2023 was a year of reinvention.
Coming out of the darkness of COVID-19, it was a year that opened up a world of possibilities for travel professionals as Canadians chose to pack their bags and explore, filling hotels, planes and cruise ships around the world.
For the travel industry, it was also a year of game-changing announcements as suppliers and travel advisors evaluated a changed marketplace and made decisions accordingly.
Some decisions came easy, others were tough. But there’s one thing we can’t deny: 2023 was packed with some incredible stories.
What could PAX readers not get enough of in 2023? Here’s our ten most-viewed articles of the year.
“Enough is enough”: Agents blast Sunwing for suspending SK flights, recalling commissions (Jan. 4, 2023)
Travel advisors in Saskatchewan started 2023 with disappointed clients, paperwork and thousands of dollars in lost income after Sunwing suspended flights out of Saskatoon and Regina, cancelling bookings at the last minute, and recalling commissions. Sunwing blamed the move – which was later repeated in other parts of Canada – on a variety of factors (a snowstorm, a pilot shortage, and poor airport infrastructure), and the company made several apologies.
The disruptions that left Canadians stranded and scrambling over the holidays last year was addressed by Sunwing (and WestJet and Air Canada) at a federal hearing later on in Ottawa.
The incident sparked calls for industry change, and Sunwing has since shared a winter readiness plan containing improved communication systems, along more staff and airplanes.
It’s a turbulent tale that racked up clicks on PAX News, but our take is that most would prefer to learn from this, and move on.
Inside Porter’s new Embraer E195-E2 & mission to remove “pain points” from economy (Jan. 28, 2023)
2023 started with a whole new Porter Airlines. In January, PAX hopped aboard a preview flight showcasing Porter’s new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft and in-flight service.
From free Wi-Fi to no middle seats to fresh meals and all-inclusive fares, it was our first look into Porter’s mission to remove pain points in economy.
The E195-E2s have since allowed Porter to expand to Central and Western Canada, and major U.S. cities, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and five cities in Florida.
By the end of next year, the airline will have its first 50 Embraer jets, which will support further expansion into Mexico and the Caribbean.
Partnerships with other carriers, such as Air Transat and Alaska Airlines, are also bolstering Porter’s growth strategy. This will be an airline to watch in 2024.
CTA approves request from Jetlines to fly to Europe, Mexico, Cuba, D.R., Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia (Feb. 3, 2023)
Licence approvals from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) are posted in the public domain and can shed light on the direction airlines are going.
Newcomer Canada Jetlines, in February, was given the green light on several applications, securing permission to operate flights to Europe, Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia.
Toronto-based, value-oriented Jetlines, which turned one in September, flies to Las Vegas, Orlando, and Cancun out of Toronto Pearson, and recently launched a new service to Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The company, which also now has a bonded tour operator division, plans to expand its fleet of Airbus A320 to a minimum of 15 aircraft by 2025.
More destinations haven’t been announced yet, but the high traffic our story about the CTA’s approval of Jetlines received tells us that the travel industry is watching this airline closely.
Strike averted: WestJet pilots reach 11th-hour deal (May 19, 2023)
After around-the-clock negotiations, The WestJet Group and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) reached a last-minute tentative agreement on May 19, averting a strike ahead of the May long weekend.
It was a tense week as WestJet (then inclusive of now-defunct Swoop) cancelled more than 100 flights – about a third of its operations – as negotiations with its pilots’ union dragged on.
An 11th-hour deal was reached, however, and everything was ratified in June, resulting in wage and quality-of-life improvements for pilots.
The agreement, notably, required Swoop’s flight operations to integrate into WestJet’s mainline by October – an action that was completed on Oct. 28. (PAX’s breaking news story about the possible demise of Swoop on May 22 also generated lots of clicks).
While the industry turned to PAX to get the latest updates on WestJet’s possible strike, as details unfolded, the way travel advisors handled the “roller-coaster” situation was equally popular with readers.
WestJet to integrate Sunwing, reconfigure aircraft; tour op unaffected, says Dawson (June 16, 2023)
Stories about The WestJet Group, out of all Canadian airlines, generated the most traffic on PAX this year – simply because the airline made the most noise.
There was the announcement to refocus routes and the fleet on Western Canada.
WestJet completing its acquisition of Sunwing in May also caught attention – although, this wasn’t a top-performing article because the news first broke in 2022. By this year, it was a known story.
It was PAX’s exclusive scoop about Sunwing Airlines being integrated into WestJet’s mainline that attracted the most eyeballs.
After obtaining an internal memo, PAX was the first media outlet to break this news, with inside details, from the airline’s vision to create a one-jet AOC that combines WestJet, Swoop and Sunwing, to its plan to reconfigure Sunwing and Swoop aircraft and densify cabins.
Sunwing’s Andrew Dawson later clarified that Sunwing Vacations, the tour operator, would not be impacted by the airline integration.
