HALIFAX, NS, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ – WestJet today announced an expansion of its codeshare partnerships with Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM), offering guests connecting through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle enhanced access a broader network of European destinations all with the ease of a single booking.

“As part of our commitment to flying Canadians where they want to go, these expanded partnerships provide WestJet guests with more options to explore 59 sought-after European destinations this summer,” said Jared Mikoch-Gerke, WestJet Director of Airport Affairs and Alliances. “With WestJet’s recent transatlantic network expansions, guests travelling from across the country will benefit from more choice and convenience when travelling through Paris and Amsterdam. For guests originating in, or connecting through Atlantic Canada in particular, these enhancements are a gamechanger – offering guests travelling from or through Halifax and St. John’s more destinations, fewer layovers and convenient access to Europe.”

Guests travelling on WestJet codeshare flights with Air France and KLM will enjoy the convenience of booking their entire journey on one ticket, with a seamless single connection at CDG or AMS, baggage transfers and earning WestJet Rewards throughout their journey.

WestJet and KLM open the door for more Europe from Atlantic Canada

Guests flying WestJet’s new route from Halifax to Amsterdam can connect beyond AMS to 14 destinations throughout KLM’s European network including multiple cities in Italy, Portugal and France.

Additional Air France codeshare destinations deliver on choice for East and West

WestJet guests departing from Calgary, Halifax and St. John’s can now access four additional European destinations via CDG. With today’s enhancements, guests have access to more than 50 destinations through Air France’s massive network in Europe through their global hub in Paris.

MONTREAL, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ – Air Transat, voted the 2024 World’s Best Leisure Airline by Skytrax, continues to enhance its winter program with the addition of three new departure points in Canada. Starting in winter 2025-2026, travellers from Windsor (YQG) will enjoy weekly flights to Punta Cana (PUJ), while those from Charlottetown (YYG) and Fredericton (YFC) will have access to a new route to Cancún (CUN).

“The addition of Windsor, Charlottetown and Fredericton to our winter flight program demonstrates our commitment to expanding our network in the Canadian market,” said Sebastian Ponce, Transat’s Chief Revenue Officer. “Thanks to optimized operations, we are strengthening our leadership position in Cancún and Punta Cana, while increasing our brand presence in Eastern Canada and Southern Ontario.”

Departures from Windsor to Punta Cana will be offered every Friday from December 19, 2025, to April 10, 2026. Then, starting February 18, 2026, flights from Charlottetown and Fredericton to Cancún will be offered every Wednesday, until April 22, 2026.

These new routes will offer travellers from these regions direct access to these popular sun destinations, as well as the simplicity of Transat’s signature all-inclusive packages.

Details of Air Transat’s full winter 2025-2026 program will be announced soon.

SÃO PAULO, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (B3: GOLL4), one of the leading airlines in Brazil and part of the ABRA Group, announced today its consolidated results for the first quarter of 2025 (1Q25). All information herein is presented in Brazilian Reais (R$), unless otherwise noted, in accordance with international accounting standards (IFRS), with adjusted metrics made available to enable comparison of this quarter (1Q25) with the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24).

Highlights

GOL – Passenger Business

• The Company increased its capacity (ASK) by 12.0% in 1Q25 (vs 1Q24), highlighting an increase of almost 50% in its international capacity in the same period (vs 1Q24), a reflection of the plan to rebuild capacity and expand the network.
• On-time Performance (OTP) remained consistent with recent months and reached 89.4% in 1Q25, an increase of 6.5 p.p. (vs 1Q24), placing the Company as the most punctual airline in Brazil in the quarter.
• Passenger Business’ Net Revenue grew by 19.4% in 1Q25 (vs 1Q24), driven by a 6.6% increase in RASK, reflecting greater efficiency in generating revenue per available seat.
• In 1Q25, the Company received two new MAX-8 aircraft, totaling 54 units of the model in its fleet, in line with the fleet renewal strategy and greater operational efficiency.

