ITALY ON RED ALERT: Tourists told to stay indoors
Italy placed all of its major cities under the highest heat alert Thursday as a blistering heat wave gripped Europe, setting a national temperature record in Austria, fueling wildfires in France and disrupting energy and transport systems across the continent.
UNION REVEALS WESTJET OFFER
Walking off the job for a day helped earn flight attendants at WestJet a more than 18% wage hike over three years and new compensation for duties the company hasn’t typically covered.
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME (IN BOSTON, PLEASE): Iconic Fenway is a big hit in Beantown
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ I hate the Red Sox. Beantown bums! Foes of the beloved Blue Jays. But, on a sunny summer afternoon, there’s no place I’d rather be than historic Fenway Park, home of the red stockings since April 20, 1912.
ANNIVERSARY CONJURES MAGICAL HARRY POTTER EVENTS
Every year on Sept. 1, fans around the world mark the day students return to Hogwarts. This year’s celebrations are especially meaningful as fans commemorate 25 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first brought the wizarding world to the big screen, and excitement builds for the forthcoming HBO Original series.
IS THIS THE MOST INTENISVE EXPEDITION EVER?
By WALLACE IMMEN/ A four-month voyage planned on Atlas Ocean Cruises’ newest ship promises to explore the cultures and tastes of places even the most seasoned travellers haven’t visited.
LISTENING IN: Sweet Caroline – where it began
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ If you’ve ever been to Fenway Park in Boston, home of the Red Sox baseball team (see previous story, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”), you’d know that the crowd sings “Sweet Caroline” each game after the 8th inning. That’s close to 38,000 people rendering the Neil Diamond classic into one of the world’s largest karaoke singalongs.
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CANADIANS’ SHOCKING TRAVEL KNOWLEDGE GAP: Most don’t know how federal advisories can affect them
Most Canadian travellers don’t understand that Ottawa’s travel alerts can void their travel insurance and don’t know how embassies can help them while abroad, says a new survey commissioned by the foreign service.
WESTJET BACK TO SCRATCH: Flights operating normally, change deadline extended
WestJet says it has returned to normal operations as it continues to re-book travellers whose flights were cancelled due to a work stoppage this past weekend. The airline says it was operating all of its scheduled flights on Wednesday, while thanking customers for their patience during its ramp-up this week.
DO GO CHASING WATERFALLS IN GRENADA
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Grenada has long appealed to Canadians seeking an authentic Caribbean escape, but the island is nevertheless still emerging from the shadow of some of its better-known neighbours. With expanding air service from Canada, growing recognition in the luxury market, and an impressive culinary scene, the Spice Island is increasingly demonstrating that it is one of the Caribbean’s most compelling destinations.
BILLY BISHOP EXPANSION NOT DEAD YET: Carney says ‘forever is a long time’
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is not ruling out ever allowing jets to land at Toronto’s island airport, but he is focused for now on a broader transportation picture. Ontario Premier Doug Ford had pitched a plan to expand Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to allow jets to land, framing it as a way to boost the economy.
THREE’S A CHARM: Explora Journeys new ship the latest in high seas luxury
Explora Journeys officially named EXPLORA III in Barcelona, welcoming the brand’s first LNG-powered ship to the fleet and marking the halfway point in its vision of six ships dedicated to ultra-elegant ocean travel.
GROUP MENTALITY: TTC Tour Brands enhance groups policies
TTC Tour Brands is today unveiling a reimagined Groups Program, delivering the most significant set of enhancements to date across Scheduled Groups, Custom Groups, Small Groups and Trafalgar River Cruises, designed to make group travel easier to book, more flexible to manage and more rewarding for travel advisors and their clients across Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Costsaver and Brendan Vacations.