Atlantic Canada airport thread

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Found this Porter destination map on the [Halifax] Stanfield thread on SSP:



Of note is they do not show YSJ as a potential future destination. This lends credence to the rumour that if a new route to YHU is in development, then it will be served by PASCAN and not Porter.

YHZ is now listed as one of four Porter hub airports.

If there's ever been a better map/reason to combine YSJ/YFC, I've yet to see it.

YSJ is now at the mercy of Air Canada, and Pascan. Two airlines based out of Quebec that only care about milking money out of business, and wealthy travellers living in The Saint John Region. That's not a great outlook for possible the next decade.

If YSJ can't even get Porter back, and Flair Airlines remains our best hope to have any sort of budget friendly flights out of Saint John, then one of our government's only options is to subsidize flights. That's an alright short term strategy, but not sustainable or at least very justifiable, since it would still be the richest in society who would getting the most benefit of massive government subsidies. A new airport; however, would have much bigger long term economic potential.

Fredericton doesn't have the rail connections, but it does have the trans Canada highway, which gives it a strategic advantage as a cargo airport, unlike YSJ. If YFC and YSJ both transitioned to becoming cargo focussed airport, combined with multiple new intermodal intermodal logistics parks between YSJ, Port Saint John, the new combined airport, and YFC... The Saint John and Fredericton regions could both become far more relevant in the logistics and supply game. That new airport could also attract West Jet and Porter and possibly other airlines both passenger and cargo to invest in new routes.

We've been living in the time of "just in time" production for decades now, and having extensive transportation and logistics capabilities would help both cities and regions compete and gain relevancy in the global economy. The United States and Canada still make a lot of manufactured goods, and the Port of Saint John combined with investments in intermodal logistics facilities, transitioning YFC/YSJ to focus on cargo, building a new modern airport between Fredericton and Saint John, and investing in bridges across the Kingston Peninsula, could position both region regions to become fare more relevant in the global supply chain and logistics game.

Port Saint John and the YFC could really market themselves as a quicker option to compete with Halifax, as could the new combined airport, and YSJ. Goods can get via highway from Ontario and Quebec to YFC faster than they can get to YHZ, and vice versa.

The Port of Saint John, YSJ, YFC, as well as the new airport would all be substantially closer to every single major manufacturing centre in the US and Canada by rail, highway, and air than The Port of Halifax and YHZ. "Just in time" matters... and if our airports, ports, highways, and railways can facilitate the demands of global supply networks faster than Halifax... New Brunswick can carve out a niche. Port Saint John already has the only direct rail connection to Mexico on the entire Northeast Seaboard, via CPKC.

There's all kinds of economic incentive to make these big investments, we just need a government (both provincial and federal) with the right vision to make and willing to spend the funds and political capital to make big economic projects priorities, which is unfortunately very rare in the modern era. No great entrepreneurs or politicians have ever got anywhere without taking any risks or going into debt. We unfortunately have the lamest penny pincher premier in our history right now, with perhaps the least inspiring long term vision for the province of any premier in modern history. Higgs seems to only care about paying off public debt, even if his spending averse nature actually risks the long term economic future of NB. Investing in a new airport for Fredericton and Saint John wouldn't just benefit the economy, it would benefit the people of NB too... something Higgs has never really seemed to prioritize.

The Port of Saint John already plans to reach 800,000 TEU with cargo shipping... investing in new airport, better highways, bridges, and new logistics facilities, could help the port could crack 1,000,000 TEU.

[MonctonRad]

Busy morning this morning at YQM.


From YQM Plane Spotters page on Facebook

Despite the mechanics strike at WestJet, flights from Moncton to both Calgary and Edmonton are at the loading bridges, enplaning passengers for their flights. Air Canada and Porter also ready for passengers

[sailor734]

Read earlier this morning that WestJet plans to have all but 30 planes parked by tonight (out of a fleet of 134) Can't imagine Moncton flights won't be effected but perhaps not where there is only one flight per day to each destination.......?

Edit....Just looked at YQM Toronto flight cancelled for today and Edmonton cancelled for tomorrow.

[MonctonRad]

Not surprised. There is a real liability risk to WS operating their aircraft during a mechanics strike.

As lawyers love to say, "you could have reasonably foreseen,"

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Not surprised. There is a real liability risk to WS operating their aircraft during a mechanics strike.

As lawyers love to say, "you could have reasonably foreseen,"

I wonder if 30 isn't the number of aircraft they feel they can keep flying in the short-term using management/non union maintenance staff?