Smiles – Loyalty Program

• Miles redeemed grew by 17.9% in 1Q25 (vs 1Q24), highlighting a 1.4 p.p. increase in the share of redemptions for non-airline products and services — reinforcing Smiles’ positioning as an increasingly complete loyalty platform.
• Smiles’ revenue maintained its growth trajectory, with a 12.4% increase in 1Q25 (vs 1Q24).
• Clube Smiles’ number of customers grew by 6.9% in 1Q25 (vs 1Q24), reaching the level of almost 1.2 million subscribers.

GOLLOG – Cargo Business

• The transported weight in 1Q25 increased by 6.8% (vs 1Q24), reflecting the expansion of dedicated cargo operations and the higher demand in the period.
• GOLLOG’s revenue continued to grow in 1Q25, with an increase of 17.0% (vs 1Q24).

The multi-year renewal strengthens Avelo’s retailing capabilities and introduces AI-powered personalization via the intelligent SabreMosaic platform

SOUTHLAKE, Texas and HOUSTON, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR) a leading global travel technology company, and Avelo Airlines today announced the renewal of their multi-year agreement for Sabre’s Radixx platform, supporting the airline’s retailing and operational needs. The extended partnership reinforces Avelo’s confidence in Radixx’s flexible, next-generation passenger services system (PSS) as a foundation for growth and innovation. In addition, Avelo has signed a new agreement to become the first Radixx airline to adopt SabreMosaic Ancillary IQ—an AI-powered solution that dynamically optimizes ancillary offers in real time to enhance personalization and drive incremental revenue.

SabreMosaic Ancillary IQ, part of the SabreMosaic Offer Management suite, leverages advanced machine learning models powered by Sabre Travel AI™ to help airlines deliver personalized offers to travelers across the journey. By optimizing both the timing and pricing of ancillary services, the solution enables airlines to drive incremental revenue and better meet traveler needs.

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Avelo Airlines, supporting their mission to deliver simple, reliable, and affordable travel,” said Darren Rickey, Senior Vice President, Global Airline Sales and Accounts at Sabre. “Avelo’s adoption of SabreMosaic Ancillary IQ is not just a milestone for our Radixx platform — it’s a clear sign of their commitment to innovation and customer-centric retailing. With AI-driven insights, Avelo is poised to elevate the passenger experience while maximizing revenue opportunities.”

Since its launch, Avelo Airlines has consistently prioritized innovation to deliver an efficient and cost-effective experience, operating out of convenient secondary airports and offering everyday low fares without compromising on service. The airline has been leveraging Radixx technology to support its fast-growing operations and retailing ambitions.

“At Avelo Airlines, we’re all about making travel easier, more reliable, and more affordable,” said Brian Davis, Chief Commercial Officer at Avelo Airlines. “That’s why we’re excited to team up with Sabre and introduce SabreMosaic Ancillary IQ technology. This partnership allows us to offer even more convenience and value to our customers—helping us deliver on our mission to Inspire Travel through smart innovation and great affordability.” The continued partnership and deployment of SabreMosaic Ancillary IQ marks the next phase in Avelo’s digital evolution, as the airline focuses on scalable, data-driven tools that support long-term growth and differentiation in an increasingly competitive market.

For winter 2025/2026, SAS is expanding its traffic program with six new destinations from its Copenhagen hub: Vienna, Tel Aviv, Marrakech, Madeira, Fuerteventura, and Kittilä. The winter schedule will also feature increased frequencies on existing routes, contributing to a total seat capacity growth of 40%.

The enhanced winter schedule also includes the continuation of 22 popular summer routes. With increased frequencies on key connections, travelers will enjoy more options and greater flexibility — contributing to a 75% improvement in overall connectivity. These additions strengthen travel to and from Scandinavia and reinforce Copenhagen’s role as a leading hub in Northern Europe.

“It’s exciting to unveil these new destinations for the winter season, providing our customers with even more opportunities to explore and enjoy unique experiences. With an expanded network and increased seat capacity, connectivity throughout Scandinavia will be significantly enhanced — ensuring greater flexibility, convenience, and more options for travelers to reach their favorite locations,” says Henrik Winell, Vice President Network at SAS.

