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Tag: Windsor YQG

  • Air Transat to Operate Montreal-Dakar Route Year-Round

    MONTREAL, July 31, 2026 /CNW/ — Air Transat today announced that its non-stop service between Montreal and Dakar will become a year-round route. Introduced in June 2026, this exclusive service will now continue through the winter season with one weekly flight during the winter 2026–2027 season. Flights will be operated using the Airbus A330, the largest-capacity aircraft in Air Transat’s fleet.

    As the only non-stop service connecting Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Montreal–Dakar route will continue to meet year-round demand from Quebec’s Senegalese community while also providing travellers with a convenient gateway to West Africa.

    “This route plays an important role for the communities travelling between Canada and Senegal,” said Sebastian Ponce, Chief Revenue Officer at Transat. “By extending it year-round, we’re providing our customers with greater continuity and convenience while reinforcing our commitment to this market.”

    The Montreal–Dakar route will operate once weekly, every Friday, from October 30, 2026, to March 26, 2027, complementing the two weekly flights offered during the summer season.

    Expanded Cancún Service from Windsor and Fredericton
    Air Transat is also continuing to strengthen its regional network by expanding its service to Mexico.

    “Growing our regional network remains a strategic priority,” added Mr. Ponce. “With the addition of Cancún from Windsor and the extension of our seasonal service from Fredericton, we’re continuing to provide travellers in these regions with convenient non-stop access to popular sun destinations while strengthening our presence in markets where we see strong growth potential.”

    Beginning December 19, 2026, Air Transat will launch a new weekly non-stop service between Windsor (YQG) and Cancún (CUN), operating every Saturday through April 25, 2027. Cancún will complement the airline’s existing service from Windsor, which currently includes Punta Cana.

    In addition, the Fredericton (YFC)–Cancún (CUN) route, introduced last winter, will return with an extended season for Winter 2026–2027. The service will operate from December 16, 2026, to April 29, 2027, with one weekly flight every Wednesday, giving travellers from New Brunswick an even longer season to enjoy one of Mexico’s most popular vacation destinations.

    About Air Transat
    Founded in Montreal in 1987, Air Transat is a leading travel brand voted 2025 World’s Best Leisure Airline by passengers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. Its program offers access to international destinations, mainly in Europe, the Caribbean, the east coast of the United States, America and North Africa. Air Transat is recognized for its excellent customer service. Its fleet is primarily composed of some of the most energy-efficient aircraft in their category. Based in Montreal with major hubs in YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), it has 5,000 employees with a common purpose to bring people closer together. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc. www.airtransat.com

  • Air Transat Launches New Sun Destinations from Several Canadian Cities

    New Flights to the South from Quebec City, Windsor, Charlottetown, and Fredericton

    MONTREAL, Feb. 19, 2026 /CNW/ – Air Transat, voted the 2025 World’s Best Leisure Airline by Skytrax, is celebrating an important milestone in its winter program with the launch of several new seasonal routes. In recent weeks, the airline has inaugurated new non-stop flights to the South from Quebec City, Windsor, Charlottetown and Fredericton, thereby expanding access to popular sun destinations for travellers from Eastern Canada and Southern Ontario.

    Aurélien Anzala, Director of Development at the Guadeloupe Islands Tourism Board; Marc-André Bédard, Vice President, Business Development and Technologies at YQB; Emma-Jeanne Bouchard, Director, Commercial and Air Services Development at YQB; accompanied by crew members of the very first TS694 flight. (CNW Group/Transat A.T. Inc.)
    Aurélien Anzala, Director of Development at the Guadeloupe Islands Tourism Board; Marc-André Bédard, Vice President, Business Development and Technologies at YQB; Emma-Jeanne Bouchard, Director, Commercial and Air Services Development at YQB; accompanied by crew members of the very first TS694 flight. (CNW Group/Transat A.T. Inc.)

    “The addition of Pointe-à-Pitre from Quebec City brings to fifteen the number of destinations offered by Air Transat this winter from Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport and illustrates our commitment to investing where demand is strong while maintaining our network’s balance,” said Sebastian Ponce, Chief Revenue Officer at Transat. “By also increasing departures from cities like Windsor, Charlottetown and Fredericton, we bring even more Canadians closer to the vacation destinations they love.”

