USA TODAY: Today in the Sky with Ben Mutzabaugh

Air Canada has become the latest North American carrier to announce big cutbacks. The Montreal-based company announced this morning it will slash as many as 2,000 jobs and "sharply reduce" capacity, The Associated Press reports. "The airline said Tuesday it needs to fly fewer trips as oil prices keep rising to record levels," AP writes. "The airline said it would cut capacity by 7% in the final quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2009. But it said the cuts could be deeper than that if fuel prices remain at current levels," Reuters adds. Air Canada says its fuel bill rises $25.5 million for each $1 increase in the cost of a barrel of oil. Among routes being dropped: Toronto-Rome and Vancouver-Osaka.

U.S. routes will also take a big hit. The airline will cut U.S. routes by 13%, which compares to a 7% cut for non-U.S. international routes and to a 2% cut for domestic flights, according to the CBC. "I regret having to take these actions but they are necessary to remain competitive going forward. Air Canada, like most global airlines, needs to adapt its business and reduce flying that has become unprofitable in the current fuel environment. If fuel prices remain at current levels, we can anticipate further capacity reductions," Air Canada CEO Montie Brewer says in a release.

Starting July 14, Air Canada will begin flights between Toronto and both Grand Rapids, Mich., and Dayton, Ohio. Air Canada affiliate Air Georgian will fly three daily round-trip flights to Grand Rapids and two to Dayton using 18-seat Beechcraft aircraft. Air Canada says the new routes will allow Grand Rapids and Dayton customers to make connections throughout Canada and to Air Canada destinations in Europe, Asia and Australia.

The new flights will give Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford International its first international route since May 2003, when Air Canada last flew to Toronto, according to The Grand Rapids Press. It’s a similar story at Dayton International, which last had international service in 2002, according to the Dayton Daily News. Dayton's last international route also was a previous Air Canada route to Toronto, the paper says.

Air Canada and JetBlue have become the latest North American carriers to add fees for checked luggage. Air Canada announced its fee today, with the National Post of Toronto writing the carrier "would begin charging $25 to its passengers as of May 15 to check a second bag on flights within Canada and the United States, including Hawaii, for Tango and Tango Plus passengers." Air Canada says its elite level fliers –- and those who have elite status with other Star Alliance carriers –- will "maintain their current baggage allowance when purchasing Tango and Tango Plus fares. Baggage allowance for travel to and from countries other than Canada and the United States will remain unchanged."

As for JetBlue, The Associated Press says that airline's customers now "can check one bag at no charge but a second one will cost $20, effective for travel on or after June 1." In a press release announcing JetBlue's first-quarter results, CEO David Barger says: "We have found that a majority of our customers check only one bag, and with this new policy, customers who check extra bags may continue to do so for a nominal fee designed to offset the extra fuel required to transport the extra bags, which will help us maintain our competitive fares for all our customers."

Air Canada will expand its presence in the New York area when it introduces daily, non-stop Newark-Calgary service on June 16. The carrier already flies daily to Calgary from New York JFK. The Newark flight will be served by 120-seat Airbus A319 aircraft with business and economy class seats. With the newest flight, Air Canada will offer 41 daily flights from the New York area to Canada this summer. 

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

Famed stained glass window dismantled at JFK
From The Associated Press: "It was called the longest window in the world when its red, sapphire and purple panels were unveiled to airport travelers in 1960. Artists called the window — longer than a football field and more than 20 feet high — one of the most important stained-glass works in the U.S. But American Airlines quietly began dismantling the window's 900 panels last week at its old John F. Kennedy International Airport terminal, after years of debate and pleas by employees and artists to find a way to keep the abstract, multicolored piece intact. Many museums asked to display the window — over 300 feet long and 23 feet high — said it was too large. And the airline said that removing it in one piece, moving it and storing it would cost many millions." Full story.

Canada may raise foreign-ownership limits
From the National Post of Toronto: "The federal government has been actively looking at raising foreign-ownership limits on Canadian airlines, but will wait until the current review of Canada's competition and foreign ownership laws is complete before making a decision, sources in Ottawa confirmed to the Financial Post. The issue of foreign ownership has once again been thrust into the spotlight with ACE Aviation Holdings saying it's ready to part with its 75% interest in Air Canada. In addition to holding talks with pension funds and private-equity players, Robert Milton, ACE chief executive, said he wouldn't rule out including the country's largest carrier in the current round of consolidation in the United States." Full story.

Delta adding lie-flat seats to 767s
In case you missed this news from earlier this month, The Times of London writes: "Delta is to install fully flat bed seats in business class on its Boeing 767 fleet, including the airline's services from the U.K. to Atlanta, Cincinnati and New York JFK. The airline has announced it will install the seats from next spring on its 767-400s but will roll out the new seats to all 767s in due course. The seats will extend to 77 inches when full reclined and be arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration in the cabin, meaning that every seat has direct aisle access. The seats will also include a 10.6 inch screen, video on demand, power sockets and USB ports." See the full story or check out Delta's press release, which includes photos.

Baggage 'chaos' affects thousands at Heathrow
From the London Telegraph: "Chaos returned to Heathrow Airport as thousands of passengers were hit by a total breakdown of Terminal 4's baggage handling system. Economy class travelers arriving at the terminal, which mainly deals with long-haul flights, were told they could only take hand baggage with them -- meaning they either had to leave most of their luggage behind or miss their flights. Around 4,000 passengers were affected by the problem, almost all of them on British Airways flights, and hundreds decided to switch airlines or postpone their trips rather than leaving their luggage behind. The terminal's automatic baggage sorting system, which uses computer-controlled conveyor belts to send luggage to the right aircraft, broke down because of a software failure at lunchtime on Tuesday." Full story.

Or check out the BBC, which writes the problem is "resolved" but adds authorities "advised passengers to check with their airlines" regarding checked bags.

US Airways is still king at Pittsburgh International Airport, even with the downsizing of its hub there. (See related item above.) The carrier and its regional affiliates carried 4,257,628 passengers through the airport in 2007. That was a steep 18.6% decline over the number from 2006, but still well ahead of Pittsburgh's No. 2 carrier Southwest (1,390,887 passengers). Still, Southwest's passenger count soared 22.2% in 2007 over the same period in 2006, making Southwest one of four carriers to report more than 20% annual growth at Pittsburgh.

Delta, the airport's No. 3 carrier in 2007, saw its passenger count surge 21.8% in 2007 to 940,885 passengers. Other airlines seeing significant annual gains were AirTran (up 28.4), Midwest (up 18.1%) and Air Canada (up 13.2%). JetBlue traffic soared 110.9% in 2007 over 2006, though that big increase is largely because the carrier did not begin flying to Pittsburgh until June 2006. Overall, last year was generally a good one for Pittsburgh. "Excluding US Airways, ... 17.1% more passengers used the airport in 2007 compared to 2006," writes the Pittsburgh Business Times (registration required).

That's the headline from the Toronto Star, which writes that a "co-pilot's eyes were closed and his hands and feet were bound as he was escorted off Air Canada Flight 848 at Shannon International Airport by two Irish police officers" after the flight diverted from its original destination of London Heathrow. The Irish Independent newspaper, which first reported the story, says the incident came "after the co-pilot suffered what appeared to be a nervous breakdown in mid-air." The Independent says Shannon airport officials confirmed that the co-pilot was admitted to the psychiatric unit of a local hospital "after he was forcibly taken off the flight by fellow crew members and an off-duty member of the Canadian Armed Forces who assisted in restraining him."