The new services are designed to connect seamlessly not only with SAS’ hubs in Stockholm and Oslo but also with cities such as Gothenburg, Billund, Aarhus, Aalborg, Bergen, Stavanger, Tallinn, and Gdansk, as well as the rest of the network across the Nordics and Europe.
 

New and diverse routes
Vienna, Austria – a historic capital renowned for its classical music, art, architecture, and imperial heritage. SAS will offer daily morning flights.

Tel Aviv, Israel–a major financial center of the Middle East and global high-tech hub, often referred to as “Silicon Wadi”. Served with three weekly frequencies, allowing connections to key European cities and the US.

Marrakech, Morocco – a cultural blend, known for its rich cuisine, and colorful souks, and access to the Atlas Mountains. With two weekly flights, visitors can enjoy an interesting cultural experience, whether staying in luxurious resorts or traditional riads.

Madeira, Portugal – a lush island home to an abundance of flowers, diverse landscapes, scenic hiking trails, good food, and a mild year-round climate. A weekly flight from Copenhagen will complement existing services from Stockholm.

Fuerteventura, Spain – this Canary Island is ideal for sun-seekers and water sports enthusiasts such as windsurfing and kiteboarding, famous for its golden beaches, clear waters, and warm temperatures. Served once weekly.

Kittilä, Finland – set in the heart of Finnish Lapland, home to the Levi and Ylläs ski resorts, offers a wide variety of winter experiences — from skiing and snowmobiling to the magical opportunity to witness the Northern Lights. Flights operate twice weekly from January to March. 

Popular summer destinations remain in SAS’ winter program
Following SAS’ expansion for the summer season 2025, 22 seasonal routes will continue into winter, providing travelers with year-round access to both major cities and leisure getaways.

Among the highlights is Toronto, Canada — a dynamic city known for its mix of cultures, thriving food scene, and well-known sights such as the CN Tower. Its proximity to popular destinations like Niagara Falls also makes it a strong travel option. With four weekly departures, SAS will be the only airline offering direct service between Scandinavia and Canada during the winter season, while ensuring smooth connections to the broader SAS network across Europe.

SAS’ new direct service to Seoul, Korea, launching on 12 September 2025, will continue through the winter season with three weekly departures.

In Europe, cities like Krakow, Wroclaw, Budapest, Lyon, Madrid, Venice, Beirut, and Lisbon will remain part of the traffic throughout the colder months.

“Whether traveling between Copenhagen and any of these European cities, or connecting onward to Northern Europe and beyond, SAS offers convenient schedules, and a wide range of travel options designed to make the journey as smooth and flexible as possible,” says Henrik Winell.

Six new routes winter 25/26, operated by the fuel-efficient Airbus A320NEO

22 new summer routes extended into winter 25/26

Cutting-edge technology introduced as part of British Airways’ £7bn transformation investment programme has seen the airline boost its operational performance to record levels. 

The airline’s Chairman and CEO, Sean Doyle, told the Future Travel Experience World Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh that AI, forecasting, optimisation and machine learning have transformed the airline’s operational performance and become an integral part of getting customers to where they need to be with minimal delay to their travel plans. 

Every part of British Airways now uses this latest technology, which has significantly increased the number of flights departing on time or ahead of their scheduled take-off times. 

The airline has invested £100m in improving operational resilience and the first quarter of 2025 saw 86 per cent of its flights on time from its London Heathrow base, the highest D-15 punctuality performance on record. This is compared to 46% in 2008. 

Throughout the quarter, British Airways flights achieved 90+ per cent on-time departures on 38 of the 89 operational days. 

And last month (April), two thirds of all of the airline’s flights departing from Heathrow left ahead of their departure time. This is more than double the number that achieved this for the same period in 2023 and almost 20 per cent more than those that did in 2024.  

Sean Doyle, British Airways Chairman and Chief Executive, said: 

“Improving operational performance is a key part of our investment programme because we know the impact delays and disruption can have on our customers. 

