[SteelTown]

Local air service to U.K. takes off

By John Burman
The Hamilton Spectator
(May 1, 2007)

John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport takes a huge step across the Atlantic today.

flyglobespan.com, the internet-based discount airline voted Airline of the Year by the Scottish BAA in 2005, will inaugurate its three times a day service to 13 British destinations today.

The thrice daily service -- which offers economy flights as low as $99 one way not including taxes -- will be offered from May to October using Boeing 757s and similar planes.

Stephen Elmy, flyglobespan's Canadian manager, says the airline "will have a winter schedule, certainly to the major cities" but it is liable to be only one or two flights a day.

It's been nearly 20 years since the airport handled jets bound for Britain, a service lost when Nationair closed down operations here in August 1989.

Richard Koroscil, president of TradePort International which operates the airport, says Hamilton worked quietly over 18 months to land the new carrier.

Koroscil and Elmy say Hamilton's major advantage is cost.

Landing fees at Pearson International in Toronto can be $10,000 depending on the plane. Hamilton's are about $4,000.

"It costs one third to land a big plane in Hamilton, what it costs in Toronto," says Elmy.

Then there's the taxes. Add them up and taxes in Hamilton work out to about $130 less per seat.

And every dime counts. Elmy and analysts say there is something of a fare war going on over the Atlantic this summer as Airtransat, Zoom Airlines and flyglobespan duke it out.

"I've seen some fares one way out of Toronto for $74," says Elmy.

flyglobespan offers a cheap, economy seat with less luggage allowance for $99. The airline offers more expensive premium and business class seats.

Hamilton airport plans a welcome tea party for flyglobespan featuring plenty of food, the pipes and drums of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada, lots of sun and dignitaries on the tarmac from 2 to 4 p.m.