    A new direct link between Quebec City and Guadeloupe

    On February 18, Air Transat operated its inaugural flight between Quebec City (YQB) and Pointe‑à‑Pitre (PTP), becoming the only airline to offer non-stop service between the two cities. The departure took place in the new Air Transat zone at Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, a venue designed to inspire travel and featuring, among other things, a children’s play area. Operated every Wednesday until April 29, 2026, this flight creates a new direct connection to Guadeloupe, a region renowned for its vibrant culture, tropical landscapes and warm atmosphere.

    The route is operated with the Airbus A321LR, a modern aircraft known for its efficiency and comfort. Travellers enjoy a thoughtfully designed cabin, ergonomic seating and a state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system, both in Economy Class and Club Class.

    “We are delighted to celebrate the launch of this non-stop flight between Québec City and Pointe-à-Pitre,” mentioned Stéphane Poirier, President and CEO of YQB. “This new service to the Guadeloupe Islands, which brings Air Transat’s total to nearly fifteen sun destinations offered from YQB this winter, reflects our commitment to providing diverse and attractive options for travellers from the Québec City region. We thank Air Transat for their ongoing trust and are confident that this new offering will meet our customers’ expectations for their winter getaways.”

    Flights to the South from Windsor, Charlottetown and Fredericton

    Air Transat has also celebrated the first flights of three new seasonal routes, now active for the winter period:

    These new travel options allow vacationers from the Maritimes and Southern Ontario to fly directly to the South while enjoying the simplicity of Transat’s all‑inclusive packages.

    Positive feedback across the network

    “Air Transat is a terrific partner for YQG, and the local community has embraced both Air Transat and Punta Cana. The collaboration and re-introduction of Air Transat to our market have been seamless and overwhelmingly positive,” highlighted Mark Galvin, President and CEO, YQG-Windsor International Airport.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Air Transat to Charlottetown Airport and to celebrate this inaugural flight to Cancun. This new service expands travel options for Islanders and strengthens our role as a gateway to exciting global destinations. We value Air Transat’s confidence in our market and look forward to building a strong partnership that delivers more choice and convenience for our passengers,” stated Doug Newson, CEO, Charlottetown Airport Authority.

    “We’re delighted to welcome Air Transat to the Fredericton community with the return of its non-stop service to Cancun,” added Jacques Fournier, Director of Commercial Development at the Fredericton International Airport Authority. “This route gives travellers from New Brunswick even more choices and convenience when planning their winter escape from YFC.”

    About Air Transat
    Founded in Montreal in 1987, Air Transat is a leading travel brand voted 2025 World’s Best Leisure Airline by passengers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. Its program offers access to international destinations, mainly in Europe, the Caribbean, South America and North Africa. Air Transat is recognized for its excellent customer service. Its fleet includes some of the most energy-efficient aircraft in their category. Based in Montreal with major hubs in YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), it has 5,000 employees with a common purpose to bring people closer together. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc. www.airtransat.com

  • Porter Summer Schedule Expands Flights Across North America

    New service to Nashville

    Six new routes and more frequency across Canada

    original Porter Airlines is announcing its 2026 summer schedule with new destinations, new routes, added frequencies and the continuation of popular winter markets.

    29 January 2026

    TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Porter Airlines is announcing its 2026 summer schedule with new destinations, new routes, added frequencies and the continuation of popular winter markets.

    Porter’s U.S. network continues to expand with new flights to Nashville International Airport (BNA)—served from Toronto City (YTZ). Boston (BOS) also sees new service from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Montreal (YUL).

    Further enhancing service across Canada, Porter is introducing six new routes across Toronto Pearson, Hamilton (YHM) and Ottawa (YOW). Beginning May 1, service in Sudbury (YSB) and Windsor (YQG) moves to Ottawa from Toronto City, providing travellers with non-stop access from these cities to Porter’s growing hub in the national capital and greater connectivity across North America.

