Atlantic Canada airport thread

[TitleRequired]

Flair is committing to another winter ysj-orlando.

https://www.country94.ca/2024/05/21/...g-this-winter/

[Bishop2047]

Really hoping that Flair gets their house in order. It is a great service for SJ.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by TitleRequired

Flair is committing to another winter ysj-orlando.

https://www.country94.ca/2024/05/21/...g-this-winter/

Yeah, the difference this time is it's the larger Orlando International Airport rather than the smaller Orlando Sanford International Airport it was the last time. It also starts one month earlier this year, with the first flight scheduled for December 22nd.

[MonctonRad]

From the Canada section:

Originally Posted by hollywoodcory

WS employees were told of this a few weeks ago in an internal memo but its finally become public, the WG integration has been delayed to the S25 schedule beginning April 27, 2025

https://www.flightglobal.com/strateg...158373.article

So, Sunwing integration into WestJet mainline will not occur until April 27th. 2025.

As such, I imagine there will be no (or little) change to the Sunwing winter travel schedule out of YQM for the upcoming season.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by Bishop2047

Really hoping that Flair gets their house in order. It is a great service for SJ.

I’m tired of having to explain this, FLAIR BAD.
PORTER GOOD. lol

Seriously though, do we ever need ultra low cost airlines to stick around in Canada and keep Air Canada and West Jet in check. They may not compete with connections, but they sure do with price!

With the Orlando flight back, it becomes a semi viable option for connecting onwards to another American city with another budget airline. Yeah, it’s never advised to do separate bookings and they charge a lot for baggage, but if you travel light, and are willing to take some risk, it could be a cheaper way to get to many places in the states than our current options on a single booking flying out of Saint John.

Here’s hoping they stick around and prove their detractors wrong. Cheap Flair flights to Montreal and Boston next would be great.

In B4 someone chimes in and says we can’t do a flight to Boston because of a lack of pre clearance at YSJ

[Bishop2047]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

I’m tired of having to explain this, FLAIR BAD.
PORTER GOOD. lol

Seriously though, do we ever need ultra low cost airlines to stick around in Canada and keep Air Canada and West Jet in check. They may not compete with connections, but they sure do with price!

With the Orlando flight back, it becomes a semi viable option for connecting onwards to another American city with another budget airline. Yeah, it’s never advised to do separate bookings and they charge a lot for baggage, but if you travel light, and are willing to take some risk, it could be a cheaper way to get to many places in the states than our current options on a single booking flying out of Saint John.

Here’s hoping they stick around and prove their detractors wrong. Cheap Flair flights to Montreal and Boston next would be great.

In B4 someone chimes in and says we can’t do a flight to Boston because of a lack of pre clearance at YSJ

I think you are reading into something I did not say. Really am hoping that Flair sticks around. They are having major financial issues.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...paWgD_ACITzdHP.

I want them to continue to improve service out of SJ but they will need to get their financial house in order before I would risk buying a ticket and making plans assuming that they are going to get me there

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by Bishop2047

I think you are reading into something I did not say. Really am hoping that Flair sticks around. They are having major financial issues.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...paWgD_ACITzdHP.

I want them to continue to improve service out of SJ but they will need to get their financial house in order before I would risk buying a ticket and making plans assuming that they are going to get me there

That's the thing. If you buy a ticket on Flair you are rolling the dice as to whether or not they will still be in business when the time comes to fly. Even more worrying, will they still exist when it's time to come home. It's a bit like musical chairs. Will you be the one to get caught out?

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by Bishop2047

I think you are reading into something I did not say. Really am hoping that Flair sticks around. They are having major financial issues.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...paWgD_ACITzdHP.

I want them to continue to improve service out of SJ but they will need to get their financial house in order before I would risk buying a ticket and making plans assuming that they are going to get me there

I wasn't referring to you. was just joking about our resident Flair haters.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

I wasn't referring to you. was just joking about our resident Flair haters.

I think you are confusing “Flair haters” with people who have a realistic and pragmatic view of the structural challenges facing an ULLC in Canada……. and of the various indicators of Flair’s current financial health.

