All posts filed under: News, Features, Info & Tips

Self-Catering/DIY - Explore, TravelBloggers.ca

What’s Your Holiday Style? ❀ All-Inclusive ❀ Hotels & Restaurants ❀ Self-Catered ❀

Iain is always quick to tell people that his Polish-Ukrainian wife is far more Scottish than he is … and yes, I’ll admit it … I’m frugal! With that, I can tell you that only ONCE in our 21 married years have we ever gone on an all-inclusive vacation … and it was probably our least favorite (for more reasons than one, but we won’t get into that). I’m not sure if that really tells you anything, other than maybe I’d rather not sit still and be waited on?  Though I’m sure Iain would disagree with that statement, but let’s not argue the details, let’s just talk about the options!Though we don’t have a gaggle of kids in tow when we travel we still tend to vacation on a budget, or even a shoe string where possible. For some reason we can’t get our heads wrapped around spending more money to stay ONE week in a hotel than we would for our monthly housing expenses at home. Call us crazy (we’re okay with that), but …

Go Airport Shuttle, TravelBloggers.ca

New app Lets Travellers Book Airport Shuttles Quickly With Just One Click

The GO Group has launched an updated app that allows travellers to book a GO Airport Shuttle from their mobile phones.  The new version called GO Airport Shuttle, stores users’ personal information, which speeds up the booking process thereby making it easy for travelers to find transportation in their destination city. To make a reservation, users simply access the app and enter their flight, arrival and/or destination information and the app connects them with reservations for an airport shuttle service. This program also now stores a customer’s information, so travellers who use the app multiple times will be able to book transportation with just the touch of a button.  “Mobile devices [are] increasingly becoming the booking method of choice for travellers, so this app allows one-stop shopping for all travel needs, allowing anyone to book ground transportation quickly from any location,” said John McCarthy, president of The GO Group – serving more than 50 airports in the United States, Canada and Europe. The app is ideal for anyone that travels to international destinations like London, Paris, Toronto, Mexico City, as …

http://www.groupon.com//raf/UserReferral_rp/121015/10r1act/lk/uu53515483

Get Travel Discounts Wherever You Go In 3 Easy Steps

If you’re travelling in the U.S. or Canada especially – but also world-wide, here’s an easy way to research a travel destination and get multiple discounts at the same time… # 1. Go to Groupon.com/learn  (just typing without the “/learn” will take you to your local area and also limit your search outside that area). Click the down arrow beside your city and you’ll get the option of other areas and countries.        What is Groupon? “Groupon negotiates huge discounts—usually 50-90% off—with popular businesses. We send the deals to thousands of subscribers in our free daily email, and we send the businesses a ton of new customers.”  # 2. Find the city that you’re travelling to or a nearby city if you’re planning on a side-trip (or passing through). Click on the name of the city to go to its daily deal page. # 3. Either sign up for the newsletter and receive a new deal each day in your in-box, or click on “Today’s Deal” to see the daily discount. You’ll find …

Air China's "Smiling China", B777, TravelBloggers.ca

Air China increased its Beijing-New York service from 7 to 11 times weekly

‘Smiling China’ Kick-starts Service Upgrade BEIJING, April 2, 2013 /CNW/ – Air China’s “Smiling China” aircraft, which sports the livery of smiling faces, touched down at New York’s Kennedy International Airport at on March 31, 2013. The B-2035, one of the aircraft in Air China’s B777-300ER fleet, is the prelude to a new endeavor to upgrade Beijing-New York operations. Air China’s Beijing-New York route – the most important and busiest between China and the United States – increased from seven to 11 times a week starting March 31. The newly added flights are CA989/990. The airliner used on the route was upgraded to B777-300ER, a type popular with business travelers. In 2012, China was the world’s second largest source market for outbound tourist traffic, and the United States was the most popular destination for Chinese travelers. Beijing’s new policy also allows travelers from 45 countries, including the United States, to stay in Beijing for 72 hours during flight transfers without a visa. After in-depth market research and based on its deep understanding of business travelers’ …

WestJet, TravelBloggers.ca

WestJet Eases Restrictions On Pets In The Cabin

Airline looks to attract more guests who want to travel with the family pet CALGARY, April 1, 2013 /CNW/ – WestJet today announced the easing of restrictions on pets in the cabin. All WestJet flights will now allow for any type of animal to travel in the cabin provided it fits safely on board the aircraft. Further, the airline will no longer require animals to be kept in kennels while on board the aircraft. “We recognize that a growing number of families want to travel with their ‘extended’ family and we are proud to be the first airline to offer this type of service,” said Richard Bartrem, WestJet’s Vice-President, Communications and Community Relations.

The Canadian Transportation Agency seeks the views of the public for baggage rules to, from and within Canada

The Canadian Transportation Agency Launches a Consultation on Baggage Rules OTTAWA — March 26, 2013 — The Canadian Transportation Agency today launched a consultation to seek the views of the public and industry on the best approach to the application of baggage rules for transportation to, from and within Canada involving multiple air carriers. Baggage rules address matters such as the number of bags a passenger may check, the weight and size of baggage, how many pieces of baggage a passenger may bring with them on the airplane and excess baggage charges. Carriers can have different policies in this respect, raising the issue of which carrier’s policy applies in travel arrangements involving multiple air carriers. Currently, different approaches to baggage rules are used around the world. This results in uneven practices internationally and ultimately creates the possibility of confusion and extra charges for consumers and the industry. The goal is to have a clear approach to ensure transparency for consumers and industry alike.