    A summary of new destinations and routes follows:

    New routesStart dateFrequency
    Ottawa – WindsorMay 1, 20267x weekly
    Ottawa – SudburyMay 1, 20267x weekly
    Toronto City – Nashville*May 11, 20267x weekly
    Toronto Pearson – Quebec City (returning)May 12, 202612x weekly
    Ottawa – KelownaMay 13, 20265x weekly
    Toronto Pearson – BostonMay 14, 202614x weekly
    Montreal – BostonMay 14, 20267x weekly
    Hamilton – St. John’sMay 15, 20265x weekly
    Hamilton – WinnipegMay 15, 20264x weekly

    *New destination

    In addition to new routes, Porter is increasing capacity for several popular existing seasonal domestic markets, providing even more options for Canadians to explore their own backyard.

    RoutesInitial frequencyNew frequency
    Ottawa – Winnipeg7x weekly12x weekly
    Toronto Pearson – Deer Lake3x weekly5x weekly
    Hamilton – Halifax7x weekly14x weekly

    A number of popular winter seasonal routes are also being extended through summer from Toronto Pearson to Cancun (CUN), Costa Rica (LIR) and Nassau (NAS), Hamilton to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), as well as from Ottawa to Cancun. Porter is the only airline offering travellers access to sun destinations from Ottawa this summer.

    RoutesFrequency
    Toronto Pearson – CancunUp to 6x weekly
    Toronto Pearson – Costa Rica2x weekly
    Toronto Pearson – Nassau2x weekly
    Hamilton – Fort Lauderdale2x weekly
    Ottawa – Cancun3x weekly

    On every flight, passengers enjoy Porter’s signature service, including no middle seats, complimentary wine and beer served in glassware and premium snacks. Routes operated with the new Embraer E195-E2 also have free, fast WiFi available for everyone.

    Full schedule details are available at www.flyporter.com.

    Quotes

    “We are making a substantial increase in flights for Porter this summer, touching on every region we fly to,” said Andrew Pierce, vice president, network planning and reporting, Porter Airlines. “Our overall network is growing by 20%, the fastest rate for any airline in North America, as we continue providing service for more passengers. Our long-standing commitment to a distinct elevated economy experience continues to result in exceptional customer satisfaction.”

    “We are pleased that Porter Airlines is continuing to grow its service from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport with the addition of Nashville,” said RJ Steenstra, president and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. “Famed for its live music scene, creative industries and rich history, Nashville is a strong addition to our growing network of destinations. As Toronto’s downtown airport, we provide a convenient and efficient gateway to key destinations across Canada and the U.S., and we’re excited to make it easier for people to experience all that Nashville has to offer. This service will benefit from the new U.S. CBP Preclearance facility that will open in the coming weeks at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and will offer even greater convenience to our passengers.”

    “Porter Airlines’ arrival at Nashville International Airport (BNA) represents an exciting expansion of our international connectivity,” said Doug Kreulen, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA). “Nonstop access to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) gives our passengers a convenient and highly desirable connection to the heart of Toronto, and it reflects the continued demand we’re seeing from both business and leisure travelers in Middle Tennessee. We’re proud to welcome Porter as our newest airline partner at BNA and look forward to the start of service in May 2026.”

    About Porter
    Since 2006, Porter Airlines has been elevating the experience of economy air travel for every passenger, providing genuine hospitality with style, care and charm. Porter’s fleet of Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft serves North America, including a coast-to-coast domestic Canadian network, the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Headquartered in Toronto, Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline® in the World Airline Star Rating®. Visit www.flyporter.com

  • Air Transat Makes Strategic Leap with New Rio de Janeiro Flights from Toronto and Montreal

    New for winter: 2025-2026 (CNW Group/Transat A.T. Inc.)

    A strengthened 2025-2026 winter program including a total of 14 new routes

    MONTREAL, Aug. 7, 2025 /CNW/ – Air Transat, voted World’s Best Leisure Airline at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards, today announces new non-stop service to Rio de Janeiro* from both Toronto and Montreal. These flights will be operated with the Airbus A330 aircraft; twice weekly from Toronto (on Wednesdays and Saturdays) and once weekly from Montreal (on Thursdays), where Air Transat will be the only carrier offering a non-stop service. This addition is part of a broader set of recent announcements that reinforce the company’s winter offering.