The Air Canada co-pilot was aboard a Boeing 767 that was carrying 149 passengers. A medical doctor and ambulance crew greeted the flight on arrival to attend to the co-pilot. Chris Robson, a passenger on the flight, tells the Star he remembers the co-pilot muttering to no one in particular as he was led off the jet. In a written statement, Air Canada acknowledged the incident. "The captain and crew of AC 848 followed standard operating procedures in light of the co-pilot falling ill. The captain elected to divert to Shannon and landed without incident. At no time was safety compromised," the airline said.

The Independent says Air Canada would not comment on the specific nature of the co-pilot's medical condition. "The flight was met by medical personnel and the individual is now in hospital care. We do not provide additional details of a personal nature," the carrier is quoted as saying by the Independent. Jessica Schneider, another passenger on AC848, says Air Canada's crew also offered few specific details during the diversion. "They never told us the nature of the problem," she says. "Which is probably a good thing, since people don't really like to hear that their pilot has gone crazy," she adds. Still, despite the unusual episode, passenger Robson says it should not reflect poorly on Air Canada. When asked by the Star if he'd fly them again, Robson said: "Absolutely. They were gracious and sensitive. At no point were we scared."

See additional coverage from The Canadian Press, the CBC or USA TODAY's On Deadline blog.

Air Canada last week announced four new routes to U.S. markets. Service from Toronto to both Austin, Texas, and Richmond, Va., will begin May 1. Both are scheduled to be year-round routes operated by Air Canada's Jazz unit. Jazz will fly one daily round-trip flight on both routes, using 75-seat Bombardier CRJ-705  regional jets to Austin and 37-seat Dash 8 turboprops to Richmond. Air Canada will also add a new route at Chicago O'Hare on May 15 with daily nonstop service to Calgary. The carrier will use 93-seat Embraer E190 jets on that route.

Air Canada is also growing its presence in Ottawa with four new routes. Among those will be two daily round-trip flights connecting the Canadian capital with Washington Reagan National Airport. The flights begin May 1 and will be on 50-seat Bombardier regional jets. Other new Air Canada routes from Ottawa include daily nonstop service to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Thunder Bay, Ontario; and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Those routes also begin May 1. And on June 1, Air Canada is scheduled to begin nonstop service from Ottawa to Frankfurt, according to the Ottawa Business Journal. Air Canada says its new Ottawa flights will boost its capacity there 19% by this summer.

It's not only in the USA where frustrated fliers are beginning call for a passengers' bill of rights. One of the latest reports comes from Atlantic Canada, where the St. John's Telegram writes "anger with airline service in Newfoundland revved up a notch this week with a call from the mayor of St. John's for a public inquiry into Air Canada's service." The mayor of North America's easternmost city says Transport Canada should investigate complaints that Newfoundland passengers were left stranded and had their bags lost during several days of bad weather around the busy Christmas holiday. One passenger felt so aggrieved that he created a Facebook group titled "Air Canada screwed me" to vent against the airline, the Telegram says.

Air Canada defends its operation during the storm. "Over the peak holiday period Newfoundland and Labrador experienced persistent storms and, as a result, service was disrupted," airline spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick says, adding that the airline’s top concern is safety. He didn’t address any specific case, but tells the Telegram "we're always reviewing all our operations, always looking for better ways to improve our service." But, like in the USA, fliers’ frustrations appear to be spilling over into action. The Telegram says "on Tuesday, the organization that represents towns and cities in Newfoundland entered the fray, saying it was backing a call for a proposed airline passenger bill of rights that would protect people whose luggage is lost or have a flight delayed."

Canadian airlines were issued an order yesterday that they must charge disabled passengers for only one ticket, even if they require more than one seat, AFP reports. The "one-person, one-fare" ruling by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) will prohibit Canadian carriers from charging disabled fliers for a second seat, even if a seat is required for an essential caregiver. The ruling also covers "clinically obese" passengers who cannot fit into a single seat. The CTA is giving Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet one year to come into compliance on the issue.

The decision is "a vindication of the rights of persons with disabilities," David Baker, lawyer for the plaintiffs in the case, says to the Toronto Star. But the decision could prove difficult for airlines. In addition to increased costs, the Star points out "the decision does not extend … to obese people who are merely uncomfortable in an aircraft seat. … Nor does it apply to those who want to travel with a companion for personal reasons or people who require caregiver assistance on the ground but not on the plane."

Critics say the ruling could force airlines into the uncomfortable role of deciding between who is clinically obese and who is merely overweight. "Our check-in agents are not nurses. Our flight attendants are not doctors, so we think it's a slippery slope," Air Transport Association policy vice-president Fred Gaspar tells CTV News of Toronto. In fighting against the eventual ruling, the Star says Canadian airlines "failed to prove that the one-person-one-fare policy would cause them undue financial hardship."

While determining which passengers needing essential caregivers are covered by the "one-person, one-fare" ruling may be fairly straight-forward, it could be somewhat more complicated in determining eligibility for overweight customers. In a release detailing its decision, the CTA suggests: "For persons disabled by obesity, the Agency cites the practical experience of Southwest Airlines, which screens for entitlement to an additional seat by determining whether a person can lower the seat's armrests." However, the CTA does not clarify whether the Southwest "experience" would determine if a passenger is "clinically overweight" or just overweight. 

The Associated Press gives the latest update, writing: "An Air Canada jetliner made an emergency landing in Calgary on Thursday after nine people aboard were injured when the Airbus A319 hit turbulence during a cross-country flight, an official said. None of the injuries were life-threatening, said Bryce Paton of the Calgary Airport Authority. The jet, carrying 88 people from Victoria, British Columbia, to Toronto, was diverted to Calgary for the emergency landing, officials said." See the full story.

(LAST UPDATED at 11:30 a.m. ET): Emergency crews responded this morning to an Air Canada flight that landed in Calgary on which eight passengers were seriously wounded, reports Canadian news website Canada.com. Two passengers were being treated for minor injuries. Earlier Canadian news reports indicated as many as 15 were "seriously" hurt with up to 40 minor injuries. The CBC says there is no visible damage to the Airbus A319 but adds "paramedics were seen unloading equipment from several ambulances." Canada.com continues to cite a rough landing, while the Globe and Mail of Toronto says passengers were "injured by turbulence." Canada's CTV News reports that there are no fatalities, identifying the flight as Air Canada Flight 190 from Victoria, British Columbia, to Toronto. (The TV report can be seen via the Globe and Mail's website.)

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

U.S. airlines begin to upgrade luxury seats
From USA TODAY: "Now that they're again earning profits after five yeas of industry losses, American, United, Delta, Northwest, Continental and US Airways are finally forging ahead with upgrades to take on foreign rivals. The six are plowing millions into tired, business-class cabins to win back former customers …, earn new ones and justify higher fares. … Profound changes in the competitive landscape are forcing the U.S. carriers to splurge while times are good. Not only have foreign airlines heightened travelers' expectations, but entrepreneurs behind boutique carriers Silverjet, Eos and L'Avion gave them new options." See the full story.

