It’s a well-known characteristic of human beings that they don’t like to be stuck anywhere longer than they have to be. Unfortunately, that was the case for the people on an Air Transat, Canada-bound flight from Italy that was grounded. A number of Canadian passengers were stuck in a hot plane with no air conditioning and very little water for six hours.
The airplane, which was heading to Toronto from Italy was grounded due to mechanical issues, and the passengers of flight 9309 were not allowed to head back into the terminal. Instead, they stayed on the plane and endured temperatures of up to 40 degrees, as passengers reported that the plane had no air conditioning. Brian Costa, one of the passengers on the flight, told CityNews, “We weren’t allowed to pass the stairs onto the tarmac. It was absolutely horrendous.”
Although passengers were eventually able to leave the plane and given hotel accommodations, people were less than pleased with the outcome. “They put us in a garbage hotel,” Costa told CityNews.
During the ordeal passengers also took to Twitter to express their outrage and shock at the whole situation.
Sitting on a hot plane for over 4 hours now in Rome, no food has been provided and there is no AC or airflow
How is being stuck on a plane with no AC for 6+ hrs with minimal updates and then you cancel the flight? Inhumane. How is this acceptable in 2019. Air Transat explain yourselves.
Some also called out Air Transat directly, with people criticizing the company on Twitter for how they handled the situation.
@airtransat Me thinking that my friend from #TS9309 is going to make it home today and then realizing that she’s probably going to delayed further in Rome
@airtransat as a passenger on #ts9309 we were told a rep from the company would be at the gate to talk with us from the flight. Never saw the person we were meant to speak with. Who should we be contacting? Or when should we be expecting someone to contact us?—
At least one person even expressed that they were worried to fly on Air Transat after this whole ordeal.
This is crazy. I have 2 small children flying with me on AirTransat this week and the fact there is a small chance that this is even possible is frightening.
Canada’s new passenger bill of rights guarantees that if passengers are stuck on a plane longer than three hours than it must return to the gate to allow passengers to leave. It also guarantees that planes will be air-conditioned during any delays. Unfortunately, since the plane was grounded in Italy, the bill of rights did not apply in this case. However, passengers were offered 600 euros for the inconvenience.
Air Canada (TSE: AC) reported a 12.1 drop in quarterly cargo revenue on weaker volumes on its Atlantic and Pacific routes stemming from trade disputes.
Canada’s largest airline brought in C$177 million (a Canadian dollar equals US$0.76) from cargo operations during the second quarter of 2019 compared to C$200 million a year earlier. Pacific revenue dropped by 21.1 percent to C$64 million, while Atlantic revenue declined by 17.8 percent to C$75 million.
“This industry-wide situation reflects the impact of external factors, primarily centered around ongoing trade disputes,” the airline said in a statement on July 30.
Cargo represented about 4 percent of Air Canada’s C$4.3 billion revenue for the quarter. The airline did not disclose cargo operating income. Air Canada had a net income of C$343 million, compared to a $102 million loss a year ago.
Air Canada reported growth in its smaller Canadian and U.S. cross-border cargo business. Domestic cargo revenues increased by 20.5 percent to C$29 million, while U.S. revenues rose by 18.4 percent to C$13 million.
Overall, the airline’s cargo traffic dropped by 7 percent.
Air Canada is in the process of buying Transat, the parent company of Canada’s third-largest airline.
In June, Air Canada reached an agreement to market and sell Drone Delivery Canada’s (TSXV: FLT) autonomous air cargo services.
MONTRÉAL, July 31, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ – ADM Aéroports de Montréal has released its consolidated operating results for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2019. Since the beginning of the year, YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport has welcomed 9.7 million passengers, an increase of 5.7% over the same period last year.
Highlights – passengers
YUL is continuing to welcome more and more passengers: 5.0 million passengers in the second quarter of 2019 (+5.0%) and 9.7 million in the first half of 2019 (+5.7% ).
All three activity sectors, international, transborder and domestic, contributed to the growth. The increase was especially pronounced on the international side, with the sector posting a 9.8% increase in passenger traffic for the quarter under review and 10.7% in the six-month period.
With an expanding number of destinations, YUL remains Canada’s most international airport as a proportion of its total passenger traffic (among the country’s largest airports).
In the second quarter of 2019, commercial air movements at YUL dropped by 2.1%, reflecting an increase in the number of passengers per flight. For the first six months of the year, the decline was 1.2%.