“Whilst disruption to our flights is often outside of our control, our focus has been on improving the factors we can directly influence and putting in place the best possible solutions for our customers when it does happen. That’s why we’ve invested £100m in our own operational resilience, putting funding into technology and tools, and devising a better way of working on the ground at Heathrow as well as creating an additional 600 operational roles into the airport. 

“The tech colleagues have at their fingertips has been a real gamechanger for performance, giving them the confidence to make informed decisions for our customers based on a rapid assessment of vast amounts of data. It’s exciting that our industry is able to harness this capability, which will develop even further in the months years to come.” 

In 2023, British Airways announced a major £7bn investment programme designed to deliver a world-class customer experience and better on-time performance. 

A fundamental part of the strategy has been a £100m investment that has seen the development of a range of digital tools and apps designed to boost operational performance. More than 100 data scientists are now employed by the airline, working on projects across the business. In total, around 830 change projects have been rolled out. 

The foundation of this work has been improving the performance and resilience of the airline’s systems, including the migration of data centres to the Cloud to bring increased digital stability. This work is now 90 per cent complete.  

Across the operation, technical experts have developed an application that means the airline can now allocate aircraft landing at Heathrow to stands based on a live analysis of the onward travel plans of customers on any given flight, cutting missed connections and disruption to onward journeys. This has saved 160,000 minutes of delays. 

A real-time weather program that proactively reroutes aircraft to avoid areas of poor weather has also been deployed. It is capable of communicating directly with Air Traffic Control flow management centres across Europe to find and generate more efficient routings and has prevented a total of 243,000 minutes of delays. 

The airline is also using a new tool that uses predictive technology to bring together and assess vast amounts of live real-time operational data to highlight routes that could face delays, allowing teams to put in place additional measures to reduce that risk. 

Tech-based programmes to help operational colleagues make the best possible decisions during periods of disruption have also been shown to have had a significantly positive impact. 

For example, our Runway support tool that calculates the most appropriate schedule intervention when disruption occurs. It uses data from the planned schedule, passengers and crew to determine the most appropriate response to disruption such as cancellations, arrival delays or aircraft changes. It has been used to model 163 disruption event scenarios across 2024 and 2025 to minimise the impact of air traffic control rates and bad weather for customers. 

Over the coming months, additional tools and programmes are also being deployed to further improve operational performance. These include new apps for pilots, cabin crew teams and aircraft dispatch teams to help speed-up aircraft departures. 

MONTREAL, May 13, 2025 – Air Canada (TSX: AC) today announced the terms of its previously announced substantial issuer bid (the “Offer”) pursuant to which Air Canada will offer to purchase for cancellation up to $500 million of its Class A Variable Voting Shares and Class B Voting Shares (collectively, the “Shares”). All dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars. The Offer is expected to commence on May 16, 2025 and expire at 11:59 pm (Eastern time) on June 20, 2025, unless extended, varied or withdrawn by Air Canada.

The Offer will proceed by way of a modified “Dutch auction”, pursuant to which shareholders wishing to tender their Shares will be entitled to do so by making (i) an auction tender for a specified number of Shares at a price not less than $18.50 per Share and not more than $21.00 per Share (an “Auction Tender”) or (ii) a purchase price tender without specifying a price per Share, but rather agreeing to have a specified number of Shares purchased at the purchase price to be determined by the Auction Tenders (a “Purchase Price Tender”). For the purpose of determining the purchase price, shareholders who tender Shares in Purchase Price Tenders will be deemed to have tendered such Shares at the minimum price of $18.50 per Share. Shareholders who tender Shares without making a valid Auction Tender or Purchase Price Tender will be deemed to have made a Purchase Price Tender. The purchase price of all Shares under the Offer will be the lowest price that enables Air Canada to purchase up to the maximum number of Shares pursuant to valid Auction Tenders and Purchase Price Tenders having an aggregate purchase price not to exceed $500 million.

