Montreal, Quebec, Canada, August 1, 2023, CNW – Air Canada (Toronto: AC) today announced the expansion of its award-winning in-flight entertainment with the addition of exclusive Apple TV+ original programming beginning Aug. 1, 2023. The partnership marks Air Canada’s latest investment in the customer experience, adding critically acclaimed original programs including Ted Lasso, Bad Sisters, Severance, Foundation and many more for its global customers.
Earlier this year, Air Canada was recognized by Global Traveler as Best Airline for Onboard Entertainment for the fifth consecutive year, and by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) with the Passenger Choice Award for Best Entertainment in North America. With 420+ movies, 1,000+ TV episodes, 130+ music albums, podcasts and more, customers can enjoy the best programming from boarding to landing. All content onboard Air Canada’s inflight entertainment equipped aircraft is complimentary for all customers.
Air Canada’s partnership with Apple follows the airline’s recent collaboration with Mattel which brings more family fun with some of the most popular kids’ shorts.
In May, Air Canada and Bell began offering free messaging for all Aeroplan members worldwide on all Wi-Fi equipped aircraft across Air Canada’s fleet, including Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express flights. Customers can send and receive text-based messages via onboard Wi-Fi using popular messaging apps including Apple’s iMessage, Meta’s WhatsApp and Messenger, Rakuten’s Viber, and Messages by Google.
Last November, Air Canada became the only Canadian carrier to offer live Canadian TV featuring English and French channels, giving customers the ability to cheer on their favourite sports teams by watching global sporting events in real time, as well as live news onboard equipped flights.
KiwiRail is delighted to announce the return of its acclaimed TranzAlpine train service between Christchurch and Greymouth.
“I’m excited to be able to say that this award-winning train, which last ran on March 22 before the lockdown, will be back from July 4,” KiwiRail Group Chief Executive Greg Miller says.
“We will resume with a weekend and school holiday timetable in July and August as KiwiRail continues to assess demand in a difficult season for tourism, with borders still closed to international visitors.
“We’re conscious of how important this service is to the West Coast economy and we’re looking forward to bringing visitors to the Coast again, allowing them to see the snow-capped Southern Alps along the way.
“This will be an ideal time for New Zealand families to try something new, and together experience what Lonely Planet has described as one of the world’s 10 most amazing rail journeys.”
During July and August, the TranzAlpine will run on weekends, departing Christchurch at 8.15am, and spending an hour in Greymouth before leaving at 2.05pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It will also run every day of the school holidays, July 6-17 inclusive, on the same timetable as weekends. KiwiRail hopes this will be an opportunity for families to share this unique experience. All fares will be changeable, fully refundable and available at the winter special rate of $75 per seat one way.
Opening the TranzAlpine is KiwiRail’s priority for its scenic train services which, on average, have more overseas than domestic customers. The company also operates the Coastal Pacific train between Picton and Christchurch, which does not run during winter, and the Northern Explorer between Auckland and Wellington which is not currently considered financially viable. No decisions have yet been made on the return of the Northern Explorer and Coastal Pacific. KiwiRail also runs a commuter rail service between Palmerston North and Wellington, which resumed in late April.
“Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on tourism everywhere and unfortunately, like other tourism providers, KiwiRail and the communities we serve have suffered the impact,” says Mr Miller.
“We have utilised this downtime to look at exciting opportunities and options, including offering different classes of service onboard the TranzAlpine, beginning this spring. We are confident we can serve the market at different levels with an enhanced service for those who want something extra, while still ensuring more accessible fares are also on offer.”
The booking system at www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/tranzalpine/ is open now for TranzAlpine bookings in July and August, and bookings will open shortly for September and beyond. KiwiRail will be contacting those people who have bookings on services that have been cancelled. Those people already booked on the Northern Explorer – which has very light advanced bookings – will be given a 100 per cent refund or, if they prefer, a letter of credit. People booked on the TranzAlpine on days when it will not now run can choose to be rebooked, or receive either a 100 per cent refund, or a letter of credit for a future booking.
In addition, anyone with an existing booking on the TranzAlpine for one of the winter weekends or the July school holidays will receive a refund of the difference between the higher fare they paid, and the new winter special rate of $75 per seat. For example, if you have already paid $150 for a ticket on the TranzAlpine, we’ll either refund you the $75 difference, or give you a voucher for $75 to spend onboard, or you could use the difference to buy another ticket for a friend or family member.
“We know that our customers all look forward to their trips with us, just as we look forward to serving them. We apologise to affected customers for any inconvenience as we urgently consider how to make long-distance train journeys more attractive, more diverse and more financially sustainable.
“Our Interislander ferries and scenic trains play a significant role in New Zealand’s tourism sector but 2020 has turned out to be difficult for all operators. We are focussed on our return, and on better days ahead.
“We’re working hard on options and opportunities, are looking forward to making further announcements. In the meantime, we will welcome families and holidaymakers aboard the TranzAlpine from Saturday, July 4.”
SFO runway view from Grand Suite Parlor at newly open Grand Hyatt at SFO (Photo: Business Wire)
CHICAGO-(BUSINESS WIRE)-SFO’s only on-airport hotel brings elevated experiences to ‘The City by the Bay’
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) and San Francisco International Airport(SFO) today announced the opening of Grand Hyatt at SFO, which is now accepting guests. As the only on-airport hotel at San Francisco International Airport, the $237 million luxury hotel sits on 4.2-acres and features 351 rooms including 22 suites, 14,435 square feet of well-appointed meeting and event space, two distinct culinary concepts, and an impressive art collection that was curated exclusively for the hotel by the San Francisco Arts Commission.
“We are thrilled to open the doors to Grand Hyatt at SFO and welcome our international guests, SFO visitors and local friends,” said Henning Nopper, general manager, Grand Hyatt at SFO. “The completion of this hotel, an iconic addition to our Grand Hyatt brand, is a culmination of many years of hard work and planning by Hyatt, San Francisco International Airport, the great City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Arts Commission, and many more supporters.”
Directly connected to all airport terminals with its own dedicated, newly constructed AirTrain station, Grand Hyatt at SFO serves as a captivating destination within a destination and elevated respite for corporate business travelers as well as leisure guests to bypass the airport bustle. The highly anticipated debut also marks a key milestone in Hyatt’s west coast expansion plan to add 40 new hotels in California, Oregon and Washington by the end of 2021.
“With the opening of Grand Hyatt at SFO, we offer travelers a new benchmark in airport hospitality,” said Airport Director Ivar C. Satero. “The new hotel reflects our commitment to deliver a world-class experience for our guests, with seamless access via our AirTrain system, sustainable building design, thoughtful service and amenities, and inspiring works of public art. My thanks go out to Hyatt, the San Francisco Arts Commission, and our entire design-build team for making this day a reality.”
CONCEPT & DESIGN
The bold, vibrant design and architecture of Grand Hyatt at SFO is the vision of San Francisco-based architect Hornberger + Worstell and associate ED21, along with two internationally acclaimed interior design firms, BraytonHughes Design Studios and RoseBernard Studio. Guests step out of the hotel’s new AirTrain station, which features a dramatic kaleidoscopic stained-glass art installation, and after crossing an enclosed bridge, they enter the hotel’s stunning, light-filled lobby where they are greeted by expansive windows and views of SFO and hills beyond.
