Saskatoon and Regina Air Service

[Robag]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/...askatoon-slides-off-icy-runway-1.2491083

[dsmmace]

I am hearing of the Regina Airport possibly getting some maintenance replacement concrete and asphalt work for next spring. I've never flown out of there, but I assume it's either heaving or chipping away in some areas near the gates.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by dsmmace

I am hearing of the Regina Airport possibly getting some maintenance replacement concrete and asphalt work for next spring. I've never flown out of there, but I assume it's either heaving or chipping away in some areas near the gates.

Back in '97, the apron was reinforced at the three aircraft stands which possesses jetways. I'll bet that more parking stands will receive the same - since there are now ten aircraft stands served with seven bridges. (That number will increase in the next few years.)

I'll find out more about that soon.

Bulletin: A Metro just skidded off the runway at YQR.

[Riverman]

This is in the Free Press today.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/W...nd-Regina-begin-Wednesday-240117231.html

[micheal]

It's about time. Hate taking the flight West to go East with westjet to see my family in Winnipeg. Hopefully the fares will be decent

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Do you think Air Canada will ever bring back aircraft larger than the Embraer 190 series to fly regularly to and from Regina? When was the last time an Airbus or Boeing for Air Canada flew on regular route to the Queen City?

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Do you think Air Canada will ever bring back aircraft larger than the Embraer 190 series to fly regularly to and from Regina? When was the last time an Airbus or Boeing for Air Canada flew on regular route to the Queen City?

That would be hard to say. With the E-190, there is a higher frequency service versus when there were larger types flying in/out of here years/decades past. (ESPECIALLY during the early '70s when AC was flying the L-1011 for return trips YYZ!!!)

[CoryB]

In terms of air travel Regina is a lot like Winnipeg. The trend seems to be moving away from Boeing and Airbus service to turbo props and smaller jets like Embraer and Bombardier taking passengers to hubs like Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto with limited direct flights between non-hub cities. The best bet on larger airplanes in those cities will be if Canada Jetlines gets established but those will likely be relatively old, off lease planes like Allegiant flies.

[Robag]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Do you think Air Canada will ever bring back aircraft larger than the Embraer 190 series to fly regularly to and from Regina? When was the last time an Airbus or Boeing for Air Canada flew on regular route to the Queen City?

Air Canada announced they will be purchasing new planes that will phase out their Airbus A320/319, and the E190 over the next ten years. The new planes are Boeing 737 MAX series. I think we will start to see those once the Embraer airplanes are gone, although I've heard they may lease some more Airbus once the E190's are gone and before they get their 737's. The Embraer's will be the first to go, as it sounds like it's a maintanence thing with those planes that make them not as economical to fly as other aircraft.

I personally enjoy the E190's as you can't beat 2x2 seating when it comes to a 2 or 3 hour flight, (unless it's on a CRJ 200) and I like their in seat media system.

The last time AC flew Airbus on a regular basis into the Queen city was somewhere around 05/06 when they introduced the CRJ 705, but I'm sure Skydive pilot would know exactly when AC dropped the Airbus on our routes.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Robag

Air Canada announced they will be purchasing new planes that will phase out their Airbus A320/319, and the E190 over the next ten years. The new planes are Boeing 737 MAX series. I think we will start to see those once the Embraer airplanes are gone, although I've heard they may lease some more Airbus once the E190's are gone and before they get their 737's. The Embraer's will be the first to go, as it sounds like it's a maintanence thing with those planes that make them not as economical to fly as other aircraft.

I personally enjoy the E190's as you can't beat 2x2 seating when it comes to a 2 or 3 hour flight, (unless it's on a CRJ 200) and I like their in seat media system.

The last time AC flew Airbus on a regular basis into the Queen city was somewhere around 05/06 when they introduced the CRJ 705, but I'm sure Skydive pilot would know exactly when AC dropped the Airbus on our routes.

Ya, '05-06 would be about right. Do you recall, at that time, when the Riders were forced to use the '705s for games in eastern Canada? Lol! The '705s didn't have the capacity for the fuel required; the heavier-than-average pax weight; high density altitude; AND their football equipment! What a joke at the time. Lol!!!

Here's a brief history of Air Canada flights for the YQR/YYZ route:

Pre-1961: milk runs via Vickers Viscount; Canadair North Star (Merlin-powered DC-4); non-stop via occasional Lockheed Constellation ("Connie"); maybe even DC-3s (heaven forbid!)

