YEG - Edmonton Int Airport

[LO 044]

^Jazz has its headquarters in Halifax? Holy Crap. I guess you learn something new everyday.

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Calgary is the best choice. Westjet has proven to be a huge success since inception with its head office firmly planted in Calgary. I envision nothing but continued success for Westjet and Encore based in YYC. Why fix something that isn't broken.

Unlike Air Canada having for political reasons to split its operations across the country (thinking out loud Jazz having its HQ in Halifax...why?)

Bull...Westjet decision is political plain and simple...build Calgary. Its the cowboy boot mentality. The market with money is in TO plain and simple. To suggest that Westjet decision by management, its board and "employee" owners" is disingenuous at best or naive. The rest of Canada will see it for what it really is.

[dansk]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Calgary is the best choice. Westjet has proven to be a huge success since inception with its head office firmly planted in Calgary. I envision nothing but continued success for Westjet and Encore based in YYC. Why fix something that isn't broken.

Unlike Air Canada having for political reasons to split its operations across the country (thinking out loud Jazz having its HQ in Halifax...why?)

Have to agree, it would be short sided on WS to seperate their operations. YYC was always their plan and the best move.

[Rocket252]

A hypothetical

Could they have located in YEG if we provided free land at the airport and say no taxes for 20 years?

[dansk]

Anythings possible, but free land is not everything. I'm sure the ERAA put something forward.

[EdmTrekker]

Shades of the National Portrait Gallery...all talk and show...unless Calgary gets it. So boys...I am sitting drinking a glass of Shiraz...other choice was a Merlot in the just opened Plaza Premium lounge in domestic terminal across from Gate 52. Lunch was great - salads amazing. Opening special rates 28 for 3 hours and a steal. Treat your significant other or just you cause we deserve it. This new lounge is upstairs beside Air Canada lounge - which I mostly use. But this has better views and nicer staff who are doing there best to keep my wine glass full 😄

[tuffyy]

Originally Posted by Airboy

The pilot I was flying with yesterday said it was a wheels up landing......someone forgot to have coffee in the morning.

Ummm... Nope pictures up close clearly show the landing gear was down... Right main collapsed however after the ''Hard landing''... What caused it is still being investigated. However the North Cariboo Kingair 100 a few years ago was wheels up... Checklist please...

[Tropics]

Originally Posted by EdmTrekker

The market with money is in TO plain and simple.

Care to expand abit on what you mean by that?

http://www.tableaudebordmontreal.com/comparons/activiteeconomique/pibpercapita.en.html?mode=print

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by Tropics

Care to expand abit on what you mean by that?

http://www.tableaudebordmontreal.com/comparons/activiteeconomique/pibpercapita.en.html?mode=print

I think Edmtrekker was referring to the overall market size of the GTA compared to Calgary/Edmonton/Alberta. While both Calgary and Edmonton have higher average incomes and typically a higher GDP than Toronto, the reality is that our markets cannot compare to the overall size of the GTA. The GTA has double the population of our province and even more within 1.5 hour drive. So on a per capita basis we are strong, but from a pure market size we are still small potatos.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by CMD UW

I think Edmtrekker was referring to the overall market size of the GTA compared to Calgary/Edmonton/Alberta. While both Calgary and Edmonton have higher average incomes and typically a higher GDP than Toronto, the reality is that our markets cannot compare to the overall size of the GTA. The GTA has double the population of our province and even more within 1.5 hour drive. So on a per capita basis we are strong, but from a pure market size we are still small potatos.

Nobody would dispute market size, but how would that effect choosing to have your head office there? If that were the basis, then I suppose every company should move its head office to Toronto.

My point is Westjet has been very successful being based in Calgary and I think Westjet is positioning itself to be an even tougher competitor.
Keeping its head office functions consolidated in one place makes perfect sense. In any event YYZ is now Westjet's number one base in terms of weekly frequencies. The LGA route just marginally tipped them over to number one. That also doesn't mean they will be relocating any significant portion of head office functions there.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Unlike Air Canada having for political reasons to split its operations across the country (thinking out loud Jazz having its HQ in Halifax...why?)

