Saskatoon and Regina Air Service

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by casper

The weird thing about the Las Vegas flight is it is primarily setup to serve people who are vacationing in Las Vegas, but it is getting used for connections. I know of one person who was recently returning to Australia and the routing he had from Saskatoon was through Vegas and LAX. It was booked by his travel agent in Australia.

The interline and code-share WestJet has with American and Delta is opening up some weird options.

Agreed. Many people are using the Regina flight in this way as well. I have also used the Phoenix flight for connections.

[kalin_10]

DELETE(Does Westjet have any code-shares with airlines through YXE/YQR - Vegas? If so, would it be safe to suggest Westjet will use this flight as not only tourist/business flights but as connections to other international destinations? Basically, business and domestic/international connections is what United and Delta's flight from YXE/YQR are being used for.)DELETE

That's awesome Westjet finally made this route year round. It was definitely needed - though I'm surprised it's going to be twice weekly; I figured it would be once weekly during the summer.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Agreed. Many people are using the Regina flight in this way as well. I have also used the Phoenix flight for connections.

I would expect more from Phoenix as a connection point in the future. It currently is a hub for US Airways. Once US and American finish their merger, I can see the Phoenix hub becoming a major transit point.

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by kalin_10

That's awesome Westjet finally made this route year round. It was definitely needed - though I'm surprised it's going to be twice weekly; I figured it would be once weekly during the summer.

Will Chabun
Star Phoenix
January 31, 2014

WestJet is converting its Regina and Saskatoon-Las Vegas flights into year-round service.

The Calgary-based airline announced Thursday it will fly year-round to the Nevada destination from six Canadian cities, including Regina and Saskatoon, but also Victoria and Fort McMurray. Its existing service to Vegas from Edmonton and Calgary will be increased too. This shift was hinted at two weeks ago when the CEO of WestJet Encore, the airline's new subsidiary with Q400 turboprop aircraft, told the Leader-Post that the airline's arrival for short-haul flights would free up Boeing 737 jets for southbound trans-border service.

This gives Regina and Saskatoon four year-round trans-border destinations: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, Chicago and Las Vegas. Though tourism to Las Vegas itself withers in the city's fierce summer heat - Wikipedia says the average daily high temperature in July is 33.6C and the low nighttime temperatures 27C - it doesn't disappear completely.

Read More...

[GeneTheMachine]

Originally Posted by kalin_10

Will Chabun
Star Phoenix
January 31, 2014

WestJet is converting its Regina and Saskatoon-Las Vegas flights into year-round service.

The Calgary-based airline announced Thursday it will fly year-round to the Nevada destination from six Canadian cities, including Regina and Saskatoon, but also Victoria and Fort McMurray. Its existing service to Vegas from Edmonton and Calgary will be increased too. This shift was hinted at two weeks ago when the CEO of WestJet Encore, the airline's new subsidiary with Q400 turboprop aircraft, told the Leader-Post that the airline's arrival for short-haul flights would free up Boeing 737 jets for southbound trans-border service.

This gives Regina and Saskatoon four year-round trans-border destinations: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, Chicago and Las Vegas. Though tourism to Las Vegas itself withers in the city's fierce summer heat - Wikipedia says the average daily high temperature in July is 33.6C and the low nighttime temperatures 27C - it doesn't disappear completely.

Read More...

I'm pretty sure they meant to say 43.6, not 33.6C. I was there in August 2009 and there wasn't a day the high was below 41C (106F).

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by GeneTheMachine

I'm pretty sure they meant to say 43.6, not 33.6C. I was there in August 2009 and there wasn't a day the high was below 41C (106F).

Nope.

If Vegas' average temperature for July is 43.6, then this world which we live would be no more.

[UPP]

Originally Posted by kalin_10

Will Chabun
Star Phoenix
January 31, 2014

WestJet is converting its Regina and Saskatoon-Las Vegas flights into year-round service.

The Calgary-based airline announced Thursday it will fly year-round to the Nevada destination from six Canadian cities, including Regina and Saskatoon, but also Victoria and Fort McMurray. Its existing service to Vegas from Edmonton and Calgary will be increased too. This shift was hinted at two weeks ago when the CEO of WestJet Encore, the airline's new subsidiary with Q400 turboprop aircraft, told the Leader-Post that the airline's arrival for short-haul flights would free up Boeing 737 jets for southbound trans-border service.

This gives Regina and Saskatoon four year-round trans-border destinations: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, Chicago and Las Vegas. Though tourism to Las Vegas itself withers in the city's fierce summer heat - Wikipedia says the average daily high temperature in July is 33.6C and the low nighttime temperatures 27C - it doesn't disappear completely.

Read More...

I would also disagree that tourism withers in summer. I think it simply changes. I've been there twice in the summer and both times it was packed everywhere. I think a lot of Californians come up for the weekend.

As well, the temperature far exceeded 33 C when we were there. The daytime high was never below 40 C.

[SkydivePilot]

Guys, please stop posting rhetorical epithets here about Vegas' climate and run with Chabun's data.