TSA profiling test underway at major airports
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Travelers at Sea-Tac and dozens of other major airports across America are being scrutinized by teams of TSA behavior-detection officers specially trained to discern the subtlest suspicious behaviors. TSA officials will not reveal specific behaviors identified by the program -- called SPOT (Screening Passengers by Observation Technique) -- that are considered indicators of possible terrorist intent. But a central task is to recognize microfacial expressions -- a flash of feelings that in a fraction of a second reflects emotions such as fear, anger, surprise or contempt, said Carl Maccario, who helped start the program for TSA." See the full story.

A la carte pricing ... or fees run amuck?
Canadian newsite Canada.com writes "airlines are going to absurd lengths to cut costs. Earlier this year, Air Canada tested a theory that planes stripped of paint fly lighter and, therefore, cheaper. The plan was soon scrapped. Last month, it revealed it was considering carrying wine in a box rather than bottles as a way to cut down on weight and save on wine costs. And last year, the airline got international attention for piloting a pay-for-your-own-pillow plan -- a $2 Comfort Kit with a blanket and inflatable pillow.  ... Airlines call it flying a la carte -- asking passengers to pay for everything from a bag of pretzels to an aisle seat. Unbundling free services, they argue, is the only way they can keep fares competitive. Consumer Reports, which examined ever-creeping airline fees in its January issue, calls it nickel-and-diming." See the full story.

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

US Airways points to Thanksgiving as proof of turnaround
From The Arizona Republic: "US Airways, hoping to send a signal that its operations are improving, is trumpeting its on-time performance during the Thanksgiving travel rush. The Tempe airline said that between Wednesday and Sunday, 86.6% of its flights on average arrived within 14 minutes of their scheduled time. That was the best of any Wednesday-Sunday period since the America West-US Airways merger two years ago. US Airways also said it completed 99.6% of scheduled flights and had fewer mishandled bags than expected. Airlines don't usually tout their performance over such a short period - Northwest is the only other major airline to issue a news release with Thanksgiving stats -- but US Airways has a lot to prove this year." Read the full story.

'Northwest has near perfect Thanksgiving period'
That's the headline from the Memphis Business Journal (free registration), which writes: "Northwest Airlines canceled only three flights during the five-day Thanksgiving travel period, reaching a completion factor of 99.94%. Northwest carried about 558,000 passengers during the busy five-day holiday weekend. The Eagan, Minn.-based carrier touted its performance over the Thanksgiving holiday as 'stellar,' saying 78% of its flights landed within 14 minutes of anticipated arrival times. Northwest canceled three out of its 4,900 domestic flights over the weekend. It had three days without any cancellations." See the fully story.

'Air Canada in no great hurry to acquire world's largest plane'
That's the headline from The Record of Kitchener, Ontario, which writes: "Air Canada doesn't appear to be in any hurry to pick up the world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380. … Philippe Jarry, the head of market development for Airbus, admitted the aircraft doesn't appear to be a priority for Air Canada. 'Their fleet focus has been towards smaller airplanes,’ he told reporters (earlier this month) at an airport news conference. 'They bought lots of A330s, A340s and the (Boeing) 787 … we will probably have to wait for their next investment phase.' Read the full story.

56 believed dead in Atlasjet crash in Turkey
From The Associated Press: An Atlasjet plane crashed on a rocky mountain shortly before it was due to land in southwest Turkey early Friday, killing all 56 people on board. The cause was not immediately known. Pieces of wreckage and personal belongings, including suitcases, clothing and magazines, were strewn across the hillside. The plane's fuselage lay amid boulders and pine trees. The MD-83, carrying 49 passengers and seven crewmembers, took off from Istanbul around 1 a.m. headed to Isparta on a flight of about one hour, but went off the radar just before landing at the airport. See the full story.

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the nation's media involving recent aviation stories:

Higher fuel costs may mean fewer planes at United
The Associated Press writes United "could ground up to 100 or more of its airplanes if soaring fuel prices ultimately cause consumers to buy fewer tickets, a top executive said (last week). As crude oil prices approach $100 a barrel, Chief Financial Officer Jake Brace said there has not yet been any evidence of a falloff in demand, which has been strong since the second quarter." Read the full story.

AA, pilots battle over contract
The Dallas Morning News (free registration) says American "rejected the contract proposal from its pilots' union Thursday, saying the package would increase the carrier's pilot costs by more than $1.4 billion a year. American's pilot cost per hour would be more than that of competitors Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines combined, the company told the Allied Pilots Association. 'AA negotiators have informed the APA negotiating committee that such a large compensation increase as proposed could not be sustained,' American said on its public negotiations Web site, www.aanegotiations.com." (Read the full Morning News story.)

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (free registration) writes AA "officials suggested in a statement Thursday that the union had adopted an 'old-style bargaining mind-set' and had staked out 'hard-line, extreme positions.' Union leaders said they weren't surprised. 'This is inflamed rhetoric coming from management,' said Karl Schricker, a spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association. 'If they don't realize how committed this pilot group is to restoring our compensation, they've made a serious miscalculation.' He said it was up to American management to counter with their own proposal." (Read the full Star-Telegram story).

AA faces push back from other unions, too
The Associated Press says "also on Thursday, American faced tough talk from the Transport Workers Union, which has been American's most compliant labor group since 2003, with mechanics working with executives to boost productivity to offset fewer workers. TWU Vice President Dennis Burchette said his members want pay raises next year that will fully make up for pay cuts they took in 2003, when the company was near bankruptcy." Read the full story.

Air Canada profit surges
Air Transport World writes: "Bolstered by the rising value of the Canadian dollar and helped by decreasing unit costs, Air Canada reported third-quarter net income of C$244 million ($262.4 million), a more than sixfold jump over C$44 million posted in the year-ago period. Revenue increased 7.1% to C$2.95 billion and operating income surged 170% to C$351 million from C$130 million last year.  ... The more than 25% increase in the value of the Canadian dollar compared to the US dollar since Jan. 1 was evidenced in the quarterly results, which benefited from net gains on foreign currency monetary items of C$104 million compared to net losses of C$3 million on such items in the year-ago period." Read the full story here, or see more from Bloomberg News.

Air Canada announced this afternoon what it says is "a major expansion of service between Canada and Germany in cooperation with its Star Alliance partner, Lufthansa." On May 1, Lufthansa will add seasonal nonstop service between Toronto and Dusseldorf, Germany. The carrier will operate one daily round-trip flight on 221-seat Airbus A340-330 jets. Air Canada will be able to sell seats on the flight through its codeshare partnership with Lufthansa. The Toronto-Dusseldorf route will run through October.

Beginning June 1, Air Canada will begin flying nonstop between Ottawa and Frankfurt, the biggest hub for Lufthansa. Air Canada will fly one daily round-trip flight using 211-seat Boeing 767-300 aircraft. Once in Frankfurt, Air Canada says connections to Lufthansa flights "are simple and fast through special in-transit facilities that enable passengers to proceed directly to their flight without the need to collect baggage." The Ottawa-Frankfurt service is scheduled to be year-round.

And on April 14, Lufthansa will add a daily round-trip flight between Calgary and Frankfurt. Air Canada already operates its own daily round-trip flight between the cities, saying Lufthansa's addition will "complement" its own daily option. Combined, Air Canada and Lufthansa will give fliers the option of two Star Alliance flights between Calgary and Frankfurt. Speaking about all of the new routes involved in today's announcement, Air Canada executive vice president Ben Smith says: "The convenience of more nonstop flights, streamlined connections using in-transit facilities at Frankfurt to points throughout the globe, and comprehensive reciprocal frequent flyer rewards are key benefits that our customers enjoy since the foundation of Star Alliance ten years ago."