Seems like O'Regan thought his ordering binding arbitration precluded a legal strike. .....also seems like he really didn't understand the system.

[bridgeoftea]

As someone who is flying WestJet out of Fredericton in a few weeks time, I hope it all gets sorted out!

[Justanothermember]

WS strike is over

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2...to-amfa-strike

[Tmaz]

I’m flying out to Toronto from Moncton on Friday. Hoping it doesn’t get cancelled or delayed. ������

[MonctonRad]

Airport passenger numbers continue to rise: CEO
YQM served more than 318,000 passengers in the first half of 2024, an 11 per cent increase over the same period in 2023

Author of the article:Alan Cochrane
Published Jul 10, 2024 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 1 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/ai...ue-to-rise-ceo (paywall)

The Greater Moncton Romeo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM) served more than 318,000 passengers in the first half of 2024, an 11 per cent increase over the same period in 2023, according to the latest data.

The increase brings the airport up to 93 per cent of the passenger numbers seen in 2019, before air travel was grounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The numbers are exceeding our business plan and we are expecting to recover to 97 per cent of pre-COVID numbers this year,” CEO Courtney Burns said Tuesday. “We’re doing everything we can to get it back to 2019, which was just shy of 700,000. The recovery is going very well.”

The Moncton airport has regular flights by Air Canada, WestJet, Porter and PAL airlines, along with several cargo carriers.

Burns said a project to increase the size of the parking lot is now complete and the airport is looking at increasing the size of the terminal building to accommodate more traffic. Other capital projects include new loading bridges and charging stations for electric vehicles.

I wonder how much of an expansion they are contemplating at the terminal? They have two loading bridges now, which can accommodate four planes. I presume they might look at a third loading bridge. There are times in the morning when as many as four planes are at the terminal simultaneously. If they expect more flights, a third bridge is probably necessary/

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Airport passenger numbers continue to rise: CEO
YQM served more than 318,000 passengers in the first half of 2024, an 11 per cent increase over the same period in 2023

Author of the article:Alan Cochrane
Published Jul 10, 2024 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 1 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/ai...ue-to-rise-ceo (paywall)



I wonder how much of an expansion they are contemplating at the terminal? They have two loading bridges now, which can accommodate four planes. I presume they might look at a third loading bridge. There are times in the morning when as many as four planes are at the terminal simultaneously. If they expect more flights, a third bridge is probably necessary/

Here's hoping they also expand the number of security screening lines.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Here's hoping they also expand the number of security screening lines.

One can only hope.

Here are a couple of schematics from a YQM plan from about 5-6 years back dealing with future expansion. This is one of several options discussed in the document:





Salient points:

1) - a third loading bridge is located to the west end of the building.
2) - this will have a connection to the mezzanine level of the airport.
3) - arrivals will be separated from departures, with arrivals on the mezzanine level, and departures on the ground level.
4) - a ramp will be constructed on the east end of the building leading from the arrivals level on the mezzanine to the luggage carousels on the ground level.
5) - as per your concern, there appears to be expanded CATSA screening, with two full fledged screening lines leading into the departures lounge.

There has already been some departure from this plan. For example, the Altitude Bistro on the mezzanine level has been moved airside, and, is connected by a bridge to the mezzanine level of the departures lounge.

It will be interesting to see how closely the future expansion will conform to this planning document.

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Airport passenger numbers continue to rise: CEO
YQM served more than 318,000 passengers in the first half of 2024, an 11 per cent increase over the same period in 2023

Author of the article:Alan Cochrane
Published Jul 10, 2024 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 1 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/ai...ue-to-rise-ceo (paywall)



I wonder how much of an expansion they are contemplating at the terminal? They have two loading bridges now, which can accommodate four planes. I presume they might look at a third loading bridge. There are times in the morning when as many as four planes are at the terminal simultaneously. If they expect more flights, a third bridge is probably necessary/

Too bad they couldn't extend the taxiway for 06/24 but I'm sure that's a long way off into the future.

[J81]

Originally Posted by Sunnybrae

Too bad they couldn't extend the taxiway for 06/24 but I'm sure that's a long way off into the future.

I think you are correct. Baby step’s perhaps by connecting Apron 8 to the intersection of RWYs 11 and 06 by a new taxiway first before extending taxiway Foxtrot all the way to the threshold of 24.

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by J81

I think you are correct. Baby step’s perhaps by connecting Apron 8 to the intersection of RWYs 11 and 06 by a new taxiway first before extending taxiway Foxtrot all the way to the threshold of 24.