Thank you in advance.

[Echoes]

Repost of pics of the YXE Terminal, from Saskatoon Construction:

Originally Posted by Echoes

For those that haven't seen the new YXE terminal yet, here are some great photos from Kindrachuk Agrey's website. I myself am excited to finally see the terminal for myself in a few weeks time.





















http://www.kindrachuk-agrey.ca/#!/projects/saskatoon-air-terminal

[kalin_10]

SAA released their 'unofficial annual passenger traffic' for 2013. Passenger loads increased 4.4% to 1,389,895 in 2013. Even though the airport was in it's phase 1 construction, causing minor delays and inconveniences, 63,037 more people arrived and departed YXE last year.

[Treesplease]

Does anyone know why they have a neon "Saskatoon" sign on the aircraft side of the terminal? I think Regina used to have some kind of "Regina" sign as well but I don't recall seeing a similar sign anywhere else in other cities? I suppose it would be good for any passengers that bothered to look out the little round windows that didn't hear the various "welcome to Saskatoon, local time in Saskatoon is....if Saskatoon is your final destination, enjoy your stay" announcements. And certainly the pilots would know where they just landed without the sign? Do they get aliens landing at the airport that I don't know about?

[dsim249]

^ I feel like it's quite a common occurrence throughout the world... Although I'm not sure about the reasoning behind it.

[casper]

Originally Posted by dsim249

^ I feel like it's quite a common occurrence throughout the world... Although I'm not sure about the reasoning behind it.

Quite common. In the past month or two there have been news articles airlines (Southwest) landing at the wrong airport.

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by casper

Quite common. In the past month or two there have been news articles airlines (Southwest) landing at the wrong airport.

Which other airport is this common at? I just finished searching a bunch of airports in cities with google 45 degree views and found none with the city name on the terminal - could be on sign out on the taxi way somewhere. I suspect having pilots rely on a sign outside the terminal to determine if they are in the right city isn't the most effective way. Probably made a lot of sense 50 yrs ago before the arrival of GPS?

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Treesplease

Which other airport is this common at? I just finished searching a bunch of airports in cities with google 45 degree views and found none with the city name on the terminal - could be on sign out on the taxi way somewhere. I suspect having pilots rely on a sign outside the terminal to determine if they are in the right city isn't the most effective way. Probably made a lot of sense 50 yrs ago before the arrival of GPS?

For Canadian airports, having the city's name in uppercase, bold letters on both the air side and ground side was extremely common; that was a Canadian gov't/Transport Canada generic thing. (Even 1950-60s-era terminal buildings resembled each-other as a collectively cast Soviet-style atavism.)

Nowadays, especially on the ground side, the whole title of the airport is depicted. (Especially when our airports, at present, are operated by local airport authorities.)

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Treesplease

Which other airport is this common at? I just finished searching a bunch of airports in cities with google 45 degree views and found none with the city name on the terminal - could be on sign out on the taxi way somewhere. I suspect having pilots rely on a sign outside the terminal to determine if they are in the right city isn't the most effective way. Probably made a lot of sense 50 yrs ago before the arrival of GPS?

There are no city signs anywhere on the airfield side.

[Riverman]

Winnipeg's old terminal had a big sign on the air side, I haven't noticed if the new one does.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Winnipeg's old terminal had a big sign on the air side, I haven't noticed if the new one does.

On terminal buildings, it is still common to have an airside sign as to what city aircraft are at; however, Treesplease was referring that taxiways had such signs. There are no signs as such at any airport; I can assure y'all of that.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Repost of pics of the YXE Terminal, from Saskatoon Construction:

I am loving Saskatoon's choice of colour and design in their airport interior and exterior of the recent expansion. Even though Regina has recently expanded and renovated, Saskatoon International has a more modern contemporary look about it. More in line with Toronto Pearson Terminal 1. I hope who ever designs Regina's next expansion has a little more artistic freedom and imagination. That said, I do however think that the renovations to Regina so far are a much needed improvement and step forward. I am hoping for some higher ceilings!

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

I am loving Saskatoon's choice of colour and design in their airport interior and exterior of the recent expansion. Even though Regina has recently expanded and renovated, Saskatoon International has a more modern contemporary look about it. More in line with Toronto Pearson Terminal 1. I hope who ever designs Regina's next expansion has a little more artistic freedom and imagination. That said, I do however think that the renovations to Regina so far are a much needed improvement and step forward. I am hoping for some higher ceilings!

I'm with you there. I know that there are big plans for next renovation/expansion. Regrettably, our terminal building is perpetually cursed with the original 1960 terminal which is entombed within. Recently, of course, the 'open-air' second floor was planked-over in order to enhance the capacity of the post-security area. I'm going to float this one; but, the RAA may have left the planked-over portion as being semi-temporary - meaning that it may be opened up again without too much fuss. That would be most convenient, and necessary, to do after the next expansion in order to have a more 'open air' appearance.

Due to my career, my travels take me through YXE regularly. When completed, YXE's new terminal will be a real tough act to follow.