16 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday July 5, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com You'll find a little bit of everything in Kerr Village Whether you're meeting for cappuccino, grabbing a bite of ethnic cuisine or visiting one of our specialty retail shops, you'll find everything you need in Kerr Village. Just a few minutes walk from beautiful Lake Ontario, Kerr Village is a hub of activity all year round--both indoors and out. The much-anticipated Organic Farmers Market is open every Saturday between 9am and 1pm until October 25. This unique openair market offers lush seasonal produce, value-added foods and handcrafted items all produced within a 100-mile radius. For a complete listing of details visit www.kerrvillage.ca/organic-market. On October 13, take part in the third annual 5K Run For Hope. All funds raised will be directed to the Kerr Street Ministries. Space is limited. Runners are encouraged to register on-line. Visit www.5ksmrunforhope.com for more information. Experience the charm of Kerr Village. Come and tour the world in a day! For all the details on what Kerr Village has to offer, visit www.kerrvillagebia.ca Air Transat does listen ir Transat does listen to its customers. "Customer satisfaction is the key, and our customers want more comfort when they're flying to Europe," Canada president, Nelson Grentiletti told me last Thursday at head office in Montreal. Configuration changes mean more leg room for passengers. The airbus 210s are reduced from 259 seats to A 249 and the A330s from 362 to 342. It is huge, in terms of comfort. Air Transat started with its first flight to Acapulco in November 1987. It is no secret that I'm a big fan. Ask me about my experience on scheduled air, and I can bore you with stories about long delays, cancelled flights, lost luggage, no food and uncaring staff. I have little negative to say about Canada's char- ters. Charters bring us airfares and all-inclusive packages at prices unheard of in the past. They don't pretend to be SOME UPCOMING EVENTS IN KERR VILLAGE INCLUDE: THE SOUNDS OF AFRICA - SATURDAY, JULY 5 Listen to the beat of Zimbabwean musicians while supporting the Million or More campaign. Learn about the work of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which is easing the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Through this initiative, volunteers hope to raise at least $1 million dollars in Oakville by December 1, 2009 to support the grassroots projects identified by this outstanding Canadian organization. IRON CHEF COMPETITION - SATURDAY, JULY 12 Back by popular demand! It's Round 2 of the Kerr Village Organic Iron Chef Competition. Watch defending champion Chris Haworth, Executive Chef at Spencers At The Waterfront, as he dices, slices, chops, swizzles and swirls this year's secret ingredient. Enjoy the music of Traci Kennedy--nominated once again for a London Music Award in the Country/Bluegrass Category. CHINA: REMEMBER THE PLEDGE - SATURDAY, JULY 15: Representatives from Amnesty International, a worldwide movement dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights, will be on-hand. Petition the Chinese government to remember its pledge that the coming Olympics would be an opportunity to improve human rights in China. Support Oakville's Prisoner of Conscience in Burma. Listen to the superb sounds of singer, songwriter and guitarist Terry Tufts. CLUB MED SAVINGS Club Med has just announced an exclusive promotion where 7-night all-inclusive land packages at a variety of Club Med properties are just $888.00. Children between 4 and 15 years are just $444.00 while children 2 and 3 years of age are $333.00. Children's rates include the Mini Club and Baby Club as appropriate. This incredible offer is available at nine Family, Couples and Solo & Friends resorts which include Columbus Isle, Bahamas; Turkoise, Turks and Caicos; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Buccaneer's Creek, Martinique; Cancun Yucatan, Mexico (just renovated); Ixtapa Pacific, Mexico; Sandpiper, Florida and Bora Bora, French Polynesia. The offer is per person, based on double occupancy, land-only in a minimum category room. Upgrades to a deluxe room are offered at a supplement starting at 15%. This amazing offer is valid in Canada only, for new bookings reserved between 02JUL08 and 29AUG08 while travel can be anytime between 23AUG08 and 19DEC08 and between 03JAN09 and 13FEB09. Blackout dates may apply depending on the resort, full payment is required at time of booking, offer is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without notice and is subject to availability at time of booking. Some resorts or dates may only be available when booking flights with Club Med. Club Med Membership Fees are extra at $60.00 per adult and $30.00 per child under 16 years. Call us for details we know Club Med! WINDSTAR CRUISES 10-DAY SALE Call us now for details on Windstar Cruise's 10-Day Sale featuring Wind Surf 7-Day European autumn itineraries. Weekly rates are just $1,799.00 per person double, plus Port Charges and Taxes of $310.00 per person and a Fuel Surcharge of $10.00 per person per day. All prices are in U.S. Dollars. Itineraries include 05OCT08 Rome to Barcelona; 12OCT08 Barcelona to Monte Carlo; 19OCT08 Monte Carlo to Rome. Consider two Wind Surf sailings for a 14-day voyage for just $3,199.00 per person plus port charges of $620.00. This offer is valid for new bookings, cabins are capacity controlled and full payment is required within 24 hours of booking. Call us now for details and availability. Visit McTavish At: www.mctavishtravel.com Singapore Airlines, and my experiences have been positive. Years ago, I flew to Toulouse in France to join Air Transat when it brought back its first Airbus. Philippe Sureau, one of the three founders of Transat sat in the middle seat of economy. When I asked him why he wasn't in Club Class, he said, "We had paying customers for those seats." The next day when we toured the airbus factory, he proudly showed off his new plane. I questioned the tight seating and not overly padded seats and was told prices had to be kept down. Allen B. Graham, President and CEO, Air Transat said last week, "In the end, giving customers what they want is all that matters." With many scheduled airlines going bankrupt, and cutting flights, not to mention charging extra for almost everything, this good news is very refreshing. The question is how can it do this? Gentiletti says, "How we handle the problems make the difference." Transat's plan has been to figure out how to profit from every aspect of the trip -- the charter flight, transfers, day trips, tour packages, resort and travel agencies. This summer, Air Transat will offer more than 60 direct connections between Canada and some 30 European cities. It carries 2.5 million passengers annually to 60 destinations in 25 countries. The company employs approximately 2,000 people. Air Transat is a subsidiary of Transat A.T. Inc., an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries. A little Canadian company that began 20 years ago with one plane, is now the world's fifth largest travel operator. If you haven't tried it lately, do so, things have changed. Sam Ion can be reached at sion10@cogeco.ca.