The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Air Transat plans to start a loyalty program with Desjardins and Visa. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe says the launch, planned for the second half of this year, will offer travellers exclusive benefits and an improved experience. The announcement comes after Transat suspended its BonBon rewards program in August last year. Barry Choi, who runs "The Money We Have" personal finance and travel website, said it is not yet clear whether the new loyalty program will be similar to Air Canada's Aeroplan program, or closer to the previously existing BonBon program that was less consumer-facing and more focused on travel agents. "I think if they go to the consumer-facing route, that's where things can really start to get interesting," he told CP. "Because I would compare it to other airlines, when you think about WestJet, Porter and Air Canada, they all have their own credit cards already, where consumers can earn points on everyday purchases, which then can be redeemed for flights, hotels and car rentals." Mr. Choi said that loyalty programs generally make sense and can help a company make use of consumer data. He thinks it is odd Transat is currently without one.