Atlantic Canada airport thread

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I agree. I think YQM serves Moncton pretty well.

My only complaints post pandemic concern flight times and frequency, especially with Air Canada.

In the old (Dash 8) days, we used to have 4x daily service to Toronto Pearson. Since the pandemic, AC has replaced this with 2x daily service using Airbus jets. Having jet service is great and all, and, overall capacity has been maintained (larger aircraft), but, in order to make same day connection at Pearson, you have to take the early morning flight out of Moncton at 0510!!! This means getting your heine out of bed at no later than 3 AM. This is just simply inhumane.

We need at least one more morning departure to Pearson from Moncton via Air Canada at a more reasonable time, like 0800.

If they could address this situation, all would be well.

The 5am flights are very gross when you get up at 3am for them. But it means if I fly across the country to B.C I am landing at 11am/12 noon which is kind of nice.

Same for when you take flights out to Europe there's a good chance you'll be getting in the late evening instead of 1am.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

The 5am flights are very gross when you get up at 3am for them. But it means if I fly across the country to B.C I am landing at 11am/12 noon which is kind of nice.

Same for when you take flights out to Europe there's a good chance you'll be getting in the late evening instead of 1am.

It is an advantage flying west. I recall one time I left YSJ for YYZ at 0530, landed YVR at 10:00 and was drinking a beer and eating lunch on a boat cruising up Indian Arm by noon. I actually changed into shorts on the plane an hour or so before landing, got picked up and we went straight to the marina.

The downside is of course that it's pretty tough to stay awake by 8 or 9 PM pacific time.

[Nashe]

I've done Moncton to HI a few times. That make for a weird, LONG day. Get up at 4am, travel for 12-14 hours, and arrive at 9pm, zombified.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by q12

Pro-tip: Use the new YHZ Express to skip the lineup.]

A Nexus card is equally useful too - and works wonders at Pearson.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

A Nexus card is equally useful too - and works wonders at Pearson.

Agree on Nexus......gets you access to the TSA "Trusted Traveler" lines in the US too.

[gtsoc]

Re - Airline prices:

I've been looking to book 4 tickets out of YSJ to Orlando in November. Currently Air Canada is at almost $2,000 one way for 4 tickets - is that normal? Lately, when I have flown Air Canada, I've used aeroplan points so didn't know the exact prices.

For comparison, one way out of Portland, ME on the same date on Southwest is just under $1,000 CAD for 4 tickets.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by gtsoc

Re - Airline prices:

I've been looking to book 4 tickets out of YSJ to Orlando in November. Currently Air Canada is at almost $2,000 one way for 4 tickets - is that normal? Lately, when I have flown Air Canada, I've used aeroplan points so didn't know the exact prices.

For comparison, one way out of Portland, ME on the same date on Southwest is just under $1,000 CAD for 4 tickets.

That doesn't surprise me. Just out of curiosity did you look at pricing out of YQM?

As to Portland, it's not unusual for flights to be less than 50% of the cost out of a New Brunswick airport.

[stephan.richard]

Originally Posted by sailor734

That doesn't surprise me. Just out of curiosity did you look at pricing out of YQM?

As to Portland, it's not unusual for flights to be less than 50% of the cost out of a New Brunswick airport.

@sailor
Yes it is when I booked my ticket to go to Myrtle Beach in October the cost for the ticket with Air Canada was 3500.00USD in business class and I had a Toronto and Newark layover. But with Delta I booked the same dates out of Portland for 707.00USD in business class and I just have one Layover in Atlanta. I do say for some routes it is well worth the drive to either Bangor or Portland. Plus if Presque Isle ça get more competition there and help with connectivity that is a bonus. With that being said If Delta could convert their Halifax to LaGuardia flight to year round that would be a game changer. One year I took my flight out of Halifax to go to Myrtle and it was a nice flight and it was nice to only drive 2.5 hours rather than 6.25 hours.

[q12]

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

With that being said If Delta could convert their Halifax to LaGuardia flight to year round that would be a game changer.

Delta Halifax to LaGuardia (2x Daily) is year round when it starts in June. You can book it into Feb. of 2025 already (as well as AC to Newark).

[MonctonRad]

Bad news for YSJ???

From the main Canada section:

Originally Posted by whatnext

To absolutely nobody's surprise:

Flair Airlines cuts over 600 flights as it faces multimillion-dollar financial woes
ERIC ATKINS TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
PUBLISHED 7 HOURS AGO
FOR SUBSCRIBERS

Flair Airlines has reduced its spring schedule by more than 600 flights, making cost-saving cuts to its domestic network even as it adds holiday routes after the failure of low-cost rival Lynx Air.