Oh yah... that's an excellent idea!

[sailor734]

Not directly effecting Atlantic Canada but another indication of just how tough it is for startup airlines in Canada. They tried to pivot from ULCC to "leisure and charter" without success.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/can...ines-1.7295386

[MonctonRad]

First Swoop, then Lynx and now Canada Jetlines.

The dominoes continue to fall. Whither Flair??? Will they be the next to fall, or, will they end up being the lone survivor between all the ULCCs????

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

First Swoop, then Lynx and now Canada Jetlines.

The dominoes continue to fall. Whither Flair??? Will they be the next to fall, or, will they end up being the lone survivor between all the ULCCs????

Hard to say. Their fairy godmother (Triple 7 Partners of Miami) appear to be in serious financial trouble so unless they can find a new sugar daddy.......

I can't see a ULCC succeeding in Canada as long as the Feds treat passenger air travel as a cash cow (airport rental fees, security fees, private ATC etc ) rather than an area of vital national interest that deserves financial support. Those costs combined with our size and sparse population make the ULCC model a very tough proposition to pull off.

[Justanothermember]

Sydney Airport to announce new air travel route

For quite some time now, the Sydney Airport has been operating on two flights in-and-out per day – each route having a single to-and-from flight to Montreal and Toronto.

"Just recently, we went to Boston and my wife and I had to drive to Halifax to catch an hour-and-15-minute flight to Boston,” said Cape Breton Regional Municipality Deputy Mayor James Edwards.


Edwards said there is a particularly strong need right now for more air traffic at the small, regional airport, citing increasing enrolment at Cape Breton University and the new NSCC campus downtown as just a couple of examples of sources of potential travelers.

As things stand now, people often make the three-and-a-half hour drive to-or-from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

It isn't really a huge inconvenience for us, but if we're going down south or whatever Halifax is usually the first stop unless we get a connector out of Montreal or Toronto,” Edwards said.

Next week, the Sydney Airport Authority plans to announce what it's calling a transformational new route along with Cape Breton's newest airline.

However, they wouldn't provide any further specifics on Friday.

"We don't want to talk on behalf of other stakeholders, other organizations but yeah there will be more options, more availability, for the people of our community,” said Myles Tuttle, Sydney Airport Authority CEO.

The Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce says having a viable airport is critical for a community that's trying to grow.

"It keeps our tourism industry growing and makes sure that we have a hub in our community that people can travel in and out,” said Megan Penney, Chamber of Commerce CEO. "We can't wait to see our business community and our community as a whole rally behind this."

Back at the Sydney Airport, Tuttle said they remain in talks pretty much daily with different airlines.

"So people don't have to so much have to rely on connections in central Canada to go to their ultimate destination,” Tuttle said. “Ultimately, there has to be a business case to support that."

The next step, including the new route and airline, are set to be unveiled Thursday afternoon.

Source: https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/sydney-a...source=twitter

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Not directly effecting Atlantic Canada

It's not a big loss, but for the record, Canada Jetlines did serve YHZ until it folded last week.

[DyAm00394]

How Saint John Airport will connect to London, Vancouver and New York

“A new positive development is emerging at Saint John Airport, and it involves the soon-to-fly route between Saint John and Halifax.

Maritime regional service between the two cities is set to resume with an inaugural flight on Sept. 9 aboard a Pascan Aviation 30-seater aircraft.

Regional service in Atlantic Canada was halted during the pandemic, as flights between Halifax Stanfield to Saint John, Charlottetown and Sydney disappeared.

Now Saint John Airport CEO Alexander ‘Sandy’ Ross is excited the new service between Bathurst-Saint John and Stanfield will allow New Brunswickers to board in the Port City, and connect to flights on Air Canada going to London, U.K., Vancouver and New York.

The Vancouver and Newark routes will start in October 2024.

According to Saint John Airport, the connecting flights are cheaper than rates offered on the travel website Expedia on the Pascan-Air Canada interline agreement.

Pascan will also connect New Brunswickers to Toronto, Montreal and Boston. There are also flight opportunities to Newfoundland and Ottawa.

Using random dates the ticket to board in Saint John and fly to Halifax will cost the following:

• Boston: $795 return (four hours total travel time)
• St, Johns: $814 (under four hours travel time)
• Deer Lake: $1000 (Cheapest and fastest only 3:30 mins travel time)
• Ottawa: $865 (travel time: four hours)

Ross says for now travellers from Saint John connecting to other flights at HFX Stanfield will have to book the connecting flights with a travel agency, such as Maritime Travel. Eventually, those connections can be booked on Air Canada or Pascan’s website, expected to happen later in the fall.