PAX presents the 10 Most Fascinating Travel Advisors of the pandemic (May 3, 2023)
Sales produce awards, but fascination drives a good story.
During the darkest days of COVID-19, there were glimmers of creativity as Canadian travel advisors reinvented themselves in inspiring ways.
For this year’s Travel Agent Day, on May 3, PAX debuted a new series dedicated to celebrating ten travel advisors who we thought were the “most fascinating” during the pandemic years.
The feature was inspired by the “10 Most Fascinating People” lists that were once televised and delivered by the late Barbara Walters at the end of every year.
PAX’s take on the format, which shared front-line stories about entrepreneurship and hustling, generated (and continues to generate) tons of traffic on our site.
In fact, the story was so successful, we’ve decided to make our “Most Fascinating” series an annual thing.
Stay tuned for our 2024 list, which we’ll publish on Travel Agent Day next year.
Air Canada to launch NDC program in June. SVP Mark Nasr explains what this means (April 19, 2023)
Air Canada launching its New Distribution Capabilities (NDC) program, which features expanded content and additional trade support for agencies and buyers, was a major move that advanced the airline beyond legacy distribution.
NDC promises more travel options, at the best possible prices, improving competitiveness and the customer experience. It enhances processes around change exchanges, cancellations, refunds, and seat assignments.
It also gives travel advisors the ability to finally engage with Aeroplan.
There was a lot to unpack about Air Canada’s NDC switch-over, which the airline first announced in April.
The program went live on June 14, giving businesses time to adapt. But agencies had a lot to learn, which is why our interview with Mark Nasr, senior vice-president of products, marketing, and eCommerce at Air Canada, ranked high in page views.
“There’s nothing official”: Agents, tour ops left in dark about Egypt’s new visa process (Sept. 5, 2023)
Egypt’s new visa process, announced in September, caused headaches for everyone – including the media, who, like everyone, was left in the dark about how to apply for one.
It all started when it was revealed that Canadians travelling to Egypt from Oct. 1 would have to visit Egypt’s embassy or a consulate in Canada to apply for a visa before they leave the country.
(Previously, travellers could get visas upon arrival in Cairo, or obtain an e-visa before departure).
Amid conflicting reports and poor communications, the initial details for this story were obtained by tour operators like G Adventures, who sent a staff member to Egypt’s embassy in Ottawa to get official instructions – which they found, taped to a door.
The Embassy of Egypt in Ottawa eventually posted something official, stating that no e-visas would be issued as of Oct. 1, 2023 (but ones obtained before that date would be honoured).
Readers turned to PAX to get the latest updates on visas for Egypt – and to hear about how travel advisors were navigating the system – making this the most-clicked story of the fall season.
WestJet shutting down agent booking channel (Oct. 10, 2023)
Another WestJet story makes our most-read list for 2023 – and it’s one that travel advisors weren’t thrilled about.
WestJet deciding to decommission its booking channel,
WestJet Agent, had readers turning to PAX News, which was first to break this story, late at night, after an industry insider tipped us off.
The airline’s trade booking channel shut down on Oct. 24, and information on a replacement has been limited.
In a statement on Oct. 13, WestJet’s Director of Sales, Amanda Ierfino said WestJet Agent was shutting down for “technical reasons,” noting that a new booking option could be in place by Q1 of 2024.
That same month, at a lunch event, PAX asked company CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech directly what was going on.
While he didn’t have specifics, von Hoensbroech said he was aware of the issue and that his team was “working very intensely to create a solution.”
“Our travel partners are very important to us,” von Hoensbroech told us. “Obviously we sell a certain share of tickets on our direct channels, but we also sell a very significant chunk through our travel partners. Having travel partners that are offering what we have, and selling it to our guests, is core to our strategy.”
“We will make sure that our partners have all the tools and services they need to be able to sell WestJet tickets or vacation packages.”
Watch for PAX’s follow-up on this important story in 2024.
“An ocean state of mind”: What travel pros are saying about the new EXPLORA I (Aug. 4, 2023)
Of all the cruise lines we wrote about, the company that made the biggest splash in 2023, in terms of story clicks, was Explora Journeys, MSC Group‘s new luxury lifestyle brand.
The company’s first yacht-style ship, the 461-suite, EXPLORA I,
commenced its maiden journey in August, and while PAX wasn’t on board, several people we knew were.
In line with our mission to provide readers with on-location content that goes beyond press releases, we were among the first trade outlets to publish real photos of the luxurious ship, taken by real passengers, who shared with us their first impressions.
This seemed to resonate with PAX readers, who ate the content up as we provided a fresh, onboard perspective of a new brand that invites guests to embrace an “ocean state of mind.”
PAX
eventually got to experience EXPLORA I’s service-oriented, all-inclusive offer – which, we can confirm, is attracting (and impressing) former Crystal customers – and we’re convinced. This is a luxury line with legs to watch in 2024.
Don’t miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today! Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.