Flair eliminated a number of flights departing its major hubs, including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton, for March, April and May, according to Cirium, an aviation data company. The Edmonton-based no-frills carrier has also added flights to Florida, Mexico, Las Vegas and other resort destinations.

Flair’s discount rival, Lynx Air, ceased flying on Feb. 26 and is under court-granted protection from creditors. The nine-plane airline said it could not pay for its daily operations and will wind up the business or be sold in a court-supervised process under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.

The recent changes in the discount segment precede what is expected to be a busy summer travel period for Canada’s airlines. The industry has enjoyed healthy demand and higher airfares since COVID-19-related restrictions were lifted.

Flair’s schedule changes come as the airline faces a tax repayment bill worth $67-million, a move by a financial services company to hold back $25-million in customer receipts, in addition to a sharp credit-rating downgrade of Flair’s U.S. shareholder’s reinsurance unit, which is a lender to Flair.

Overall, Flair has slashed its schedule for March, April and May by about 8 per cent, the airline confirmed. Rivals Air Canada, WestJet Airlines and Porter Airlines, meanwhile, have all boosted the number of scheduled flights for the same months by about 6 per cent, according to Cirium....

....A major U.S. investor in Flair, meanwhile, is fielding its own challenges. Flair is 25 per cent owned by 777 Partners LLC, a Miami-based private equity company.

New York-based credit-rating agency AM Best has downgraded 777 Partners’ insurance arm, 777 Re Ltd., twice since November, from “excellent” to “weak.” AM Best cited Bermuda-based 777 Re’s ability to meet its financial and insurance obligations, its “weak” balance sheet and exposure to “illiquid” affiliated private investments.

Those related-party investments include several European soccer teams and Flair Airlines.

777 Partners’ stable of soccer teams includes Genoa CFC, Sevilla Futbol Club, Hertha Berlin, Standard Liege and Vasco da Gama. Its proposed purchase of the Everton Football Club in Britain is awaiting approval from the Premier League.....

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...educe-flights/

The article doesn't say anything in particular about YSJ (or YYG or YHZ for that matter), but, this carrier continues to circle the drain.............

[sailor734]

Well, as others have said……no surprise.

There has never been a no frills/discount airline in Canada that has lasted more than a few years.

[homebody]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Bad news for YSJ???

From the main Canada section:



The article doesn't say anything in particular about YSJ (or YYG or YHZ for that matter), but, this carrier continues to circle the drain.............

Ya made it red so it would stand out. I bet if you cold make it flash you would as well. You don’t mention other airports in the Maritimes that might be affected in your heading. It’s almost feels like you get enjoyment out of the possible effects that a Flair loss in Saint John might have. Saint John loss might be a Moncton gain in some way. Remember it affects not only Saint John but NB as whole.

[sailor734]

Well, certainly Flair exiting the scene would be worse news for YSJ than other NB airports that have Porter, Westjet or both as well as Air Canada. Given AC's YSJ schedule changes last year and their predatory pricing for YSJ flights there is little doubt that they would shed no tears if YSJ didn't exist.

[homebody]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Well, certainly Flair exiting the scene would be worse news for YSJ than other NB airports that have Porter, Westjet or both as well as Air Canada. Given AC's YSJ schedule changes last year and their predatory pricing for YSJ flights there is little doubt that they would shed no tears if YSJ didn't exist.

Really not talking about how bad it would be for the other airports. I am referring to the people that use the service. Yes i agree about Air Canada. That is one airline that i would use.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by homebody

Ya made it red so it would stand out. I bet if you cold make it flash you would as well. You don’t mention other airports in the Maritimes that might be affected in your heading. It’s almost feels like you get enjoyment out of the possible effects that a Flair loss in Saint John might have. Saint John loss might be a Moncton gain in some way. Remember it affects not only Saint John but NB as whole.

Not picking on SJ at all. I made it red because I was posting in a New Brunswick context, and the only NB airport served by Flair is YSJ. Later in my post I also mentioned the Halifax and Charlottetown airports too. But, both YHZ and YYG are less vulnerable than YSJ because they have more carriers and more flights.

[DyAm00394]

Flair Airlines CEO says spring flight cuts not a reflection of finances

"Flair Airlines is putting up fewer flights domestically in Canada this spring, but the low-cost carrier’s CEO says it’s part of a broader push for the airline to fly into more sunny destinations.


The Edmonton-based low-cost airline is flying roughly 600 fewer flights in March, April and May compared with the same months in 2023, according to data provided to Global News by Cirium, an aviation analytics company.

That means fewer domestic flights departing from the carrier’s major hubs, including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton.

Specifics of the reduced schedule were first reported by The Globe and Mail on Friday. Global News requested comment from Flair Airlines about the reported cuts on Friday, but did not receive a response until after publishing.

Flair Airlines provided a statement from CEO Stephen Jones to Global News on Friday afternoon, largely pushing back against suggestions that the spring flight schedule had been recently changed.

In fact, Flair set its spring schedule in August 2023, according to the statement, “reflecting a network tailored to meet the wants and needs of Canadian travellers.”

that includes increasing Flair’s flight capacity to warm-weather destinations such as Mexico, Florida and the Caribbean with more than 20 new winter sun routes, Jones said.

That’s a pivot for Flair from 2023, when it flew a “predominantly domestic network,” he said.

A statement from Eric Tanner, the airline’s vice-president of revenue management and network planning, sent to Global News on Wednesday confirmed Flair was reducing number of flights for the spring compared to last year.

He said there is a “broader context” to Flair’s changes, however, noting that the airline’s “available seat miles” were up four per cent year over year, expanding the carrier’s overall capacity from 2023.

Tanner said that was driven by Flair flying longer trips on average compared with last year. These flights are less affected by the “considerable airport costs” that come with landing in Canada, he said.

Flair’s reduced schedule comes as rival low-cost carrier Lynx Air announced last month it would shutter operations as it seeks creditor protection. Jones said in his statement that the spring flight schedule has not been reduced due to the closure of Lynx.

Flair is also facing financial challenges as it owes the federal government some $67.2 million in unpaid taxes, prompting Ottawa to obtain a seizure order for property. The airline has a deal with the Canada Revenue Agency to pay the owed taxes, according to the company’s CEO, who says the order will not impact the carrier’s operations.

Jones’ statement on Friday pushed back on claims in the Globe and Mail article that flight reductions were made due to financial challenges, calling such assertions “simply false.”

“I acknowledge the skepticism surrounding Ultra-Low-Cost Carriers (ULCCs) in Canada, given the market dominance of large carriers and the challenges faced by newcomers,” Jones said in his statement.

“However, I firmly believe that it is misplaced, and I want to assure all Canadians that Flair Airlines is steadfast in our confidence that the ULCC model has potential to thrive in Canada. We are here to stay, resilient and determined to continue serving the needs of Canadian travellers.”

https://globalnews.ca/news/10378310/...schedule-cuts/

[magee_b]

Flight schedule changes for Flair were made some time ago,
and are getting attention now that there’s more financial controversy with them - didn’t appear to impact YSJ at all in the short-medium term. Orlando flights wrap up April 30th and the summer YYZ flights start up the following week. But yes, YSJ is more vulnerable in the sense that it has fewer alternative airline partners and flights than others in the region - so any loss of flights by flair will be felt more acutely

[homebody]

Originally Posted by magee_b

Flight schedule changes for Flair were made some time ago,
and are getting attention now that there’s more financial controversy with them - didn’t appear to impact YSJ at all in the short-medium term. Orlando flights wrap up April 30th and the summer YYZ flights start up the following week. But yes, YSJ is more vulnerable in the sense that it has fewer alternative airline partners and flights than others in the region - so any loss of flights by flair will be felt more acutely

Let's hope that the new flights announcement in April includes a new carrier! We have to have competition with Air Canada in some way!

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Well, certainly Flair exiting the scene would be worse news for YSJ than other NB airports that have Porter, Westjet or both as well as Air Canada. Given AC's YSJ schedule changes last year and their predatory pricing for YSJ flights there is little doubt that they would shed no tears if YSJ didn't exist.

Have a look at this page from the main SSP airport thread:

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...256500&page=40

Beginning at post #789, there is a lot of speculation as to why Flairs online booking portal is not currently operational. Bookings cannot be presently made. Some pretty technical stuff, but something serious may be afoot. There is nothing on the Flair website or in main stream media as to why there is currently a "malfunction.' There might be something deliberate afoot (related to impending insolvency, and various players not being willing to be exposed to dealing with abandoned passengers).

It may be interesting to see what is revealed tomorrow (Monday), or, if the problem goes away without explanation.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Have a look at this page from the main SSP airport thread:

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...256500&page=40

Beginning at post #789, there is a lot of speculation as to why Flairs online booking portal is not currently operational. Bookings cannot be presently made. Some pretty technical stuff, but something serious may be afoot. There is nothing on the Flair website or in main stream media as to why there is currently a "malfunction.' There might be something deliberate afoot (related to impending insolvency, and various players not being willing to be exposed to dealing with abandoned passengers).

It may be interesting to see what is revealed tomorrow (Monday), or, if the problem goes away without explanation.

Agree that tomorrow could be interesting. I think it’s only a matter of time until Flair goes
down and only time will tell if this is it or just a near miss.