Financial results at a glance:
EBITDA was $85.4 million in the second quarter of 2019, up $1.5 million, or 1.8%, from the same period in 2018. For the first half of the year, EBITDA totalled $175.0 million, up $25.5 million, or 17.1%, from the same period in 2018.
Consolidated revenues totalled $170.1 million in the second quarter of 2019, an increase of $10.8 million, or 6.8%, compared to 2018. Total revenues at June 30, 2019, increased by 14.2% to $348.1 million in 2019 from $304.8 millionthe previous year. This increase is mainly attributable to the increase in passenger traffic, the rate increase of AIFs, as well as to a gain on the disposition of assets.
Operating expenses for the quarter under review were $56.0 million, an increase of $7.7 million, or 15.9%, over the same period in 2018. For the six months ended June 30, 2019, operating expenses increased by $13.4 million, or 13.2%. This variance is mainly attributable to investments to maintain a high level of service for travelers in a context of infrastructure under-capacity as well as to implementation costs related to initiatives to enhance competitiveness.
The Corporation’s capital investments totalled $77.2 million during the second quarter of 2019 and $116.5 million in the first six months of 2019 ($62.0 million and $86.3 million, respectively, in 2018). Investments in YUL and YMX were financed by cash flows from operating activities.
“The first six months of 2019 show sustained growth in passenger traffic, demonstrating the strength of Montréal-Trudeau as an international hub for air traffic. The management of Aéroports de Montréal wishes to thank its employees and those of the airport community, who contribute every day to achieving these more than satisfactory results, in addition to enhancing the level of service offered to the passengers who visit YUL,” said Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal.
All information about these financial results is available online.
In recent months, various initiatives have been deployed:
On July 19, ADM held a ground-breaking ceremony to formally kick off construction work for the future Réseau express métropolitain (REM) station. The first REM metro car will enter the station at YUL in 2023 and will enable users to reach the city centre from the airport in about 20 minutes.
ADM announced its participation in Known Traveller Digital Identity (KTDI), a pilot project that will allow paperless travel between YUL and Schiphol Airport. The first trip using a digital identity for travelers is scheduled to take place in 2020.
ADM committed to increasing the proportion of its light electric vehicles to 100% by 2030 by joining the EV100initiative aimed at helping companies adopt electric vehicles.
On May 9, ADM launched WebTrak, the flight data system that provides access to flight paths, aircraft types, altitude and noise levels recorded at different noise measurement stations. This initiative provides citizens with greater accessibility to data related to aircraft activity at YUL.
RIGAUD, QC, July 31, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ – Regis Lebrun, General Manager of Fleury Michon SA and Claude Bergeron, President of Fleury Michon America are pleased to announce that the Fleury Michon SA Quebec subsidiary, Fleury Michon America is expanding its international airline catering business. With this acquisition, FMA will now have its equivalent in Europe through the acquisition of Marfo Group, a Dutch company specializing in prepared meals. «According to our strategic plan, we are accelerating our expansion through acquisitions. The Marfo acquisition allows us to take position in the growing airline catering industry and making this division one of the group’s main activity. », said Regis Lebrun, General Manager of Fleury Michon.
The acquisition of Marfo Group, the second-largest player in the European market for airline ready meals and snacking, makes Fleury Michon America/Marfo the world’s leading group in the sector, with production units in Quebec for North America and Europe. The production unit in Lelystad, Netherlands adds to the current production capacities in France.
Fleury Michon America and Marfo serve airline customers in most countries through Europe, the Middle East, Thailand, Korea, China, Japan, Canada and the US. Fleury Michon America/Marfo now benefits from a strong management team in Quebec, Netherlands and in France in addition to a field team in the US, Thailand, Korea and Japan. Other development projects are underway to accentuate our presence in the US and Asia.
For John Allard, General Manager of Fleury Michon America, this accelerated growth is forcing once again the company to actively search for candidates to fill out many positions in Rigaud and other locations.
Fleury Michon America, the Canadian division of Fleury Michon is based in Rigaud, Quebec and counts over 350 employees. The company’s mission is to be its clients’ partner in eating better. Therefore, Fleury Michon America’s Chefs work with quality ingredients to create well-balanced meals without compromising on taste. The team at Fleury Michon America is also committed to respect the highest food safety standards.
MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 31, 2019 /CNW/ – Cargojet Inc. (“Cargojet” or the “Corporation”) (TSX: CJT, CJT.A) announced today financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2019.
For the Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2019:
Total Revenues were $119.1 million, an increase of $10.1 million or 9.3% versus the previous year
Gross Margin was $26.6 million, an increase of $1.1 million or 4.3% versus the previous year
Adjusted EBITDA was $37.5 million, an increase of $8.7 million or 30.2% versus the previous year
Adjusted EBITDAR was $37.8 million, an increase of $5.7 million or 17.8% versus the previous year
“A strong financial discipline combined with continued strength in our core business allowed us to post another strong Quarter,” said Ajay Virmani, President and Chief Executive Officer. “As the courier industry shifts to 7 days-a-week delivery model to accommodate faster service expectations of e-Commerce retailers, we are uniquely positioned to execute on this new model. We are also finding growing synergistic opportunities in our ad hoc and ACMI charter business that is improving fleet utilization and overall margins. At the heart of our strategy is service excellence and I am extremely proud of Cargojet team that continues to exceed customer expectation by delivering unprecedented on-time performance,” he concluded.
Cargojet is Canada’s leading provider of time sensitive overnight air cargo services and carries over 1,300,000 pounds of cargo each business night. Cargojet operates its network across North America each business night, utilizing a fleet of all-cargo aircraft. For more information, please visit: www.cargojet.com.
OTTAWA, Canada, July 30, 2019 /CNW/ — Final preparations are being made for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team’s biggest-ever tour to North America, which includes performance or flypasts over 6 Canadian cities.
Aviation fans in Halifax, Ottawa-Gatineau, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Vancouver, and Victoria will have a unique opportunity to see the Red Arrows take flight during the team’s 11-week deployment, which is aimed at showcasing the UK at its best, and supporting trade, business and defence interests.
Red Arrows North America Tour 2019
The first public event of the tour will be a flypast with aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) over the historic Halifax waterfront on Sunday, August 11. This will be followed on August 13 by a flypast of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and an aerobatic display in Gatineau.
After visiting a number of cities in the US, the Red Arrows will return to Canada to appear at the Canadian International Airshow in Toronto over the Labour Day weekend. Later in September, they’ll return to Canada again for a special flypast over Vancouver Harbour and Victoria, British Columbia.
British High Commissioner to Canada Susan le Jeune d’Allegeershecque, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have the world famous Red Arrows in Canada this summer. This tour is an excellent opportunity to not only showcase the Red Arrows’ aerobatic expertise to Canadians from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but also to celebrate the close and enduring relationship between our two countries.”
Wing Commander Andrew Keith, Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, said: “Tours by the Red Arrows have always been an important role of the team – aiming to demonstrate RAF expertise, helping to highlight UK excellence across a range of sectors and celebrating close connections with friends and allies.
With only days to go before the Red Arrows depart for North America, and with more tour locations now being released, all of us in the team hope people across Canada will be able to join us in the coming weeks and enjoy one of our displays, flypasts or events.”
It is the first time the Red Arrows have been to Canada and the US since 2008, with the deployment of the most ambitious tour of North America ever undertaken by the team. With stops across the continent, in addition to the Canadian stops, the tour comprises a combination of nearly 20 aerobatic displays, several iconic flypasts and 100 separate ground engagement activities – from business receptions led by the UK Department for International Trade to sessions aimed at inspiring young people.
Each show in Canada will be a demonstration of creativity, engineering excellence and innovation – not just hallmarks of the Red Arrows and RAF but of the proven capabilities, strengths and skills of the UK.
Moreover, the tour provides the chance to celebrate and enhance international trade between the UK and Canada, which was worth more than £20 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2019, an of increase of more than 17% from the same period in 2018.
Wing Commander Keith said: “The men and women of the Red Arrows epitomise the skill, agility, teamwork and precision of the RAF and we are relishing the opportunity to travel overseas, display in front of hundreds of thousands of people and be ambassadors for a Global Britain.
“A key aim of the tour is to inspire people through safe, dynamic and visually-exciting shows. However, we have also planned dozens of ground events, where we hope to meet countless individuals and showcase the importance of science, technology, engineering and maths – the STEM subjects – in our work.”