Toronto's Pearson International, notorious for charging airlines some of the highest airport fees in the world, is set to give some of its tenants a break. The Toronto Star writes that Canada's busiest airport is "reducing its landing fees and terminal charges in a bid to attract more passenger and airline traffic." The Greater Toronto Airport Authority that operates the airport says it will cut landing fees charged to airlines by 3.1% and that it will cut terminal charges by 4.7%. The changes start Jan. 1. Canadian airlines immediately welcomed the news. "We commend the authority for finding savings and alternative revenue sources," Air Canada CEO Montie Brewer says in a statement Tuesday.

The National Post of Toronto writes WestJet, Canada's No. 2 carrier, "said it plans to pass some of those savings onto passengers and may increase the number of flights in and out of Toronto as a result of the lower fees." Unlike in the USA, Canadian airports must pay rent to the federal government, something Canadian airport officials say force them to charge higher fees to airlines. Air Canada's Brewer says "(we) now ask the Federal Government to follow the GTAA's example by reducing the rents it charges airports each year ... Ultimately, this is a regressive tax that stifles economic growth."

Pearson officials say they have been able to reduce fees there thanks to increased revenue in areas such as advertising, parking and retail, according to The Star Phoenix of Saskatchewan. The Toronto Star says "the move was cheered by travel groups and airlines, who have long pushed for a reduction in fees and charges by both airports and the federal government, saying they affect the competitiveness of Canada's air carriers." The paper notes the airport fees have historically been passed on by airlines to customers, "raising [fliers'] ire when they discover the ticket price skyrockets once taxes and airport fees are included. Some Canadians instead choose to drive to U.S. airports, such as Buffalo, to save on their flights."

Aviation buffs in Vancouver and Seattle were treated to the sighting of a rare aircraft this week. The historic plane –- a Lockheed L-10 Electra –- landed yesterday at Seattle's Boeing Field, arriving from Vancouver on a flight commemorating Air Canada's 70th anniversary.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes that the L-10 Electra is the same type "that Amelia Earhart was flying when she disappeared in July 1937 on her attempted around-the-world flight. On Sept. 1 that year, just a couple of months after Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan went missing over the Pacific, another Lockheed L-10 Electra landed at Boeing Field. It carried two passengers in wicker seats, and mail from Vancouver, B.C. The flight was the first by fledging Trans-Canada Air Lines."

Trans-Canada today is known as Air Canada and the L-10 Electra that reenacted its original flight is the only one in the world still flying, according to the Post-Intelligencer. "You'll see smoke coming out of the engines -- that's normal," Capt. Jim Mason told what The Province newspaper of Vancouver called "a skeptical media entourage" as the group boarded the flight. "It's got the best air-conditioning of any plane. We just open the window," Mason added with a laugh. The Vancouver Sun adds that the L-10 Electra flight "is a big change of pace from the Boeing 777s and Airbus A340s he flies for a living." The Sun says Mason is part of a volunteer crew that helps maintain Air Canada's L-10 Electra. "It's all done on days off but it's worth it to keep the heritage of TCA alive," Mason said about the aircraft.

Photo courtesy of Air Canada/Brian Losito.

PHOTO GALLERY: Lockheed L-10 Electra, by The Province.

PHOTO GALLERY: Specialty aircraft designs, by USA TODAY.

Beginning July 15, Air Canada will no longer accept pets as checked baggage on domestic flights. Air Canada says it is making the change "to effectively handle the high volume of baggage loads and meet the needs of the vast majority of our passengers." Air Canada says it will also make the change on international flights -- including U.S. flights -- "pending Canadian Transportation Agency approval." The airline will honor pet bookings already made.

Air Transport World (ATW) writes that "the airline stopped transporting pets, save for service animals, in the cabin in September 2006 after it found it increasingly difficult to balance pet owners' interests with those who were unwilling or unable to sit near an animal." An Air Canada spokesperson tells ATW: "We tried to reseat passengers away from the source but with record load factors it became more difficult. We try to devise policies that are fair to each customer." The spokesperson also noted to ATW that Southwest, JetBlue, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific Airways are among other airlines with similar policies.

Air Canada on Friday began nonstop service between Sacramento and Vancouver, British Columbia. The two daily round-trip flights are operated by Air Canada's regional affiliate, Jazz, using 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet aircraft. The flights are the only nonstop options between the cities. Through Vancouver, Sacramento fliers will be able to catch connecting Air Canada flights to cities in Canada, Asia and elsewhere.

Air Canada began service on Friday between Seattle and Calgary, Alberta. Air Canada's regional affiliate, Jazz, operates the two daily round-trip flights on 50-seat Bombardier CRJ regional jets.

Air Canada today begins seasonal non-stop service between its Montreal hub and Rome. The carrier will fly one daily round-trip flight through Sept. 30 using Boeing 767-200 ER aircraft. In a press release announcing the service, Air Canada says that its customers can catch "connecting flights via Rome to popular destinations in Italy operated by Air One, a Lufthansa partner airline." Air Canada also flies non-stop to Rome from its Toronto hub.

Beginning Sept. 6, Air Canada will add non-stop service between Ottawa and Las Vegas. The airline will fly one round-trip flight every Thursday and Sunday on 120-seat Airbus A319 jets. Westbound flights will leave Ottawa at 8 p.m. and land in Las Vegas at 10 p.m., all times local. The return flight is a red-eye, leaving Las Vegas at 11:30 p.m. and arriving in Ottawa at 7 a.m. With the new service, Air Canada will fly to Las Vegas from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

In case you missed this story yesterday, USA TODAY wonders whether Air Canada could prove to be a model for the North American airline industry. Air Canada's recent experiments include selling tickets in bulk –- 10 flights for $2,100, for example. USA TODAY writes that's "just one of a half-dozen innovations by Air Canada in recent years that have U.S. rivals glancing northward to monitor their acceptance by travelers. Once a lumbering money-loser, it's now a profitable pioneer, finding new ways to sell passengers only the services and amenities they want and nothing more."

The paper adds that "with Air Canada, a traveler can, for example, cut fares by agreeing to leave a suitcase at home or by forgoing loyalty points. Or the traveler can choose to pay more for reserving a seat. In short, Canada's biggest and oldest carrier is showing its U.S. competitors a new way of doing business that could become the future of air travel. Since the travel bust earlier this decade, Air Canada, the world's 13th-biggest airline, has broken from the pack of big airlines by focusing on customers rather than deep cost cuts, says Perry Flint, editor-in-chief of trade magazine Air Transport World." He says "very few airlines tackled the idea of trying to persuade customers that airlines deliver value for money."

Among Air Canada's most notable changes is its attempt to modify the way it prices tickets. USA TODAY says Air Canada has become the first in North America to institute a broad a la carte pricing system, offering everything from all-inclusive "Executive Class" fares to tickets that offer deductions for fliers who, for example, opt not to check bags or earn frequent-flier miles. Among other options: $36 for the option to change departure time or a $6 credit for agreeing not to change or cancel the ticket.

Air Transport World's Flint says similar changes may take awhile to reach airlines on this side of the border. He thinks U.S. airlines are worried about the financial risks in the event U.S. passengers don't embrace such a strategy. "The herd mentality means that no one wants to move first," Flint tells USA TODAY.