    Winter program 2025-2026 (CNW Group/Transat A.T. Inc.)

    This winter, Air Transat will operate a total of 14 new routes from its Canadian gateways, including several new destinations and the extension of certain transatlantic services. From Montreal, travellers will enjoy non-stop access to Rio de Janeiro, Guadalajara, Valencia, Bordeaux and Madrid. From Toronto, they will be able to fly to Georgetown (Guyana), Medellín, and Istanbul in partnership with Turkish Airlines, in addition to Rio de Janeiro.

    “This enriched winter schedule marks an important milestone in the evolution of our network,” said Sebastian Ponce, Transat’s Chief Revenue Officer. “By targeting markets we have never served before, we are pursuing a clear diversification strategy toward destinations that Canadians are eager to explore, supported by growing connectivity through our expanding network of partners.”

    Air Transat’s winter program to the South also continues to diversify, with departures not only from major hubs, but also from Quebec City and new Canadian cities such as Windsor, Fredericton and Charlottetown. 

    New for Winter 2025-2026:

    RouteDetails*
    Toronto (YYZ) – Rio de Janeiro (GIG)2 flights/week, starting February 4, 2026
    Toronto (YYZ) – Istanbul (IST)2 flights/week, starting December 6, 2025
    Toronto (YYZ) – Georgetown (GEO)2 flights/week, starting December 16, 2025
    Toronto (YYZ) – Medellín (MDE) via Cartagena (CTG)2 flights/week, starting November 1, 2025
    Montreal (YUL) – Rio de Janeiro (GIG)1 flight/week, starting February 5, 2026
    Montreal (YUL) – Guadalajara (GDL)2 flights/week, starting December 13, 2025
    Montreal (YUL) – Bordeaux (BOD)1 flight/week, starting February 21, 2026
    Montreal (YUL) – Madrid (MAD)2 flights/week, starting February 18, 2026
    Montreal (YUL) – Valencia (VLC)1 flight/week, starting February 21, 2026
    Quebec City (YQB) – Fort-de-France (FDF)1 flight/week, starting December 14, 2025
    Quebec City (YQB) – Pointe-à-Pitre (PTP)1 flight/week, starting February 18, 2026
    Charlottetown (YYG) – Cancún (CUN)1 flight/week, starting February 18, 2026
    Fredericton (YFC) – Cancún (CUN)1 flight/week, starting February 18, 2026
    Windsor (YQG) – Punta Cana (PUJ)1 flight/week, starting December 19, 2025
    *Number of weekly frequencies at the peak of the season. 

    Air Transat is also strengthening its overall winter offering by increasing capacity and adding frequencies on several existing routes to the South and across the Atlantic, giving even more flexibility to its clients. Compared to last winter, this year’s schedule represents a capacity increase of approximately 6%.

    Expanded transatlantic program:

    RouteDetails*
    Montreal (YUL) – Lyon (LYS)3 flights/week (+1)
    Montreal (YUL) – Marseille (MRS)3 flights/week (+1)
    Quebec City (YQB) – Paris (CDG)4 flights/week (+1)
    *Number of weekly frequencies at the peak of the season, along with variations compared to winter 2024-2025.

    Expanded South program:

    RouteDetails*
    Halifax (YHZ) – Montego Bay (MBJ)Extended season (starting in December) and 2 flights/week (+1)
    Montreal (YUL) – Punta Cana (PUJ)16 flights/week (+2)
    Montreal (YUL) – Holguin (HOG)5 flights/week (+1)
    Montreal (YUL) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR)6 flights/week (+1)
    Montreal (YUL) – Pointe-à-Pitre (PTP)4 flights/week (+1)
    Toronto (YYZ) – Cayo Coco (CCC)4 flights/week (+1)
    Toronto (YYZ) – Cartagena (CTG)2 flights/week (+1)
    Toronto (YYZ) – Puerto Plata (POP)5 flights/week (+1)
    Toronto (YYZ) – Saint Martin (SXM)2 flights/week (+1)
    Toronto (YYZ) – Rio Hato (RIH)3 flights/week (+1)
    Quebec City (YQB) – Cancún (CUN)7 flights/week (+1)
    Quebec City (YQB) – Holguin (HOG)3 flights/week (+1)
    *Number of weekly frequencies at the peak of the season, along with variations compared to winter 2024-2025.