Planning for the North American tour has spanned more than a year, and technical equipment and other resources have already been shipped to key “hub” locations in the US and Canada, in advance of the jets setting off from RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, in August.
Wing Commander Keith said: “A huge amount of energy has gone into preparing for this tour, involving detailed work by specialists from across the RAF and liaising closely with colleagues from the UK’s Department for International Trade, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and partners in Canada and the United States.”
The team’s Hawk jets, which cannot refuel in the air and do not have the range to make the transatlantic crossing in one sortie, will be flown via several stops, including Scotland, Iceland and Greenland, to reach Halifax – the first major location of the tour.
For more information on the Red Arrows tour, follow @rafredarrows on Twitter, like the team’s Facebook page at RAF Red Arrows, view pictures on Instagram @rafredarrows or visit www.raf.mod.uk/reds
Use #redarrowstour online to keep up-to-date with the Red Arrows’ tour of North America.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows showcase the excellence of the RAF and represent the United Kingdom both at home and overseas. The team consists of 11 pilots, nine of whom fly in the display, and more than 100 support personnel and technicians. Each of the pilots has previous fast-jet, operational experience flying the Tornado, Typhoon or Harrier, enabling the RAF to secure the skies and protect the nation and its interests, 365-days a year. One of the world’s premier aerobatic teams, the Red Arrows had completed nearly 5,000 displays, in 57 countries, by the beginning of 2019. Flying Hawk T1 jets, the team is based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.
LIST OF CANADIAN EVENTS FOR NORTH AMERICAN TOUR:
Below is the latest list of locations the Red Arrows will visit in Canada. Activities will typically include either a flypast, display or ground engagement – or a combination of these elements. Venues and places are subject to change. More details for each location will be released ahead of each stop and date:
HALIFAX
Partners for the Halifax visit include the Government of Nova Scotia, Develop Nova Scotia, the Halifax Regional Municipality, the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, The Discovery Centre and Air Show Atlantic.
Thursday, August 8 at 6pm & 9pm Red Arrows: King of the Skies
Get a unique view into the fast-paced world of the Red Arrows. This documentary, part of a six-episode series, provides exceptional access to what happens in the air and on ground as the team’s pilots, ground crew, engineers and support personnel prepare for a high profile season. Each screening will be followed by a Q&A with Red Arrows pilots and engineers.
Friday, August 9 to Sunday, August 11 A Great British Weekend: celebrate aviation with the Red Arrows
Join us for a series of events at the UK’s pop-up pavilion on the waterfront as we celebrate the fantastic world of aviation. From past to present, get an up-close look at an iconic Spitfire provided by the Air Show Atlantic and then put on a VR headset and take a ride in the cockpit during a Red Arrows flypast.
The Discovery Centre will also be on-location to explain the science behind flight with interactive demonstrations for all ages. And don’t forget to grab a souvenir photo at the Red Arrows photo booth!
Of course, we also need to have some food and music! Our friends at Pete’s Footique and Fine Foods will be sampling fantastic British nibbles and we are happy to present a special performance by the Welsh Tornado Gareth Pearson.
Location: Summit Plaza (next to The Wave) Cost: Free
Sunday, August 11 at 2pm Red Arrows Over Halifax
The main event of the Red Arrows visit to Halifax, this unique celebration of the UK and Canada’s longstanding defence partnership will include a special series of flypasts by aircraft from both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force.
RCAF aircraft scheduled to take part include, CH146 Griffon, CH148 Cyclone and CH149 Cormorant helicopters along with a CC130H Hercules and a CP140 Aurora. From the RAF, an A400M will pass along the waterfront followed by an enhanced flypast by the Red Arrows trailed by their signature red, white, and blue smoke.
Location: Halifax and Dartmouth Waterfronts Cost: Free
OTTAWA
Tuesday, August 13 at 10am Flypast over Parliament Hill
A special flypast by the Red Arrows of Parliament Hill, to coincide with the changing of the guard ceremony. Further details to be announced.
Location: Parliament Hill
GATINEAU
Tuesday, August 13 at 1pm Red Arrows at Aero Gatineau-Ottawa
The first aerobatic performance of the Red Arrows tour promises to be very British and very exciting with the Red Arrows in their scarlet BAE Systems Hawk T1s putting on a thrilling afternoon display along with performances by the fighter aircraft and trainers from Vintage Wings of Canada and stunning solo aerobatics by Rick Volker in his Sukhoi 26.
