. Weighing on the airline, though, is United's outsized presence at Newark Airport, which is suffering from persistent equipment and staffing issues. Southwest Airlines moved up two spots to earn the No. 3 position. Working in the airline's favor is its low flight cancellation rate, which is the best of any of its competitors. While it scored points in the cost and reach category, recent changes in fee structures could end its reign. It recently ended its popular "bags fly free" policy and offers a new, basic economy fare. Here are the full rankings, according to TPG: Delta Air Lines United Airlines Southwest Airlines Alaska Airlines Hawaiian Airlines JetBlue American Airlines Allegiant Air Spirit Airlines Frontier Airlines
News.com.au
08-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
The best thing that's ever happened in a business class cabin
Not since the advent of the lie-flat bed, has a business class offering been more of a gamechanger. OK, this might only be true if you've got as much of a sweet tooth as I do, but hear me out – you're cruising along at 38,000 feet, feet up on your glorious recliner, full of your gourmet dinner, when something absolutely glorious, and unexpected, comes rattling down the aisle. An ice cream sundae cart! With all the trimmings! On a plane! I rest my case. United Airlines is famous for this particular in-flight miracle, which has reached icon status among its passengers. After your meal, the cart comes along, offering to adorn your vanilla or chocolate ice cream scoop with hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, slivered toasted almonds, M & Ms and a cherry on top. If there's a better food experience on a plane, I haven't had it. New cabins Last month, United Airlines unveiled its new United Elevated interior, which includes sliding privacy doors for all business class seats, and a brand new studio suite experience. There are eight of the new seats in each upgraded cabin, located at the front of each business class section. They are 25 per cent larger than the standard business offering and offer even more privacy. I flew from Sydney to LA on the standard Polaris service, here's how it went down. Baggage Like most business class offerings, your ticket includes two free checked bags, up to 32kg each, which is a challenge I was unable to meet, with my puny 22kg offering. You're also entitled to Premier Access, which is essentially a priority check-in lane, and the promise of seeing your bags faster on the other side with priority bag handling. Lounge Polaris customers also get access to United Polaris lounges, where they are available (currently there are six, Chicago O'Hare, Houston Intercontinental, LAX, New York Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles). Don't worry, if there's no Polaris Lounge at your departure airport, you will get access to a partner lounge of your choice. I used the Polaris Lounge at LAX. It features deluxe shower rooms with Therabody products, an a la carte restaurant (order the famous burger and the skillet cookie, even if you're not hungry, trust me on this) as well as a buffet for lighter meal options. If you're already tired, there's a private rest area with daybeds, soft lighting and white noise to help you rest and relax The seats Like many business class offerings, the staggered 1-2-1 seat configuration means every seat is an aisle seat, but window seats are definitely the pick of the bunch. But not all window seats are created equal – to enable a full lie-flat experience, the seats are offset, with one being right next to the window, the next being closer to the aisle and so forth. This makes seats 1L or 9L superior choices, as they are both front of their respective parts of the cabin, closest to the windows and with the most privacy and least disturbance from the aisle. There was lots of legroom, as expected, and top notch extras, including noise-reducing headphones, bedding from Saks Fifth Avenue, premium toiletries and premium mattress toppers available on request (please, tell me, who is not requesting a complimentary 'mattress cloud'?). Food In addition to the expected champagne on arrival, the meals were excellent on my flight. The main meal is an event, with warmed mixed nuts, a main you can pre-order before you fly (I chose roasted salmon with hollandaise and pearl couscous) salad, bread and the aforementioned sundae. Still hungry after your movie is over? They offer midnight snacks, including an extremely melty grilled cheese sandwich, available anytime, and a snack bar you can help yourself to. The app It can be hard to stand out in a saturated airline market where most offerings are variations on the same thing, but United's app is where it truly shines. I've never come across such an efficient and user-friendly airline app experience. You can obviously plan and book using it, but it's once you arrive at the airport that it comes into its own. My gate changed, no worries, I got a notification. Boarding about to start? told me that too. In-flight I was updated about changes to our arrival time and upon landing, it knew my bag was about to come out onto the carousel before it was visible. There's also a terminal guide, meal and seat choices and delay and cancellation options but it's the real-time notifications, taking some of the stress and uncertainty out of travel, that gets my vote.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Aussie company's wild $30k luxe Euro trip
An Aussie travel company has just launched a 'once in a lifetime' experience set to shake up the industry. When you think of travelling around the world in a private jet the first thing that comes to mind is the price tag, which understandably is a lot, costing upwards of about $100,000 for a few weeks, according to Luxury Escapes founder Adam Schwab. But the man behind the online booking company known for its luxe holiday packages, has managed to compress the hefty price tag by teaming up with six different tour companies to charter a private plane around nine European countries for 25 days, in April 2026. He's described the experience as a game-changing move in luxury travel. 'The private plane experience around the world is really for the top 1 per cent – it's so out of reach for Aussies,' Mr Schwab told '[But] we were able to charter a plane for 25 days at a super wholesale rate which is inaccessible for the normal person. 'We have got six tour companies sharing one plane, with around 140 passengers. 'It's not as luxurious as eight people on a plane, but 90 per cent of the benefits are the same – you're getting almost all the perks but at a lot less cost.' The price is $1200 per person, per day – over 25 days that's $30,000 and includes twin share, minimum 4 and 5 star accommodation and all the touring activities and most meals. While Mr Schwab said it still may not be for everyone, when breaking down what's involved 'it's worth it'. 'This is not to say $30,000 isn't nothing, but it's targeted as a 'once in a lifetime' experience,' he explained. 'Many of the routes we will fly aren't offered as direct flights by commercial airlines so flying on [your] own exclusive plane between some of the most extraordinary places in Europe will allow [our] travellers to make the most of the amazing outings hosted by local experts in each destination.' The A320-200 aircraft will travel between Prague, Bergen, San Sebastian, Porto, Marrakesh, Champagne, Sicily, Dubrovnik, and Istanbul. He said it takes the hassle out of spending hours at an airport, checking in baggage, going through customs and security, as this process involves a private, smaller airport, with bags also dropped off at each hotel you stay. The private trip is limited to 140 people, with a fleet of small luxury coaches taking a maximum of 25 people at a time on their in-destination adventures. Passengers will have options for Michelin-starred dining on top of the all-inclusive local culinary experiences. Other experiences include a Flåm Railway journey through Norway's fjords, a Pintxo tour in San Sebastian to explore the city's famed bars and sample Basque tapas, Agafay Desert luxury camp in Morocco and beachfront hotel in Taormina, Sicily with a private beach surrounded by carved rock. Mr Schwab said at a time where people are concerned about the cost of living, he's also noticed people are happy to spend a bit more on something that is of great value – 'paying less and getting more'. Luxury Escapes created the private charter tour in direct response to the growing demand for 'unique, meaningful travel', with customer research showing more than 70 per cent of Australians are more likely to indulge in a luxury holiday if it goes 'beyond the ordinary'. Mr Schwab said the new tour the most ambitious trip they've created, adding it's a seamless collection of once-in-a-lifetime European moments 'with some serious bougieness'.