Simple answer, Air Nova. Back in the day there was Air BC, Air Ontario, Air Nova, and Canadian Regional that were owned by Air Canada.

When they merged them all into Jazz they had to pick a head-office from the choices Air Nova (Halifax), Air Ontario (London, Ontario) and Air BC (Vancouver) and Canadian Regional (Calgary). They picked Halifax.

When Air Canada merged with Canadian they inherited a head office in Calgary that they needed to merge into the company. When Canadian merged with Canadian Pacific they inherited a head office in Vancouver that they needed to merge with their Calgary head office.

Westjet has the advantage that they are not the result of a merger. That said, having the head office for their regional in the same city as the parent company makes sense.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/...icient/7470727/story.html?__lsa=23dfb34c

Why Canadian airports are so expensive and inefficient

Government taxes and fees have long carried the blame for the noncompetitive nature of Canadian airports and for the bleed of nearly 5 million passengers a year in search of cheaper flights south of the border.

But not everyone agrees taxes and fees are the primary source of what ails the air travel industry in Canada. Howard Eng, chief executive of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, which oversees the country’s busiest airport, Pearson International, is one of them.

Mr. Eng argues that while reducing various government fees — such as airport rents, security charges, and fuel excise taxes, will certainly help — the federal government would be better served focusing on a national strategy to increase the number of passengers flying to the country. This would include the elimination of red tape for passengers transferring onto other destinations, streamlining the customs process, and making the country a focal point for travel in emerging markets like India and China.

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Nobody would dispute market size, but how would that effect choosing to have your head office there? If that were the basis, then I suppose every company should move its head office to Toronto.

My point is Westjet has been very successful being based in Calgary and I think Westjet is positioning itself to be an even tougher competitor.
Keeping its head office functions consolidated in one place makes perfect sense. In any event YYZ is now Westjet's number one base in terms of weekly frequencies. The LGA route just marginally tipped them over to number one. That also doesn't mean they will be relocating any significant portion of head office functions there.

Oh don't get me wrong, it makes absolute total sense for Westjet to choose Calgary for Encore's HQ. The logistics make sense.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Calgary is the best choice. Westjet has proven to be a huge success since inception with its head office firmly planted in Calgary. I envision nothing but continued success for Westjet and Encore based in YYC. Why fix something that isn't broken.

For HQ type jobs, wages and salaries are higher in YYC compared elsewhere in Canada. Further, YYC has head office oil & gas group which sucks in people by the thousands every year. Ask yourself, as an IT person am I better off inside or outside the O&G sector. Not having to compete for skilled workers with the economic engine of Canada is the big reason not to put your HQ in Calgary.

On an airline specific perspective, Encore will be WestJet biggest competitor for skilled labour in the fields of mechanics, dispatchers, etc. If Encore HQ were in another city, there is less attaction to relocate to mainline for a better paying job. With Encore in YYC, they will have to pay same rates as WS or risk losing employees to their employment competitor down the street.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Nobody would dispute market size, but how would that effect choosing to have your head office there? If that were the basis, then I suppose every company should move its head office to Toronto.

Missed by just about everyone in the Encore HQ discussions is the HQ will be located behind the primary maintenance facility. In chosing the HQ in YYC and chosing the location of the mtce facility, WS has all ready determined the first hub will be YYC and/or Western Canada (there is an opportunity that first years ops could be primarily located out of YEG rather than YYC). It makes no sense to have hub in YYZ and primary mtce and HQ support in YYC.

[Rocket252]

If Westjet wants this to be good for Alberta and not just Calgary they would provide YEG with some action.

[dansk]

They want what is best for WestJet so they will do what is best for WestJet not what is best for YYC or YEG

[7e7]

Originally Posted by dansk

They want what is best for WestJet so they will do what is best for WestJet not what is best for YYC or YEG

Exactly!

[Bigtime]

Interesting segment on Daily Planet on how the NavCanada RJ calibrates the ILS systems at the various airports in Canada:

http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/daily-planet/april-2012/daily-planet---april-02-2012/#clip800156

[ACT7]

Passed through YEG yesterday and saw the expansion for the first time. Looks really nice with some good food options.