Tuesday, September 24 Red Arrows: King of the Skies
Get an exclusive peek into the fast-paced world of the Red Arrows. This documentary, part of a six-episode series, provides exceptional access to what happens in the air and on ground as the team’s pilots, ground crew, engineers and support personnel prepare for a high-profile season. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Red Arrows pilots and engineers.
Location: Science World at TELUS World of Science Event Details: to be announced
Thursday, September 26 Red Arrows over Vancouver
Join us for a day of aviation-themed activities, as we celebrate the Red Arrows tour across North America. Meet the crew, don a VR headset for a virtual ride in the cockpit during a Red Arrows flypast, grab a souvenir photo at the Red Arrows photo booth and more! This full-day event will culminate in the enhanced flypast over the iconic Vancouver Harbour at 5pm by the Red Arrows, trailed by their signature red, white, and blue smoke. Further details to be announced in the coming weeks.
Science World at TELUS World of Science and HR MacMillan Space Centre will also be on-location to explain the science behind flight with interactive demonstrations for all ages.
VICTORIA
Thursday, September 26 Red Arrows over Victoria
The Red Arrows continue their visit to Canada’s Pacific Coast with a flypast over British Columbia’s capital. Further details to be announced in the coming weeks.
A float plane crash near Sechelt, B.C. on July 30, 2019 (Courtesy CityNews)
Sechelt, B.C. – Three people in a float plane crash near Sechelt, B.C. are all accounted for after they went into the water.
Cst. Karen Whitby with Sunshine Coast RCMP says the survivors were lucky a tugboat was in the area and able to respond.
She says RCMP received the call at 12:55 p.m. and responded along with the Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre.
“[The tugboat] was able to drop his load and pick up the three occupants,” says Whitby. “Very fortunately, they were not injured.”
MORE: #RCMP tell us 3 people have been rescued & had minor to no injuries. A hovercraft is transporting them to shore in Davis Bay. They will be looked over by EHS. Transport Canada will take the lead on the investigation. More details this afternoon on @NEWS1130. https://t.co/uUGYy6CFyg
A hovercraft picked up the three individuals from the tugboat and transported them into Davis Bay where BC Emergency Health Services was able to look them over.
“Looks like it’s just minor injuries at this point, but they have been transported to Sechelt Hospital just for an assessment,” says Whitby.
The float plane has now sunk.
She says the investigation will be taken over by Transport Canada to understand exactly what happened.
The Air France–KLM Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 60 A220-300 aircraft to modernise its fleet. By acquiring the industry’s most efficient and technologically advanced single-aisle aircraft, the airline will benefit from a significant reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions. These A220s are intended to be operated by Air France.
“The acquisition of these brand new A220-300s aligns perfectly with Air France–KLM’s overall fleet modernisation and harmonisation strategy,” said Benjamin Smith, CEO of the Air France-KLM Group. “This aircraft demonstrates optimum operational and economic efficiency and enables us to further improve our environment footprint thanks to the A220’s low fuel consumption and reduced emissions. It is also perfectly adapted to our domestic and European network and will enable Air France to operate more efficiently on its short and medium-haul routes.”
“It is an honour for Airbus that Air France, a long-standing valued customer, has endorsed our latest family member, the A220, for its fleet renewal plans,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to supporting Air France with our A220 by bringing the latest technologies, efficiency levels, and environment benefits. We are delighted to embark on this partnership and we are looking forward to seeing the A220 flying in the Air France colours.”
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and wide-body passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.
Air France currently operates a fleet of 144 Airbus aircraft.
With an order book of 551 aircraft as of end of June 2019, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100-to-150-seat aircraft market, estimated to represent 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.
An arrest has been made in the wake of several people having their luggage stolen at YVR
Mounties used surveillance footage to identify a suspect in the recent thefts
RICHMOND (NEWS 1130) — Richmond Mounties have made an arrest in connection with a series of recent luggage thefts at YVR.
A man was recently apprehended at the airport when an RCMP officer recognized him from a surveillance image.
The image of the suspect was circulated to security and law enforcement.
Police are still working with airport security and doing a full investigation hoping to trace the suspects’ steps to find out if he was working alone or with others.
Mounties are reminding people to be extra careful with possessions when they’re travelling, and to report suspicious people and activities to authorities.
Canadian Aviation News 
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