The Offer will be for approximately up to 7.4% to 8.4% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares (based on the maximum and minimum prices per Share thereunder, being $21.00 and $18.50 per Share, and 322,726,980 Shares issued and outstanding as of the date hereof). The Offer will be optional for all shareholders, who will be free to choose whether to participate, how many Shares to tender and, in the case of Auction Tenders, at what price to tender within the specified range. All Shares purchased under the Offer will be cancelled.

The purchase price to be paid by Air Canada for each validly deposited Share will be determined upon the expiry of the Offer and will be based on the number of Shares deposited pursuant to Auction Tenders and Purchase Price Tenders, and the prices specified by shareholders making Auction Tenders. As a result, shareholders who tender their Shares will help determine the purchase price for the Offer. Shares deposited at or below the purchase price as finally determined by Air Canada will be purchased at such purchase price, subject to proration (if applicable, as described below). Shares that will not be taken up and purchased in connection with the Offer, including Shares deposited pursuant to Auction Tenders at prices above the purchase price, Shares not purchased due to proration, or Shares properly withdrawn before the expiration of the Offer, will be returned to shareholders.

If the aggregate purchase price for Shares validly deposited and not withdrawn in accordance with the Offer is greater than $500 million, Air Canada will purchase a portion of the Shares so deposited from shareholders who made Auction Tenders at or below the purchase price, as finally determined by Air Canada, and Purchase Price Tenders on a pro rata basis, except that “odd lot” holders (holders of less than 100 Shares) will not be subject to proration.

Air Canada is making the Offer as it believes that the recent trading price of its Shares is not fully reflective of the value of its business and future prospects. In such circumstances, Air Canada and its Board of Directors believe that the purchase of Shares is an attractive and appropriate use of its available cash on hand, consistent with Air Canada’s priority of investing in its growth, maintaining balance sheet strength and generating shareholder value through a balanced capital allocation strategy.

Air Canada expects to fund any purchases of Shares pursuant to the Offer with available cash on hand. Air Canada and its Board of Directors believe that the Offer represents an equitable and efficient means for the Air Canada to return up to $500 million to shareholders who elect to tender their Shares while at the same time proportionately increasing the equity ownership in relation to Shares not tendered. In addition, as the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer will reduce the number of outstanding Shares, the Offer, if completed, is expected to allow Air Canada to further address some of the shareholder dilution experienced from financing decisions necessary during the COVID pandemic.

As part of its long-term plan, Air Canada and its Board of Directors establish capital allocation objectives with disciplined balance sheet management and responsible risk profile and continually evaluate opportunities to create value for shareholders and to return value to them.

The Offer will not be conditional upon any minimum number of Shares being tendered, but will be subject to various other conditions as detailed in the offer to purchase, its accompanying issuer bid circular, the related letter of transmittal and notice of guaranteed delivery and other related documents containing the terms and conditions of the Offer, instructions for shareholders wishing to tender their Shares pursuant to the Offer, and the factors considered by Air Canada and its Board of Directors in making its decision to approve the Offer (collectively, “Offer Documents”). Air Canada expects to mail the Offer Documents on or about May 16, 2025 and will file the Offer Documents with the applicable securities regulators on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca (where they will be available free of charge). Air Canada reserves the right, in its sole discretion, subject to applicable laws, to waive any condition, and to withdraw, extend, vary or cancel the Offer, if, at any time prior to the payment of deposited Shares, certain events occur.

Shareholders holding Shares through an investment dealer, stock broker, bank, trust company or other nominee should contact such investment dealer, stock broker, bank, trust company or other nominee if they wish to tender Shares pursuant to the Offer. Such shareholders should check with such broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee to determine whether any fees will be charged in relation to tendering Shares on behalf of such shareholders. Such shareholders should also confirm with their investment dealer, stock broker, bank, trust company or other nominee any deadlines by which they must provide tender or deposit instructions, as the relevant deadlines set by such nominee may be earlier than the deadlines set forth in the Offer Documents.