Photo courtesy of Air Canada.

In a story yesterday that took a thorough look at Air Canada, USA TODAY writes that the airline "is in the midst of the biggest fleet overhaul of any North American airline. Some 130 planes are getting new interiors, including seats, power outlets for laptops and lavatories. Air Canada's 44 Boeing 767s, which are used to fly to London Heathrow, Tel Aviv, Shanghai and other distant cities, are getting cutting-edge, lie-flat beds in business class. Air Canada has ordered 37 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, the most of any North American airline."

Two more big order announcements have come in for Boeing's hot-selling 787 Dreamliner model. Reuters writes that "Air Canada has exercised existing options and purchase rights for an additional 23 Boeing 787 … airplanes, bringing its total orders for the aircraft to 37 from 14, the company said Tuesday. … That makes the airline North America's biggest customer for the Dreamliner, the company said. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2010." Air Canada says the revised order will allow it to replace nearly all of the Boeing 767s in its fleet.

Meanwhile, CNN reports that "Virgin Atlantic has joined the growing band of airlines snapping up the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. At a press announcement on Tuesday the airline's chairman Sir Richard Branson also indicated that Virgin aims to be the first airline to power its aircraft with alternative fuels. Virgin Atlantic is ordering 15 of the 787-9 Dreamliners, the largest so far of any European airline -- with options to order another eight 787-9s and purchase rights on a further 20 aircraft."

Reuters adds that the "orders from Virgin Atlantic and Air Canada ... mark an important victory in Europe and North America over European rival Airbus in the lucrative market for wide-body planes. In the past few years, Asian and Middle Eastern airlines have taken the lead in ordering 787s."

Flight schedules at Newark's Liberty International Airport were disrupted yesterday after the "right engine of a Continental Airlines jet shattered during an aborted takeoff, sending debris flying across one of the airport's runways," The Record of northern New Jersey writes, citing airport officials. The airport "briefly closed the runway after Continental Flight 84 aborted its takeoff when the engine malfunction occurred. The plane, a Boeing 777, was carrying 260 passengers and 16 crew members, was headed to Tel Aviv, said Mary Clark, an airline spokeswoman," adds the Record.

The incident was at least the second for Continental this week. On Monday, a Continental jet bound for Newark aborted its takeoff and came to an abrupt stop after pilots reported a "thrust problem," writes Channel 3 of Las Vegas. That Continental flight was on a Boeing 757-300 with 216 passengers and seven crew. The station adds "the mishap was the second in week involving aborted takeoffs … at the Las Vegas airport. A week ago, an Air Canada jet carrying 146 people skidded to a stop after tires blew and engines were damaged during acceleration down a runway. That was an Airbus A-320. Officials say pilots reported brake problems before the March 12th mishap." No one was reported hurt in any of the incidents.

Beginning June 15, Air Canada will add non-stop service between Sacramento and Vancouver, British Columbia. The carrier will fly two daily round-trip flights using 50-seat Bombardier CRJ regional jets. "The announcement culminates the airport's efforts to lure Air Canada dating back to 2001," according to The Sacramento Bee (free registration). Adds airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie: "We want to expand our options for customers ... (and) give them another nonstop destination."

Air Canada spokesman John Reber tells the Bee that the Sacramento flights are timed to connect with flights from Vancouver to Asia and the rest of Canada. Sacramento airport spokeswoman Cheryl Marcell says data shows that about 35 passengers fly each day from Sacramento to Vancouver on connecting service currently offered by airlines like Alaska Air or United. She says she expects the new non-stop option to stimulate demand. Air Canada will be the second foreign carrier to set up shop in Sacramento. Mexicana Airlines began service there in 2002 and now flies 12 weekly flights to three Mexican airports.

Raleigh/Durham International is among the airports featured this week in USA TODAY reporter Roger Yu's Airport Check-in column. In his column, Yu writes:

"Raleigh-Durham International plans to redesign restrooms in Terminal C to better accommodate a rising number of travelers with large carry-ons. Stalls will be made longer and wider so that bags can easily fit inside them, says Jessica del Pilar, spokeswoman for Denver-based Fentress Bradburn Architects, which is working on the airport's renovation. The stalls will be 3 feet by 6 feet, a 31% increase in floor space. Slightly tilted mirrors will be placed above urinals so that men can keep bags in sight. The restrooms will also be brighter because the designers are installing floor-to-ceiling translucent glass to bring in soft, natural light. New restrooms will be completed in 2008. Improvements are part of a $570 million plan to overhaul Terminal C by 2010. It's home to American Airlines, United Express and Air Canada."

Check out the full version of Yu's column in today's USA TODAY newspaper or online.

With US Airways considering adding service to Asia (see below), the airline would have to acquire aircraft that have the range to make it across the Pacific. The Philadelphia Inquirer (free registration) writes that the airline "has been talking to ... the parent of Air Canada, about buying or leasing Airbus A340 jets that Air Canada expects to begin replacing this year, Bloomberg News reported. The four-engine A340 has a range of more than 8,000 miles. US Airways spokesman Philip Gee said the airline has talked to several potential sellers of long-range planes, but hasn't decided what it would use if it gets the Philadelphia-Shanghai route."

Toronto's Pearson International is among the airports featured today in USA TODAY reporter Roger Yu's weekly Airport Check-in column. In his column, Yu writes:

"Toronto Pearson International on Tuesday opened its new international concourse in Terminal 1. The facility will be used for international flights — including to and from the USA — operated by Air Canada and United Airlines. Lufthansa, Mexicana and smaller airlines also operate from the facility.  Terminal 2, which previously handled these flights, is now closed. The new concourse cost $680 million, making it one of the most expensive airport construction projects in Canada.

"Toronto's CityNews writes that the portion of the new terminal that just opened -- known as Pier F -- "boasts state of the art equipment, including an electric walkway that speeds up the farther you go on it. It also boasts 25 gates, ... improved restaurant facilities and shops, an airport train system and more." In a separate story about the closing of Terminal 2, CityNews writes: "Pier F will also feature in-transit pre-clearance that allows travelers connecting from international to U.S.-bound flights to go directly to American customs without having to go through Canadian customs."

Meanwhile, for those interested in the history of Pearson International, Filey of the Toronto Sun offers a good piece on how the (some-say-distant-from-downtown) airport came to be located where it is today. The Toronto Star also "ruminates" on the closing of Terminal 2.

"The new terminal also marked a significant milestone for Air Canada. "The new pier at Pearson Airport means that for the first time in many years Air Canada is located under one roof at its main operating hub. This will dramatically improve the customer experience through greater convenience, vastly reduced distances between gates and far easier connections," Air Canada CEO Montie Brewer says in a press release. "We will be much better able to serve connecting domestic, U.S. and international passengers. It will also be a significant economic benefit to the region by making Toronto the premier North American gateway for travelers to and from the U.S., Asia, Europe or the rest of the world."

As for Yu's column, check out the full version in today's USA TODAY newspaper or online.