“There has been some expansion to the service offering coming to the Bathurst, Saint John and Halifax route, and you will be able to get interline tickets on Air Canada,” Ross said.

“If you book through a travel agent out of Saint John and into Halifax, the interline agreement is on Air Canada’s destinations out of Halifax. So, that includes Gander, Deer Lake and St. John’s.

But it also includes London, Boston, and, later in the fall with a minor schedule change, New Brunswick travellers will be able to connect flights to Newark and Vancouver.

The London connection lands at Heathrow.

“It’s a one-ticket solution,” added Ross.

“In the beginning, you need to book it through a travel agent, or American Express or through Expedia. You won’t be able to arrange it on Air Pascan or Air Canada websites, because it is an interline agreement. But it does mean with one ticket you can get to London Heathrow or Vancouver or all those other places in between on one ticket with your baggage handled at the airport. It is essentially one ticket as far as the travelling public is concerned,” said Ross.

When it was suggested to Ross that this development is a big deal for Saint John Airport he readily agreed.

“It is. It re-connects Saint John through Halifax and opens up all those destinations. If you want to get to London Heathrow you will be able to get there through Halifax. It’s a morning departure you can get in that night and be there 12 hours sooner than otherwise if you were to take the connection through Toronto (to Heathrow),” added Ross.

“For the connection to Vancouver, which will be available in late October 2024, you will be able to get there three hours faster then you would if you made the connection through Toronto or Montreal from Saint John – with competitive prices,” he explained.

“Your baggage is taken care of, it is one price to get to London Heathrow (or other connections)”, for the Saint John Airport traveller, added Ross.

The first flight on Pascan from Bathurst – Saint John- Halifax, and return from Halifax to NB is set for September 9.

“Bookings should start to begin piling up now because they see most of their bookings taking place 30 days in advance of flights, so they have told us they are happy with the traffic they have seen up to this point,” he noted.

I asked Ross if Pascan would connect Halifax again to Sydney or Charlottetown – Halifax currently has direct flights to Newfoundland & Labrador.

“I can’t speak for Pascan. I know they have been having some discussions with other airports and we have been happy to help facilitate making introductions. But I do not want to speak for them. I think right now their focus is nailing this first connection (Saint John-Halifax) and making it successful. For them, with other airports, the proof will be in the success of Saint John-Halifax, which has always been commercially viable. That is their calling card going forward. I know they are well received at other airports.”

Ross said Air Canada and Pascan’s website eventually will also handle bookings.

“Their agreement will need to shift from an interline agreement to a codeshare agreement, that is the mechanical process that has to take place. I have been chatting with both airlines, and both have expressed a desire to make that next step,” he said. “Both will want to make sure the base route between Saint John and Halifax is successful and accepted by the market and once they (Pascan and Air Canada) see that that route is successful they will make the investment in the codeshare (arrangement)…. I believe that is how they are viewing this.”

Saint John Air Canada connections boost Halifax Stanfield
While the Pascan and Air Canada agreement means a great deal for N.B. travellers, it also is meaningful for Halifax Stanfield, because it sees a return of hub service to Stanfield, that disappeared during the pandemic.

“The reason I think this is important for Halifax, as well, is of course when Air Canada came back with its revised business model last year and they de-hubbed Halifax – because they had been using Halifax pre-pandemic as an Air Canada partner from Saint John to Halifax, they were flying from Sydney to Halifax, essentially it was a hub,” explained Ross.

“If they can start an interline agreement and move to codeshare, that effectively means Air Canada is facilitating travel through Halifax through other partners – and that means a lot of new business into Halifax. Halifax is obviously the biggest airport in this region, and we all have an interest in its international connections and we all want to take advantage of it, so I think the strength that it lends to Halifax – maybe the Saint John model can be applied to other markets, feeding into Halifax and that bolsters the case for Halifax to be a stronger international airport.”

Saint John is the home base for some big corporate players, such as JDI, Cooke Aquaculture & Moosehead Breweries, and Irving Oil, of course.

“We have been in discussions with Irving Oil, JDI, Cooke and Moosehead. Most of them have interests in particular in Newfoundland, so getting an effective route to St. John’s is important, getting to Boston is important so all those connections through Halifax are things that we have gotten super positive feedback from those corporate entities about supporting this route,” said Ross”.

https://tj.news/new-brunswick/andrew...r-and-new-york