[homebody]

Originally Posted by Bishop2047

I think you are reading into something I did not say. Really am hoping that Flair sticks around. They are having major financial issues.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...paWgD_ACITzdHP.

I want them to continue to improve service out of SJ but they will need to get their financial house in order before I would risk buying a ticket and making plans assuming that they are going to get me there

I think it would be safe to say without doing much research the all airlines in Canada have debt of some kind. I seem to recall Porter as well having financial woes a few years back and came out of it ok.

https://dailyhive.com/canada/flair-a...o-unpaid-taxes

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...%E2%80%9D%20Ms.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by homebody

I think it would be safe to say without doing much research the all airlines in Canada have debt of some kind. I seem to recall Porter as well having financial woes a few years back and came out of it ok.

https://dailyhive.com/canada/flair-a...o-unpaid-taxes

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...%E2%80%9D%20Ms.

True but other airlines aren't in serious arrears with Revenue Canada nor have they had planes seized for late lease payments.

They also aren't tied in with 777 Partners, an increasingly shaky looking US hedge fund. I have no idea what a collapse of 777 (thought by many to be a distinct possibility) would do to Flair but the situation seems unstable.

Who knows....if 777 blows up and Flair can find other investors/lenders/aircraft leasing sources it might actually end up being a positive thing.

https://www.ft.com/content/62af0c4a-...c-74496ebbda04

https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/139...ners-cut-stake

[DyAm00394]

Lease negotiations continue for YSJ land development.

“Announcements are expected soon as the Saint John Airport (YSJ) looks to develop 600 acres of unused land.

Officials unveiled the ambitious plans in early 2023, saying the land has been divided into four different areas.

Included is a roughly 17-acre piece of land located in the area of Loch Lomond Road and the Airport Arterial road (Route 111).

“We’re actually very close to an announcement, I hope, with a party who would like to develop that area,” Sandy Ross, president and CEO of the airport, told our newsroom earlier in May.

“I would say, with a little luck, we’ll have an announcement within the next month or two about that.”

When airport officials first announced their plans last year, they said that piece of land could be used for a gas station and convenience store.

Meanwhile, the airport is also looking to develop a logistics park on another 450 acres of land, which could include “air-related service and manufacturing,” along with “freight and logistics operations” and “light industrial.”

In addition, another 105 acres have been set aside for airside development, including the potential for air cargo operations.

The airport is also proposing to add more amenities such as a hotel, food and beverage services and covered parking.

“We’ve got a lot of interest in the land and we potentially might have another party interested in building a hangar here, so we’ll see how that goes,” said Ross.

The president and CEO noted that more services at the airport will be good for not only air travellers but the region as a whole.

“Utilizing our land more effectively will be good for YSJ as the revenue will enable us to grow the terminal and our air service offerings,” he said.

“Plus, the added amenities and services will be beneficial to Saint John residents, as well as YSJ’s travellers and staff.”

https://www.country94.ca/2024/05/22/...d-development/

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Lease negotiations continue for YSJ land development.



https://www.country94.ca/2024/05/22/...d-development/

Good news indeed.

I heard a rumour that the Moncton Flight college might be looking at running some satellite operations from YSJ. Not sure as they already have a secondary YFC location but who knows? Pilot demand is very strong right now so I expect they may well be in growth mode.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by sailor734

I think you are confusing “Flair haters” with people who have a realistic and pragmatic view of the structural challenges facing an ULLC in Canada……. and of the various indicators of Flair’s current financial health.

And I think you’re confusing a joke with a serious comment, Sailor

We’ll see who’s right in the end… I think you’ll be proven wrong about Flair.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

And I think you’re confusing a joke with a serious comment, Sailor

We’ll see who’s right in the end… I think you’ll be proven wrong about Flair.

Hope so. Any competition for Air Canada is a good thing.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Hope so. Any competition for Air Canada is a good thing.

Agreed, for once.

[TitleRequired]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Hope so. Any competition for Air Canada is a good thing.

Ideally we would need three separate airlines to each destination to be able to drive costs to a "non gouging" level.

The US has the Essential Air Service law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_Air_Service for communities to avoid the impact of lower competition on smaller centres.

Its why presque-ile has reasonable service.