Air Canada will add a second daily non-stop flight between Vancouver and Beijing during the summer travel season. The extra flight will operate from July 1 through Sept. 30 on a 211-seat Boeing 767-300 aircraft. Air Canada also announced it would increase the summer frequencies on its Toronto-Shanghai non-stop route, which is scheduled to begin April 6. Initially, Air Canada will fly that route three times a week, but that will increase to daily service as of June 30. The airline will drop back down to three weekly Toronto-Shanghai flights once next year’s winter flight schedule is rolled out. "Air Canada is securing its position as the leading North American carrier to China this summer by adding a second daily Vancouver-Beijing flight and improving its Toronto-Shanghai schedule," Daniel Shurz, Air Canada's vice president of network planning, says in a press release.

Beginning April 1, Air Canada will start non-stop service between New York LaGuardia and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The route will be operated by Air Canada’s Jazz unit using a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ regional aircraft. Flights will depart Halifax at 11:45 a.m. and arrive in New York at 12:30 p.m. They will leave New York at 1 p.m. and arrive in Halifax at 3:40 p.m. (Halifax is on Atlantic Time, one hour later than Eastern.) Air Canada also announced two domestic routes. Flights between Toronto and Deer Lake, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, begins May 4 and will be flown on 120-seat Airbus A319 jets. Non-stop service between Edmonton, Alberta and Halifax starts June 15, also to be flown on 120-seat A319s.

Air Canada began flying on Saturday between Calgary and Palm Springs, Calif. The flights are operated by Air Canada's Jazz unit with 75-seat CRJ-705 aircraft. The jets will be configured with 10 seats in Executive Class and 65 in coach. Jazz will fly the route seasonally though April 10. In a press release, Air Canada says the new route is a continuation of its "transborder U.S. expansion from western Canada."

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is among the airports featured this week in USA TODAY reporter Roger Yu's Airport Check-in column. In his column for this week, Yu writes:

"Raleigh officials have approved a $570 million plan to overhaul Terminal C at Raleigh-Durham International, home to American Airlines, United Express and Air Canada. With the number of local travelers rapidly growing, the airport earlier this year began to remodel the terminal's north concourse, adding more gates and enlarging the ticketing and baggage claim areas. But airport officials soon realized that the south concourse, with its outdated gates, also needed to be overhauled. That led to the new plan announced last week. Spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin says the construction areas will be walled off, and the airport expects 'no major impact' for travelers. The airport expects to finish the north concourse by summer of 2008. Work will then begin on the south concourse, which will be completed by late 2010, Hamlin says. Space in Terminal C will more than double to 893,000 square feet, making it the larger of the two terminals at the airport. It will feature 32 gates, three ticketing islands with 60 airline check-in counters, 10 security checkpoint lanes and five baggage carousels.

Check out the full version of Yu's column online. Or come back tomorrow to Today in the Sky to see what Yu had to write about Indianapolis International.

Beginning Tuesday, Air Canada will add non-stop service between Edmonton, Alberta, and London Heathrow. At first, the airline will operate three daily flights (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). But by April 1, Air Canada will fly one daily round-trip flight on the route using 212-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The carrier says the flight is the only non-stop service between Edmonton and London. In a press release announcing the new service, Air Canada adds that by next summer it "will offer up to 15 daily non-stop flights to London from eight cities across Canada: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. John's."

Beginning June 1, Air Canada will add seasonal non-stop service between its Montreal hub and Rome. The carrier will fly one daily round-trip flight through Sept. 30 using Boeing 767-200 ER aircraft. From Montreal, Rome will be the Air Canada's fifth non-stop European destination, joining London, Paris, Frankfurt and Munich. In a press release announcing the new service, Air Canada says that its customers can catch "connecting flights via Rome to popular destinations in Italy operated by Air One, a Lufthansa partner airline." Air Canada also flies non-stop to Rome from its Toronto hub.

Start-up carrier Porter Airlines has won regulatory approval from Canadian authorities to begin flying out of Toronto’s City Centre Airport. The carrier plans an initial schedule of 10 daily non-stop flights between Toronto and Ottawa beginning this October. Porter says it will add destinations within about 500 miles of Toronto as it adds more aircraft, Reuters reports. But Porter's plans have been the source of significant controversy in Canada’s largest metropolis. At the heart of the conflict is Porter's plan to use City Centre Airport, located on an island just a stone's throw from downtown Toronto. Opponents have fought hard over the past years to keep commercial airline service at City Centre Airport to a minimum. Critics –- including Toronto's current mayor -– say increased service at the airport will ruin fledgling efforts to transform Toronto's Lake Ontario waterfront into a bustling, vibrant neighborhood, according to the Toronto Star and CityNews of Toronto.

Other airlines serving Toronto fly out of the city's Pearson International Airport –- located about 20 miles from downtown and noted for having some of the highest airport fees in the world. Controversy also erupted after Air Canada’s Jazz unit was evicted from City Centre Airport in a convoluted battle with officials with ties to Porter. Jazz had promised to return to the airport in August, but has not yet been able to resume flights since its ouster from the terminal. As for Porter, the Globe and Mail of Toronto writes the start-up has an "ambitious plan to become the country's third-largest carrier" by running a fleet of Bombardier Q400 turboprops from City Centre Airport. "If all goes smoothly, the carrier will add New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and Thunder Bay to its list of destinations by the end of 2007," the paper adds. "Other cities on Porter's radar screen of 17 destinations are Quebec City, Windsor, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit and three northern Ontario cities -- Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins."

Air Canada has billed a passenger that it says verbally abused its employees $1,350 for delaying a trans-Atlantic flight by 27 minutes. The passenger, Gus Fuentes, was apparently in the correct row but wrong seat on a March 15 flight on Air Canada. Flight attendants asked him to switch seats, and a heated argument ensued that ultimately ended with Fuentes receiving a police escort off the Toronto-to-London flight. About a week later, Fuentes received a letter from Air Canada’s legal branch stating that he must pay the airline $1,350 by certified check or bank draft by April 5. Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick tells the Toronto Star that the $1,350 bill covers costs such as overtime for flight crew, extra baggage handling and other unspecified expenses. "It's not a fine," Fitzpatrick says. "We can't fine people. We're a company. But it's standard practice in the airline industry in cases where people deliberately delay a flight that we will seek compensation because it is causing us damages. It is very costly to delay a plane."

Fuentes was forced to return to Toronto on a American Airlines flight via New York. Upon his return, he filed a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) over his treatment by Air Canada. In the claim, Fuentes says that he was not an unruly passenger, but rather the victim of a "flight attendant who had called him a name and laughed at him after asking him to move," writes the Globe and Mail of Toronto. The airline, of course, offered a contrary account of the situation, and two other passengers on the flight gave written statements saying the attendants responded professionally and calmly while Fuentes was verbally abusive. The CTA reviewed the complaint and ruled that Air Canada had acted within its rights. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Fuentes is showing no sign of contrition. "They (Air Canada) will never admit that they were wrong, so I won't pay, but money is not the issue," he tells the Star. Air Canada did reimburse Fuentes  $338 to cover the unused portion of his London-Toronto ticket before billing him the $1,350 for delaying the flight.

The Air Canada story comes just a week after Canadian low-cost carrier Zoom Airlines claimed in court that a British flier’s "booze-fueled rage" cost it $188,000. The man in that incident was sentenced to 240 hours of community service.

Air Canada on Thursday began non-stop service between Las Vegas and Edmonton. The carrier will fly one flight between the cities each Thursday and Sunday aboard a 120-seat Airbus 319 aircraft. In a press release, Air Canada says the move “continues its trans-border U.S. expansion to western Canada.” With the addition, the airline says it will operate “up to 55 weekly flights this winter to Las Vegas from six cities across Canada:  Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal.”

A pilot on an Air Canada Jazz flight went to the bathroom in the middle of a flight but found himself locked out of the cockpit when he tried to return, the airline acknowledged Wednesday. The crew ultimately had to take the cockpit door off its hinges to get the pilot back into the cockpit, Reuters reports. The incident happened Saturday on an Air Canada Jazz Bombardier CRJ-100 regional jet that was flying from Ottawa to Winnipeg. The pilot “apparently left the cockpit to use the washroom at the back of the plane, leaving the flight's first officer in control of the plane -- a normal event when a member of the crew needs to use a washroom,” writes the Ottawa Citizen. Remaining in the cockpit were the flight’s first officer and a flight attendant.

But, when the pilot returned from the bathroom, the cockpit door would not open. “The door malfunctioned ... this is a very rare occurrence," Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stewart tells Reuters, adding that the company viewed the crew's decision to remove the door as being in line with its policy. As for what customers experienced, the Citizen writes that “for approximately 10 minutes, passengers described seeing the pilot bang on the door and communicating with the cockpit through an internal telephone, but being unable to open the cabin door.” However, Jazz’s Stewart tells Reuters that the Citizen’s account is "a bit dramatic." In addition, Steward tells AFP: "At no time was the safety or security of passengers compromised."

United has the best buy-on-board lunch among North American airlines. At least that's according to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), which writes that it set out “to find the best of these new unfree lunches” offered now-a-days on North American airlines. To do that, the paper “procured sample snack boxes from six carriers -- Air Canada, American, ATA, Northwest, United and US Airways -- and ate them at home.” What did the Journal find? The paper says its “snapshot of airborne cuisine 2006 is dismal for the most part." The paper noted in many of the lunch options, " ‘cheese food’ was in good supply, but there was almost no real cheese.”  The Journal also found the calorie and fat counts for some of these “pseudo-meals” to be “disturbingly high.” On the bright side, the Journal’s staff did “find a few things we might choose to eat when not trapped in a Boeing 737.”

Earning the Journal’s highest assessment from its six-lunch sample was United. The paper gave a “thumbs-up” to United’s offering of “Bumble Bee tuna, organic crackers, Newman’s Own raisins, and mini-Toblerone.” Overall, the paper called United’s $5 buy-onboard lunch meal “a smart selection of brands we know and like.” At the other end of the spectrum was ATA. Saying it had the "worst snack box," the Journal gave a “thumbs down,” to the airline’s “skimpy and chaotic” $2.95 snack box.  Among the Journal’s other notable assessments, Air Canada offered the best muffins and best sandwiches. Overall, however, the Journal concludes “the snack boxes were worse than the old free meals, which were badly cooked but not outlandish.” Bon appetite!

Photo: AFP says this 2005 file photo "shows a snack similar to those served ... on Delta flights." Delta was not one of the airlines reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Air Canada’s Jazz unit will resume service at Toronto’s City Centre Airport on Aug. 28, according to the Calgary Sun. Jazz's schedule at the airport calls for 10 round-trip flights to Ottawa and seven to Montreal each weekday, with reduced service on weekends. The Toronto-Ottawa flights will start “just weeks before upstart Porter Airlines begins a similar Toronto-Ottawa run,” writes the Ottawa Business Journal. Jazz had served Toronto’s City Centre Airport until this spring, when it was forced out after its facility was taken over by entrepreneur Robert Deluce –- the man behind soon-to-be-rival Porter Air.  Jazz has secured new space at the airport, which itself has been a lightning rod for controversy. Its location a stone’s throw away from the city's posh lakefront has made it a target for local groups that oppose expanded commercial service. Pearson International is Toronto’s main airport and is located about 20 miles from downtown. (Photo by Paul Chiasson, AP)

Air Canada on Saturday began daily non-stop service between San Diego and its Toronto hub. The carrier will fly one daily flight on Airbus A319 aircraft.

Toronto’s Pearson International Airport was again singled out for costs. The latest came Thursday at an international transportation conference in Montreal where many in the group singled out Pearson as "the world's most expensive airport." Air Canada president Montie Brewer says that operating out of the costly airport affects the airline's cost structure and jacks up fares for consumers in the Toronto area. "And I truly believe it stunts the potential growth of the economy in Toronto and Ontario," he’s quoted as saying in The London (Ont.) Free Press. Jim May, president and chief executive of the Air Transport Association of America, pointed out that the fees Toronto charges airlines to do business are more than double the comparable fees at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Less than two weeks ago, Israeli carrier El Al cited Toronto's high operating costs in saying that it would reduce its schedule there.

While Toronto’s Pearson International is being assailed for high costs (see above), another Toronto airport could be seeing new service. Toronto’s City Centre Airport –- on an island just a stone’s throw from downtown Toronto –- is the proposed hub for Canadian start-up Porter Air. The carrier announced earlier this week that it plans to begin service this fall with 10 daily round-trip flights between Ottawa and the close-in Toronto airport. Reuters reports that the carrier has ordered ten 70-seat turboprop planes from Bombardier with options for another 10, and adds that the airline eventually plans to fly to 17 cities in the United States and Canada, including Boston, Chicago, Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Detroit and Montreal.

But hurdles remain, including local groups that vociferously object to expanded commercial service at the City Centre Airport. The airport currently has no commercial service following the March departure of Air Canada’s Jazz unit. That airline was evicted after its month-to-month lease was rejected by City Centre Aviation -– a firm the Toronto Star says is owned by a holding company belonging to Porter Air CEO Robert Deluce. Jazz officials, however, promise an “aggressive return” to the airport, according to the Globe and Mail of Toronto.

Air Canada on Saturday launched non-stop service between Toronto and Shanghai. The flight is the only non-stop service from eastern North America to Shanghai, the carrier says in a press release. Air Canada will operate three weekly flights using 285-seat Airbus A-340-300 aircraft. The flight will take 14 hours, 45 minutes westbound and 13 hours, 40 minutes eastbound. Also on Saturday, Air Canada began daily non-stop service between Montreal and Mexico City. That route will be flown on 120-seat Airbus A-319 jets.

Air Canada today begins non-stop service between Denver and Montreal. The carrier will operate one daily round-trip flight using Airbus A-319 aircraft during the busy summer travel season and a 93-seat E190 at other times. Air Canada will be the only carrier to operate non-stop service between the cities.

Air Canada's Mobile Check-in has been expanded to include all flights within Canada.  Air Canada customers traveling without luggage may now use their mobile device –- cell phone, blackberry or Treo -– to check-in at aircanada.com.  Customers log on to mobile.aircanada.com using their mobile device one to 24 hours prior to departure and complete their check-in on their mobile by entering their name, departure city and one of the following: credit card number, Aeroplan number or reservation number. Once completed, customers make their way to a self-service kiosk at the airport to print their boarding pass.

Photo credit: Air Canada counter at Montreal's Dorval airport. By Paul Chiasson, CP.

