News that has caught Chris' eye in the Travel World

US Transportation Security Administration tighten screening (2 August, 2017)

The US Transportation Security Administration said last week that it's boosting security measures by requiring any carry-on electronic item larger than a cellphone to be screened separately at U.S. airports. The new screening will apply to devices like e-readers, iPads, and tablets. As the new procedures are phased in, TSA officers will ask passengers to take out their small electronics and "place them in a bin with nothing on top or below" -- just like laptops are currently scanned.

The new rule eliminates the benefit of leaving laptops at home and traveling with a tablet. In the past, travellers were not required to fish out these smaller-sized electronics from their carry-on bags to be X-rayed.

On the positive side, the U.S. ban on laptops from the cabin on flights to the U.S. from 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa was just lifted. 

Travel Agents’ Choice Awards (26 July, 2017)

The Agents’ Choice Awards for 2017 have been announced by Baxter Travel Media. There are many annual awards given out in the travel industry, but what makes these awards particularly interesting is the fact that they are based solely on input from Canadian travel agents – the experts in all things travel. This year, 5,770 agents voted for their favourite travel organizations in a range of different categories.

Among the winners were:
Best Tour Operator – Transat
Best Traditional Airline – Air Canada
Best Low Cost Airline – WestJet
Best Airport – Toronto Pearson in Canada and Amsterdam Schiphol internationally
Best Large Cruise Line – Royal Caribbean International
Best Canadian City – Vancouver
Best US City – New York
Best International City – Paris.
Best Winter Sunspot  –  Mexico (winner in this category for the last five years).

TAP Portugal resumes flying from Canada (20 July, 2017)

I have just experienced the newest direct air service to Europe from Toronto. The return of TAP Portugal flying Toronto to Lisbon is good news for both the large Portuguese diaspora in Canada and for any travellers wishing to explore the fabulous year round destination of Portugal.

TAP Portugal, the Portuguese national airline, is now flying five days per week between Toronto Pearson and Lisbon. TAP currently flies around 12 million passengers a year and has been named “Best Airline in Europe” for six consecutive years by Global Traveler magazine.

Lisbon is the closest capital to North America in Continental European - making it a natural gateway for a stopover on the way to Europe or Africa. TAP Portugal’s Stopover program features onward connections to more than 50 European destinations and offers 150 exclusive prices for Stopover travellers for hotels and experiences in Lisbon.

My flight experiences with TAP Portugal this month included two transatlantic flights and internal flights to Madeira – each was superb and I highly recommend this latest option for European travel. The carrier’s A330 aircraft feature full-flat beds in Business class, new comfortable seats in Economy, and some of the world’s most advanced inflight entertainment systems.

This autumn, the airline will introduce a range of Portuguese wines onboard that will give Portuguese wine makers the opportunity to showcase their wines. And a team of seven Michelin Starred Portuguese chefs are adding new Portuguese flavours to the meals served on board.