TSX Trust Company has been engaged by Air Canada to act as depositary for the Offer (the “Depositary”). TD Securities Inc. (the “Dealer Manager”) has been retained to act as financial advisor to Air Canada and dealer manager in connection with the Offer. Shareholders who have questions with respect to the Offer, or require any assistance with respect to the Offer, including how to tender or deposit Shares pursuant to the Offer, may contact the Depositary by telephone at +1-800-387-0825 (toll-free in North America) or at (416) 682-3860 or by email at: shareholderinquiries@tmx.com, or the Dealer Manager by email at AirCanadaSIB@tdsecurities.com.

Air Canada’s Board of Directors has approved the Offer. However, none of Air Canada, its Board of Directors, the Dealer Manager or the Depositary makes any recommendation to any shareholder as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering Shares under the Offer. Shareholders are urged to evaluate carefully all information in the Offer, consult their own financial, legal, investment and tax advisors, and make their own decisions as to whether to tender Shares under the Offer, and, if so, how many Shares to tender and the price or prices at which to tender. Shareholders should carefully consider the income tax consequences of accepting the Offer and tendering Shares to the Offer.

This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Shares or any other securities of Air Canada. The Offer referred to in this news release has not yet commenced. The solicitation and the offer to buy Shares will only be made pursuant to Offer Documents to be filed with the applicable securities regulators in Canada.

• With the launch of the new routes from San José – Guatemala City – Miami and San Salvador – Managua – Fort Lauderdale, the airline aims to further strengthen connectivity options between South Florida and Central America for travelers.
• Tickets can be purchased through avianca.com, the mobile app, and travel agencies.

Miami, May 14, 2024– Avianca announces operations on two new routes in Florida, connecting Miami with Guatemala City and San José, Costa Rica, and Fort Lauderdale with Managua and San Salvador, respectively. These two new routes will enhance connectivity between South Florida and Central America, offering travelers more opportunities to explore the region.

“The United States and Latin America are closely connected through tourism and business. In 2024 alone, we transported more than 4 million passengers to and from the U.S.,” said Otto Gergye, chief commercial officer at Avianca. “With these new nonstop routes, we aim to further strengthen these ties by expanding our network to more than 40 direct routes between the U.S. and Latin America,” he added.

** The San José – Guatemala – Miami route and return are operated by Avianca Costa Rica S.A. under fifth freedom rights. 

In addition to these two new routes, avianca will launch other connections from Chicago to San Salvador, Dallas to Bogotá and from Bogotá to Córdoba, Argentina.

• Strategic realignment introduces dedicated regional leadership for enhanced market engagement and expanded network connectivity

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 13 May 2025: Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, has announced a strategic restructure of its European commercial team into five areas to drive deeper customer alignment, streamline regional support and reinforce its position across key markets. These changes come in response to sustained growth and the expansion of Etihad Airways network and capacity offering across Europe.

The five new European regions led by Rainer Krammer, Regional Manager Europe and Americas, include a Southwest Europe region covering France, Spain and Portugal led by Eric Lamare, the newly appointed Area Manager based in Paris, UK and Ireland led by Michael Mackenzie, Northwest Europe covering Belgium, Netherlands and Denmark led by Karim Grinate, Central Europe covering Germany, Austria and Switzerland led by Karim Rakkrouki and Southeast Europe covering Italy, Poland, Czech Republic and Greece led by Lorenzo Donato. The new regional split ensures market leadership for both online and offline stations and direct customer engagement in key markets.

Commenting on the restructure, Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer, said: “Etihad Cargo’s European network is experiencing strong and sustained growth. This restructure allows us to scale our operations in line with market demand, while reinforcing our commitment to customer-centricity and operational excellence. By bringing our teams closer to the markets they serve, we are positioned to deliver faster, smarter, and more agile logistics solutions.”

The new European regional organisation reflects Etihad Cargo’s commitment to agility, customer-centricity and operational excellence across its global network. Etihad Cargo has recently introduced additional capacity to Europe with its summer schedule with 660 tonnes of weekly widebody capacity and 200 tonnes of additional weekly freighter capacity.