    Connectivity within the Air Transat network also continues to improve, particularly through its growing complementarity with Porter Airlines’ flights, which facilitate connections from Montreal, Toronto and Quebec City.

    *The flights have been planned in coordination with Brazilian and Canadian authorities and remain subject to the required regulatory approvals.

    About Air Transat
    Founded in Montreal 37 years ago, Air Transat is a leading travel brand voted 2025 World’s Best Leisure Airline by passengers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. Its program offers access to international destinations, mainly in Europe, the Caribbean, the east coast of the United States, South America and North Africa. Air Transat is recognized for its excellent customer service. Its fleet includes some of the most energy-efficient aircraft in their category. Based in Montreal with major hubs in YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), it has 5,000 employees with a common purpose to bring people closer together. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc. (TSX: TRZ). www.airtransat.com

  • Air Transat Flies South from Three New Canadian Cities: Windsor, Charlottetown and Fredericton

    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.

    About Air Transat
    Founded in Montreal 37 years ago, Air Transat is a leading travel brand voted 2024 World’s Best Leisure Airline by passengers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. Its program offers access to international destinations, mainly in Europe, the Caribbean, the east coast of the United States, South America and North Africa. Air Transat is recognized for its excellent customer service. Its fleet includes some of the most energy-efficient aircraft in their category. Based in Montreal with major hubs in YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), it has 5,000 employees with a common purpose to bring people closer together. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc. www.airtransat.com

  • Government of Canada makes important investments at Windsor International Airport

    Government of Canada makes important investments at Windsor International Airport

    Transport Canada

    WINDSOR, ON, Oct. 28, 2022 /CNW/ – The last two and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance of local and regional airports to keeping communities connected to essential services and to each other. That’s why the Government of Canada is committed to supporting airports from coast to coast to coast.

    Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is making important safety investments at the Windsor International Airport.

    Through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program, the Government of Canada is providing the airport with $180,000 for the purchase of a 4×2 plow truck to be used to remove and control snow and ice. 

    This investment is in addition to the more than $200,000 provided to the airport under the Program in May 2021, to purchase a loader.

    This funding will ensure continued safe and reliable airport operations for residents, not only for personal and business travel, but also for access to routine and emergency medical care in larger centres.

    Quotes

    “Local and regional airports like the Windsor International Airport are critical to the communities they serve, whether it be for staying connected with loved ones, or for accessing critical services. This investment will make a real difference for Windsor International Airport and ensure the communities that rely on it continue to be able to access safe and reliable air transportation options.” 

    The Honourable Omar Alghabra
    Minister of Transport

    “The time is now to keep investing in YQG airport. Our region is primed for growth in tourism and business thanks to our Government’s efforts to lift border measures and bring significant dollars for airport modernization to the region.”

    Irek Kusmierczyk
    Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

    Quick Facts

    • As announced in the Fall Economic Statement 2020, the Airports Capital Assistance Program received a one-time funding top-up of $186 million over two years.
    • The Fall Economic Statement 2020 also announced the temporary expansion of eligibility for the Airports Capital Assistance Program to allow National Airports System airports with less than one million annual passengers in 2019 to apply for funding under the Program in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
    • Since the Airports Capital Assistance Program started in 1995, the Government of Canada has invested over $1.2 billion for 1,215 projects at 199 local, regional and National Airports System airports across the country. Funded projects include runway and taxiway repairs/rehabilitation, lighting enhancements, purchasing snow clearing equipment and firefighting vehicles as well as installing wildlife control fencing.

    Associated Link

    Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca.