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wow...forgot about that. yea, that's where we need to hope for something great...the permanent structure.

More expected to fly out of Mount Hope in '08

By Kevin Werner
News
Jan 18, 2008

Hamilton International Airport is flying high again with more passengers expected to use the Mount Hope airport this year.

Richard Koroscil, president and chief executive officer for John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, said the airport is expected to have a 25 per cent increase in passengers in 2008 from about 670,000 people last year to about 700,000.

Still the number of passengers for the airport, which is one of the largest cargo service providers in the country, remains behind its peak passenger figure in 2003 when the airport reached over 1 million passengers. In 1999 the number of passengers was 22,561. In its 2004 Airport Master Plan, the goal was to reach 5 million passengers.

Mr. Koroscil sees nothing but blue skies for air travel growth over the next few years. Despite rising oil prices, air travel officials predict a six per cent growth rate this year. And Hamilton International Airport, he said, is in the cadillac position to capitalize on that growth, while minimizing its costs.

"Our objective is to stay very competitive to allow those carriers that want to come into the market place, to come to Hamilton," said Mr. Koroscil.

One of Hamilton's advantages is its low landing cost for carriers at about $4,000, compared to Pearson, one of the most expensive in the country, said Mr. Koroscil, which can be about $10,000.

Mr. Koroscil, Mayor Fred Eisenberger and other airport officials announced earlier this week the construction of an updated departure lounge at a cost of about $3 million. The departure lounge, which will be completed in June 2008, will double its current size, and will include an expanded international duty free centre, increased retail operations, upgraded kids area, two Tim Horton's locations and WIFI internet access. The International Lounge current under construction is scheduled to be completed later this month.

"One of the things we have been careful to do is not to overbuild infrastructure," said Mr. Koroscil. "We are not doing the things the guys down the road (Toronto's Pearson Airport) are doing with a big debt load which then translates into much higher fees."

In 2004, when the Airport Master Plan document was released, the airport started what was described as a multi-phased approach to expanding its airport. Phase 1 of its capital improvements, including improving its ticket and departure areas, its international arrival lounge, apron expansion and a parking lot expansion, have all been accomplished. But after 2004, the airport has taken a "more business-like approach" to expansion, said Mr. Koroscil.

"We are building (the airport) in phases, rather than going out and spending a lot of

money and hoping people show up," said Mr. Koroscil. "We built it as we build a business, which is a much more prudent way to build it and allows us to keep our cost structure low."

Mr. Eisenberger echoes airport officials desire to have steady growth, which will benefit both the airport and community.

"You want to have a measured approach that your investment will have a return," he said. "So I think a slow, steady growth model I think is a very positive approach."

The airport has recently benefited from the opening of Highway 6, and last fall's Red Hill Parkway completion, which has meant improved travel times to the airport from the Niagara areas.

"We heard lots of good things from people from St. Catharines," said Mr. Koroscil. "It's about a 20 minute savings (in time)."

Hamilton's airport has been basking in the success of landing Flyglobespan last May, a low-cost, web-based airline which was established in 2002 in Europe. Flyglobespan last year provided three flights per day from Hamilton between May and October. After the success of its summer schedule, it introduced a fall schedule as well.

Flyglobespan flies to 13 destinations including London, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin, Ireland, and Liverpool.

Frank Screming, director of operations for the airport, said Flyglobespan recently announced they have already sold 96 per cent of their tickets for 2008 and are looking to lease more planes.

"They had a very good year," said Mr. Koroscil. "Their load factor was well over 90 per cent."

Also successfully flying out of Hamilton were WestJet and Air Canada, which combined with Flyglobespan travel to 60 destinations per week in over 100 flights.

WestJet has recently added new routes to Tampa Bay, Fort Lauderdale and boosted service to Orlando.

Mr. Koroscil confirmed the airport is looking to add more carriers to its stable, but did not want to divulge any discussions he may have had.

"We are working with a number of carriers, both international and domestic," he said. "So we are continuing to push hard for new carriers."

He said a target for the airport is to land more flights to American destinations.

Increasing travel at Hamilton International Airport mirrors a boost in air travel worldwide, said Mr. Koroscil.

With the price of oil at $100 per barrel, and threatening to go even higher, Mr. Koroscil isn't seeing a drop off in air travel.

"We've seen huge growth," he said. "In fact the market globally, I think they are estimating six per cent growth this year which is very, very good. The volume, particularly for us is very good."

Mr. Koroscil said higher oil prices are beneficial to Hamilton International Airport's image as a low cost provider. He said air carriers are looking to cut costs and the airport "provides a great alternative to operate at a much lower cost out of Hamilton rather than Toronto."

Hmm....give me a minute.......lemme guess.......Southwest? lol

flyglobe had 96% of their Hamilton tickets sold already?? wow. impressive for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer (Post 3291346)

flyglobe had 96% of their Hamilton tickets sold already?? wow. impressive for sure.

can't go wrong with that i guess. Hopefully the word gets around to other airlines and they make the move from pearson.
:cheers:

Found this.

Quote:

Cargojet Adds Boeing 767-200ER to Frieghter Fleet

January 8, 2008

Cargojet Income Fund (the “Fund”) (TSX: CJT.UN), Canada’s leading domestic premium overnight air cargo network operator, today announced plans to add two Boeing 767-200 Extended Range Freighter Aircraft to its fleet.

These aircraft have a maximum structural payload of 100,000lbs, an increase of 67% as compared to the current B727-200 Advanced Freighter Aircraft and will allow further expansion with a maximum range of 5000 nautical miles.

“We are very excited to be the first Canadian air cargo operator to introduce these newer generation, longer range, and more fuel efficient aircraft to our fleet. The addition of these aircraft will allow us to continue to meet the growing requirements of our domestic overnight network and continue to provide value added services to our customers. This will also allow Cargojet to further expand into selected international markets,” says Ajay K. Virmani, President and CEO of the Fund.

Bill Tarpley, Chief Operating Officer at Cargo Aircraft Management Inc., a subsidiary of Cargo Holdings International (CHI), Inc., of Orlando, Florida stated, “CAM is very excited to be part of Cargojet’s expansion into the 767 freighter aircraft. This lease arrangement between CAM and Cargojet further illustrates our commitment to lease transactions with air carriers outside of the CHI family.”

These aircraft are tentatively scheduled to be introduced into service in the second and third quarter of 2008. The addition of this aircraft type is a major step in Cargojet’s ongoing aircraft fleet renewal and cargo growth plans.

Cargojet is Canada’s leading provider of time sensitive overnight air cargo services. Cargojet operates its network across North America transporting over 840,000 pounds of time sensitive air cargo each business night, utilizing a fleet of twenty all cargo aircraft.

Quote:

Cargojet has also ruled out a move to Toronto, calling the airport's landing fees prohibitive.

Cargojet's main hub is Hamilton.

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4...67200erbp3.jpg

Thanks LikeHamilton.

I hope this all happens. Loving the bridges to the airplanes. I'd hate to walk up the stairs to the planes today.

that sort of development would certainly help to start chaning the image of the airport. I'm all for anything that highlights the local economy and geography.
I like the curved glass entranceway as well.

I also love to think about how all these new Hotel develpoments in the city will help the airport too.

Also Skyservice who in the past used to have Westjet do there flights then would use there own A320 which hold about 120 people are now using a much larger 757 out of YHM on there flights to Punta Cana. Just shows that the large aircraft can be used. Its good to see the Cargo Side growing too.

Wow, that will be a huge improvement. Hamilton will really be a much nicer airport to fly out of in the future. It was always a bit of a breeze, but the airport itself wasn't a pleasure to travel through.

Starting May 18 service between Hamilton and Calgary will increase to three non-stop flights every business day with Westjet.

WS220 Depart Calgary 9:50AM Arrive Hamilton 3:24PM
WS221 Depart Hamilton 4:00PM Arrive Calgary 6:08PM

Starting May 05 service between Hamilton and Edmonton will increase to two non-stop flights every day with Westjet.

WS616 Depart Edmonton 5:00PM Arrive Hamilton 10:31PM
WS617 Depart Hamilton 8:45AM Arrive Edmonton 10:50AM

From today's Spec

Quote:

Revived Pickering airport plan: threat to Hamilton?

Steve Arnold
The Hamilton Spectator
STONEY CREEK (Jan 25, 2008)
Plans for an airport at Pickering have resurfaced, raising worries it will be a threat to Hamilton's economy.

Richard Koroscil, president of Hamilton airport, told the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce yesterday a plan for a major international airport in farm fields north of Oshawa is being revived by the company which operates Toronto's Pearson airport.

The Greater Toronto Airport Authority, which has been pushing the Pickering idea for years, has been given a contract by the federal government to study the need for a second major field.

"The Pickering idea has come back again and the GTAA is busy working to make it happen," Koroscil said. "Having GTAA study the need for Pickering is what we call letting the fox mind the hen house."

The idea of a second major Toronto airport at Pickering has been on hold since 1972. That's when Ottawa expropriated 7,500 hectares of farm land to build the facility, but shelved the plan in the face of public opposition. Last May, however, Transport Canada gave GTAA the needs assessment contract under terms of reference, which have not been made public. Although the needs study isn't expected until later this year, GTAA officials told Toronto city council's planning committee in September the Pickering airport is vital to the city's economic viability.

That sentiment sends a chill through Hamilton officials, who see John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport as crucial to the future economic viability of this city.

"I'm not saying it shouldn't be built, but why don't we maximize what we already have first?" Koroscil said.

Backers of Hamilton's airport, who have managed the city-owned facility under a long-term contract since 1996, have argued the once-neglected airfield can be a centre for jobs in the future. It employs about 3,600 people in passenger and courier-cargo operations and there is potential for more jobs when land around the airport is developed. Cashing in on that potential, though, is going to require municipal water and sewer services and strict planning controls.

Neil Everson, executive director of Hamilton's economic development department, said in an interview the renewed Pickering threat is a challenge to Hamilton airport to grow.

"It means we have to accelerate our plans and maximize the use of Hamilton airport so we have a real head start on them. If we're not established by then, then shame on us."

If the GTAA does recommend building the Pickering airport, the findings of its study will be made public and the federal government will decide whether to take the next step: a full environmental assessment with public participation.

This will probably make it a better case for Tradeport with the boards at Vancouver to pay for the $35 millionish expansion plan for the Airport this year.

Pickering is a pipe dream anyways. This just shows the GTAA's desperation. By the time is is actually constructed the economy will be on to new things. 2012 is a laughable opening time line. By the time that this needs assessment, environmental assessment, construction, bureaucracy, bureaucracy, infrastructure to it are all completed it will be no earlier than 2020. By that time who even knows what shape the airline industry will be in.

It holds no advantages over Hamilton anyways...especially for cargo.

Hamilton is better connected to infrastructure with the Metrolinx program.
Hamilton is closer to the US for faster shipment there.
Hamilton already has developed intermodal and courier facilities.
Land around Hamilton airport is not protected by Greenbelt.
Hamilton holds a larger number of transportation services than Oshawa and Pickering combined including Transport Carriers and the Lake Port.

Airport row revived
Task force recommends city buy $3m chunk of land

February 02, 2008
Naomi Powell
The Hamilton Spectator

A city committee says Hamilton should spend $3 million on property to help the airport expand, reviving the thorny debate about city land purchases at the airport.

Under the proposal, the city would pick up the tab for 50 acres near the corner of Airport and Glancaster roads for the development of new hangars, a fuel farm and a flight kitchen.

That's in addition to about 100 acres the city is looking to buy for $7 million to support a runway extension -- a requirement of its 40-year lease agreement with the airport's private operator, TradePort International.

The confidential proposal from the city's Airport Implementation Task Force has angered at least one councillor.

"From my perspective, if it's not in the (lease) contract, it's not taxpayers' responsibility," said Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins, a member of the task force who voted against the proposal.

The original lease with TradePort was designed to relieve the city of airport costs that it couldn't afford, Collins said, and the current proposal takes badly needed funds from the city's roads and infrastructure.

Collins argues that if the business case for buying the land is so strong, there is nothing in the lease to prevent Tradeport from acquiring it.

In 2006, TradePort asked the city to purchase a chunk of land to build a parking lot across the road from the airport.

The city decided against the deal. A numbered company owned by the same people behind TradePort later purchased the property for more than $3.4 million.

"We turned them down and they bought it anyway," Collins said. "If there's a business case to be had, why wouldn't they buy it? It shouldn't come out of the city budget at all."

That's not how supporters of the proposal view things. TradePort CEO Richard Koroscil said the land purchase was an opportunity for Hamilton. The extended runway will bring in more aircraft he says, requiring more hangars and maintenance staff.

"These are high-tech jobs," he said.

The land under the airport will vest back to the City of Hamilton once the lease expires, added Councillor Maria Pearson. Owning the land now will give the city a measure of control over its development, she added.

"If the lands aren't in our control, we won't have control over what goes there," she said.

The cost of the land would be pre-approved for the city's 2009 budget.

The proposal goes to the city's economic development and planning committee on Feb. 5. It will be considered by council on Feb 13.

*Awaits for a CATCH article about this saying the sky is falling if funding approved*

It does not make sense that the airport does not already own this land. Buying the land for YVR and Tradeport to develop the facilities is a good deal for the city. This is especially true since they do not even own the land they are going to be built on and could loose it all if their lease is not renewed. Hamilton seriously needs to take its head out of its ass.

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