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According to this post on Flyertalk, by Andrew Yiu, a representative of Air Canada, Transport Canada is set to relax the carry-on baggage restrictions on January 20, 2010 which were put in place for flights bound for the US after the December 25th terrorist attack by the underpants bomber!

According to the post, the following will be effective January 20th for flights originating in Canada, with a destination in the United States.

Effective January 20, 2010, Transport Canada will ease the carry-on baggage restrictions for customers traveling to the United States. You are allowed one standard article as defined below:

The maximum size of the standard article is 23cm x 40cm x 55cm with a maximum weight of 22kg.

The definition of standard article is a roller bag or backpack or a briefcase.

In addition to the standard article, you are allowed to bring 1 or more of the following items:

* Small purse
* Coat or outerwear
* Diaper bag, when travelling with an infant
* Duty-free purchases
* Crutches, canes, walkers
* Medical equipment
* Special needs items for customers
* Musical instruments
* Computer bag with laptop and accessories only
* Camera bag with camera and accessories only

The above will be enforced strictly.

• Darren Mak's blog

Air Canada has begun offering in-flight wi-fi access on some of its flights from Toronto and Montreal to Los Angeles (and vice versa). Like many other Airlines, now offering this service, it will be powered by Gogo, and I have to say I have heard nothing but good things about their offering.

The Air Canada website mentions that from now, until January 29, 2010 will be a trial period for this service, but I really have to wonder who came up with the pricing model for this? At $9.95 USD for a laptop, or $7.95 for a handheld device... I am not sure how many people are really going to take advantage of this service, while other carriers in the US have been lowering their prices, or finding sponsorships to offer the service for free.

Leaving the debate aside about whether one wants to be connected while in the air, this is a good first step, and hopefully this service will be be expanded to other routes to the US, and then those across Canada in the future! Currently the service is only available when flying over the US, as I believe it is a ground-based system.

It is also not clear at this point, if one can log in with their computer, and then with a handheld device, without having to pay twice. Something I think would make the cost of the service a little more palatable. Perhaps someone who has used the Gogo service on another carrier can answer that question?

• Darren Mak's blog