1961-1963: Vickers Vanguard; Connie
1963-1968ish: Vanguard
1968ish-1971: Vickers Vanguard; DC-8
1972-1975: DC-8; L-1011
1975-1983: DC-8
1983-1985: Boeing 727/767
1983-1990: B727
1990-1992: B727/A320
1992-2005?: A320/319
2005?-2011: CRJ 705
2011- : ERJ 190

Of course, there were substitute aircraft utilized occasionally.

(Ya, I need to get out - lol!)

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Do you think Air Canada will ever bring back aircraft larger than the Embraer 190 series to fly regularly to and from Regina? When was the last time an Airbus or Boeing for Air Canada flew on regular route to the Queen City?

Better to use a smaller aircraft and have more frequent service I'd think.

Airlines do not fly with empty seats any more.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Better to use a smaller aircraft and have more frequent service I'd think.

Airlines do not fly with empty seats any more.

Ya, that is the general trend over time. Fewer empty seats with more available flights.

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by Riverman

This is in the Free Press today.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/W...nd-Regina-begin-Wednesday-240117231.html

That's old news as it was announced during Enores second round of expansion routes - possibly a slow news day - announcing the official start dates. According to YXE's website, Encore service to Winnipeg officially takes-off on February 14, 2014.

[esquire]

B767s in the 80s... crazy. These days widebodies are fairly rare on domestic flights even in the largest Canadian cities.

[casper]

Originally Posted by esquire

B767s in the 80s... crazy. These days widebodies are fairly rare on domestic flights even in the largest Canadian cities.

The one exception is Vancouver to Toronto. They shuttle wide body aircraft between the two cities regularly during the day. Given they are the two primary international gateways for Air Canada it makes sense. Also makes sense in that otherwise some of these aircraft would just site on the group when the flight it normally operates does not fit cleanly into a 24 hour time slot.

The only other place that is common is between Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. Mostly to deal with slack in the schedule where instead of having the aircraft site on the group between international flights they use it on the rapid air flights.

When living in Saskatoon it has been rare for the last few years but I do remember the odd A319 or A320 that ends up on the Toronto flight. Mostly Embraer and the larger CRJ most of the time.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by esquire

B767s in the 80s... crazy. These days widebodies are fairly rare on domestic flights even in the largest Canadian cities.

Moreover, Pacific Western Airlines flew B767 200s between Regina and Toronto [one round-trip/day] during 1983-85.

How times have changed alright.

[Robag]

I don't have a link, but I read in the paper that YQR's passenger numbers for 2013 are 1.22 million PAX through the facility. That's about 37,000 more people than 2012. I don't recall, but I believe the YQR terminal can handle 1.3 million PAX per year. So I would think with 8 years in a row of record passenger numbers, we will for sure see an expansion to the airport announced in the next couple of years, with construction to probably start in 2016/17. This is just my speculation.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Robag

I don't have a link, but I read in the paper that YQR's passenger numbers for 2013 are 1.22 million PAX through the facility. That's about 37,000 more people than 2012. I don't recall, but I believe the YQR terminal can handle 1.3 million PAX per year. So I would think with 8 years in a row of record passenger numbers, we will for sure see an expansion to the airport announced in the next couple of years, with construction to probably start in 2016/17. This is just my speculation.

http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Traffic+hits+million+more+growth+projected/9393206/story.html

The Regina Airport Authority's board of directors has been studying another expansion to its air terminal building, but has not made a decision to go ahead with the project.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Robag

I don't have a link, but I read in the paper that YQR's passenger numbers for 2013 are 1.22 million PAX through the facility. That's about 37,000 more people than 2012. I don't recall, but I believe the YQR terminal can handle 1.3 million PAX per year. So I would think with 8 years in a row of record passenger numbers, we will for sure see an expansion to the airport announced in the next couple of years, with construction to probably start in 2016/17. This is just my speculation.

After the expansion in '05, the terminal's capacity was 1.3 million. (But that figure could be now be 1.4-1.45 million due-to-the-fact that last year, the post-security area was expanded.)

In any case, an expansion would be an order in the near future.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Has there been any news regarding the Saskatoon and Regina proposal and trip to get some international flights to Europe etc.?