Air Canada will tighten requirements on carry-on luggage “in an effort to lighten each plane's load” as the carrier struggles against rising fuel costs, according to the Toronto Star. The paper reports that the airline has also “tried measures ranging from dumping empty wine bottles in the middle of a round trip” to one "high profile experiment" where Air Canada "even stripped paint off the fuselage of one plane.” As for the luggage changes, Air Canada president Montie Brewer sent a memo to employees this month saying that the airline would introduce policy changes that will limit passengers from bringing more than two bags each weighing no more than 50 pounds on any flight. Exempted routes include flights to Japan and Brazil, though the airline said it will stress enforcement of the limits on Asian flights. (A computer-generated image provided by Boeing shows the Boeing 777-200LR, top, and the Boeing 787, bottom, shown with Air Canada logos. Via AP.)

Air Canada on Thursday began daily non-stop service between Salt Lake City and its hub in Toronto. The one daily flight is operated by Air Canada’s Jazz unit on 75-seat CRJ-705 regional jets. The flights will allow Salt Lake City passengers to connect via Toronto to Air Canada destinations in Europe and eastern Canada. The airline’s press release says the jets feature “all-leather seating” and are “configured in two classes of service with 10 window or aisle seats in Executive Class offering 37 inches of legroom, and 65 window or aisle seats in (coach class) offering an industry leading 34 inches of legroom. All seats will be equipped with Air Canada’s new in-seat personal entertainment system.” (Photo by Paul Chiasson, CP)

WestJet admitted to spying on Air Canada on Monday, adding what appears to be the final chapter of a contentious two-year legal battle between Canada’s two largest airlines. The out-of-court settlement ends what the Toronto National Post calls “a sometimes bizarre and often embarrassing corporate-espionage lawsuit that accused WestJet of hacking into an Air Canada employee website to obtain confidential information.” As part of the settlement, WestJet acknowledged “unethical and unacceptable” conduct and apologized to Air Canada and its CEO, Robert Milton. The case began in 2004, when Air Canada filed a $199 million lawsuit alleging that its discount rival wrongfully used that website to gather information about how well Air Canada’s flights were doing on various routes.

WestJet countered with accusations that Air Canada hired private investigators to sift through the personal trash of one of its executives. Air Canada eventually hired computer experts to electronically piece together shredded papers found in that executive’s trash, according to the Globe and Mail of Toronto. In reaching the settlement, WestJet agreed to pay Air Canada's legal costs of $5 million and accepted a request by Air Canada that it donate $10 million to children's charities in the name of both airlines. The settlement was a fraction of what Air Canada had originally demanded, analyst Cameron Doerksen of Versant Partners said in a research note. "We view this as a significant positive for WestJet," he's quoted as saying by Reuters.

Photo credit: Air Canada aircraft sit on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport in Toronto. By Frank Gunn, AP.

Air Canada today began daily non-stop service between Los Angeles and Edmonton, Alberta. The service will be operated by Air Canada’s Jazz unit, which will operate one daily flight using a Bombardier CRJ-705 with 10 first-class seats and 65 in coach.

If you can say you’ve flown over the Arctic Circle or the North Pole, your club isn’t as exclusive as it used to be. More airlines are flying the routes over the far north, where passengers are treated to a view of what the Chicago Tribune (free registration) describes as “a seemingly endless horizon of ice and snow meeting blue sky.” Why the northern routes? To save time and -– more importantly –- money. "If we had to go more south, on more traditional routes, we would not be able to carry all the passengers we carry, and we wouldn't carry all the cargo," says Sean Donohue, United Airlines' vice president of operational services. His airline is on pace to fly more than 1,500 passenger flights over the pole this year, which would beat its record of 1,402 set in 2005. “The next closest passenger airline in terms of polar flyovers was Continental Airlines, with 796 last year,” the Tribune writes. With 515 fights, Air Canada was third.

United, which the Tribune says flies more Asian routes than any other airline, first began heavily using the polar flights in earnest in 2000, when it flew 253 such flights. Why now? Commercial flights over the North Pole region became available in the 1990s, once Russia agreed to open up its air space to commercial airlines. And the trend has picked up in recent years, allowing airlines a shorter, faster option to connect North American and Asia. Weather, as you might expect, also plays a role. When winds are really strong, it's more advantageous to fly a polar route, where there's no wind," explains Mike Stills, manager of international operations flight dispatch at United.

Air Canada began flying last week between New York JFK and Calgary. The airline will operate one daily non-stop flight on the route using a 93-seat Embraer 190 jet. In a press release, Air Canada says “the new Embraer jets are outfitted with Air Canada’s new personal entertainment system,” which includes “8.9-inch wide digital in-seat monitors with touch-screen controls offering audio and video on demand programming at every seat.” Air Canada’s E-190s will feature nine Executive Class seats and 84 in coach class.

Air Canada announced Wednesday that it will apply to begin daily non-stop flights between Los Angeles and Sydney. If successful in its application for the new route, Air Canada would take advantage of a November agreement between Canada and the USA that allows airlines from either nation to fly through and pick up customers in the other en route to a third nation. Air Canada’s proposal would have it fly from its Toronto hub to Los Angeles, with continuing service to Sydney. Air Canada says it would work with Star Alliance partners like United and US Airways to coordinate schedules and offer code-shared flights. United operates a hub at Los Angeles, which –- in theory –- could boost connecting options should Air Canada’s L.A.-Sydney leg receive approval.

Air Canada would begin the flights in the first half of 2007 once it takes delivery of Boeing 777 aircraft it has on order, reports HalifaxLive.com. But, before Air Canada can fly the route, it must overcome regulatory obstacles –- the biggest of which could come from the Australian government. Australia has previously prevented Singapore Airlines from flying between Los Angeles and Sydney. But The Sydney Morning Herald writes that Air Canada’s “move could take pressure off the Federal Government to allow additional competition -- namely Singapore Airlines -- on the capacity-constrained route that accounts for 20% of Qantas's profits.”

Beginning June 16, Air Canada adds non-stop service between Toronto and Shanghai. The airline will use 286-seat A340-300 aircraft on the route. Air Canada also flies non-stop from its Toronto hub to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul.

Due to a shipping mix-up, a Chicago-area priest was forced to buy a new ticket for each leg of his Chicago-to-Toronto trip. As a result, he and another priest paid $1,310 each for their flights -– nearly four times the original cost of each man's $345.70 ticket. After several unsuccessful efforts to get a refund, the Chicago Tribune’s (free registration) “The Problem Solver” team stepped in.

Apparently, the priest purchased paper tickets online through OneTravel.com, but never received them in the mail.  When he showed up at the airport for his flight, ticket-counter agents said he couldn’t board the flight without the paper tickets. So he bought a new $458 ticket. On the way back, the priests encountered the same problem, forcing the each to buy a new $506 ticket.  When all was said and done, the priest’s airline –- Air Canada –- and OneTravel.com ultimately refunded nearly everything except the original cost of $345.70 tickets.

Pillows now cost $2 on Air Canada. At least five airlines are now charging $2 — plus tip — to use curbside check in at certain airports. Trail mix? That's $1 on Northwest. Scott McCartney, the Middle Seat Columnist of The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), calls it a "fee frenzy," and it would be hard to argue with him. With soaring fuel costs and record losses, the legacy airlines are looking to add revenue any way they can. That "fee frenzy" has also helped lead to a shakeup in the airline industry. "As a result," McCartney writes, "the legacy airlines have become no-frill airlines while the discounters such as Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways now offer more perks and free services. For example, most domestic flights on American, Northwest and Delta Air Lines don't have pillows anymore. But Southwest does." And what about the popular seatback satellite TV? That can be found on airlines like JetBlue and Frontier — but not on legacy carriers.