Ever Carradine, the actress known for her role in the hit series The Handmaid’s Tale, is expressing her frustration after being downgraded from her reserved business class seat to economy on Air Canada. Following her flight from Toronto to Los Angeles, Carradine took to social media platforms Instagram and Threads to share her discontent, stating, “So apparently Air Canada can just bump you from your business class seat to a middle seat in economy?” Her flight marked her eighth with the airline since January 6, and she shared her disillusionment, particularly after celebrating her wrap party for filming.
Alongside her remarks, Carradine posted a screenshot of the email she received from Air Canada informing her of the seat change. She also voiced her annoyance over the malfunctioning WiFi and lack of entertainment during the flight. “Sorry — but I’m pissed,” she added, urging the airline to “Do Better, Air Canada.” Her situation has sparked various reactions online, with some commenters speculating about potential reasons for the downgrade. One user pointed out, “They do this a lot. They give their pilots priority over paying customers,” linking her experience to broader issues with airline customer service.
Conversely, others were less sympathetic to Carradine's predicament, with one saying, “Ouch, girl, read the room. This is VERY tone-deaf right now. No one cares you got bumped from business.” Following this incident, Daily Hive reached out to Air Canada for comment and awaits their response.
Shifting the focus, both Air Canada and WestJet are making notable enhancements to their domestic flight services from Fort McMurray International Airport in 2025. WestJet has already implemented new flights, which will total 41 weekly flights by May to cities including Edmonton, Calgary, and Toronto, increasing from 33 flights just six months prior. Meanwhile, Air Canada plans to increase its direct flight offerings, with four weekly flights to Toronto — doubling the two flights previously scheduled in November 2024.
John Weatherill, WestJet’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, stated, “With 31 flights connecting Fort McMurray to our global hub in Calgary, doubling our non-stop flights to Toronto brings more convenient options connecting Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo to Eastern and Atlantic Canada.”
Denean Robinson, president and CEO of the Fort McMurray Airport Authority, remarked on the airport’s strategic plan to promote its services to the community, emphasizing the excess travel to other cities for flights. Robinson pointed out, “Every trip taken through our airport boosts ridership numbers, which sends a strong signal to airlines about the demand for our region.” She projected the airport would welcome 362,000 passengers by 2025, reflecting the strong travel demand within the community.
Regarding Air Canada's market position, January 15, 2025, data revealed the airline experienced a significant drop of 20.2% in short interest, totaling 7,210,900 shares versus 9,035,900 shares the previous month. This drop could reflect investor confidence as the average daily volume for the stock is 286,900 shares, with analysts predicting Air Canada to post substantive earnings growth this year.
Kyra Hall, reporting on Air Canada’s stock performance, noted the shares saw slight declines, trading at $13.49 with notable fluctuations observed over the past weeks. Coupled with the market dynamics, the airline's recent earnings surpassed analysts' expectations when it reported $1.88 earnings per share for the last quarter. Air Canada showcased strong net margins and return on equity, underlining its financial stability even amid industry pressures.
On another front, Air Canada has solidified its strategic partnership with Verteil Technologies to improve travel distribution through the adoption of New Distribution Capability (NDC) solutions. This collaboration allows travel agents direct access to Air Canada's offerings via Verteil Direct Connect, enhancing their booking experience significantly.
Jerrin Jos, CEO and Founder of Verteil Technologies, highlighted, “This launch demonstrates the trust... of 50+ leading airlines like Air Canada...,” emphasizing the advancements this partnership will bring to the travel selling ecosystem. The implementation aims to simplify many administrative tasks associated with booking and managing travel, thereby streamlining operations for travel agents.
Keith Wallis, Managing Director at Air Canada, stated, “Our partnership with Verteil allows us to extend our full breadth of NDC content to a broader audience…” reflecting the airline’s commitment to modernizing travel retail through innovative technologies. This initiative is expected to provide more personalized services and enhances connectivity, simplifying key processes such as payments, refunds, and cancellations.
With expanded domestic flight services, strategic partnerships, and notable improvements to customer experiences, Air Canada is undoubtedly focused on connecting more travelers efficiently, underscoring its commitment to meeting customer demands and expectations head-on.