Atlantic Canada airport thread

[theshark]

Well numbers are out for the Bathurst regional airport, just short of 50 000 people used the airport this year, 49 975 to be more precise, last year saw the addition of some flight by pascan and this summer is rumoured to add a 3rd daily flight to montreal by Air Canada.

This year should be the good one for to obtention of the financing for the improvement of the terminal, its was designed for 30 000 passengers per year and as we go along the years, we are getting closer to doubling this number.

[MonctonRad]

from News 91.9

GMIA sees increased passenger and cargo traffic in 2013

The Greater Moncton International Airport saw healthy increases last year.
Tara Clow
Feb 11, 2014 10:11:49 AM

MONCTON, NB–A Spokesperson for the Greater Moncton International Airport says more workers heading out West for work helped push passenger numbers higher in 2013.

The airport saw an increase in passenger traffic of 5.3 per cent over 2012.

Julie Pondant says there were more chartered flights transporting mobile workers to and from Fort McMurray.

She says they hope to see continued growth this year as well, “We’re working very hard at trying to attract new airlines and getting more frequency with our current carriers.”

Cargo traffic also rose in 2013, up 8.5 per cent over 2012.

[stephan.richard]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

from News 91.9

GMIA sees increased passenger and cargo traffic in 2013

The Greater Moncton International Airport saw healthy increases last year.
Tara Clow
Feb 11, 2014 10:11:49 AM

MONCTON, NB–A Spokesperson for the Greater Moncton International Airport says more workers heading out West for work helped push passenger numbers higher in 2013.

The airport saw an increase in passenger traffic of 5.3 per cent over 2012.

Julie Pondant says there were more chartered flights transporting mobile workers to and from Fort McMurray.

She says they hope to see continued growth this year as well, “We’re working very hard at trying to attract new airlines and getting more frequency with our current carriers.”

Cargo traffic also rose in 2013, up 8.5 per cent over 2012.

That's awesome news to read for he GMIA we hope that with the runway extension that was completed this year that we will see an overall increase in flight traffic and also bigger air crafts flying in and out of the airport.

I hope that this up comming year that the GMIA re adds a non stop flight to Saint John's NFLD but on a realistic fare base.

But on a side note not related to the maritimes I saw this week that the Bangor International airport has added a flight to Chicago with United airlines.

[MonctonRad]

Here are the actual numbers for the GMIA from 2013:

Passenger volume

647,682 (2013) compared to 615,085 (2012)

Scheduled carriers - Air Canada Express, WestJet, Porter, United Express
Charter carriers - Transat Holidays, Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations (and Flair & Canadian North to Fort MacMurray)

Cargo volume

24,172 metric tonnes (2013) compared to 22,760 metric tonnes (2012)

cargo carriers - Bluebird, Cargojet, EVAS, FedEx, Purolator, Skylink, WestJet Cargo

[nwalbert]

The Saint John Airport is reporting that passenger traffic for 2013 was up by 9% over 2012.

According to Dave Allen, Airport President & CEO, “We’ve been working very closely with our primary airline partner Air Canada to improve the schedule and seat capacity from Saint John, as well as new equalized pricing between the three New Brunswick airports. When all of those factors are in place, there is no reason for local travellers to fly from anywhere other than Saint John.”

This, coupled with the tremendous season experienced by Sunwing Vacations, has resulted in a great year for the Airport so far. Sunwing, now planning their seventh season from Saint John, with direct flights and vacation packages to Mexico, Cuba, and Dominican Republic starting on Feb.16.

Personal Note: Good to see SJ airport growing at a good pace. Interesting to note Halifax has more than three times the passengers that ALL of NB's three airports combined has. I know its a pipe dream but the writing is on the wall if we ever want a useful airport. Sussex!

[magee_b]

Originally Posted by nwalbert

The Saint John Airport is reporting that passenger traffic for 2013 was up by 9% over 2012.

According to Dave Allen, Airport President & CEO, “We’ve been working very closely with our primary airline partner Air Canada to improve the schedule and seat capacity from Saint John, as well as new equalized pricing between the three New Brunswick airports. When all of those factors are in place, there is no reason for local travellers to fly from anywhere other than Saint John.”

This, coupled with the tremendous season experienced by Sunwing Vacations, has resulted in a great year for the Airport so far. Sunwing, now planning their seventh season from Saint John, with direct flights and vacation packages to Mexico, Cuba, and Dominican Republic starting on Feb.16.

Personal Note: Good to see SJ airport growing at a good pace. Interesting to note Halifax has more than three times the passengers that ALL of NB's three airports combined has. I know its a pipe dream but the writing is on the wall if we ever want a useful airport. Sussex!

That's definitely a higher than anticipated growth rate. I think in 2012 they were predicting 3-5% growth up until 2015. I also saw the airport restaurant has changed hands and is getting some updates.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by nwalbert

Interesting to note Halifax has more than three times the passengers that ALL of NB's three airports combined has.

I wouldn't worry tremendously about those Halifax numbers. They would be considerably inflated by connecting passengers. You can probably subtract at least 30% off the top because of this......

[nwalbert]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I wouldn't worry tremendously about those Halifax numbers. They would be considerably inflated by connecting passengers. You can probably subtract at least 30% off the top because of this......

If I am an Air Carrier I want bums in seats on planes, I am not really concerned if someone connected via a plane or drove to the airport or walked.

The Halifax airport is a success story with frequent access to the major centers, multiple carriers, and international flights. The New Brunswick airports combined cannot boast anywhere close to this. We will continue to experience completely inferior air service until we consolidate.

[MonctonRad]

A central airport in Sussex is just a pipe dream though. It would easily be a $1-2B project, and this is money the feds won't want to spend and that the province can't afford to spend. Then you would be left with the problem with what to do with the existing infrastructure in the three cities. There is no sense in keeping them open only for cargo flights. You would be saddling NB with three Mirabels.....

Consolidation won't happen unless it is to one of the three existing airports and we all know what a political dog's breakfast that would be!!!

Nope, not ever going to happen. All we can do is maximize the assets we already have.......

[nwalbert]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

A central airport in Sussex is just a pipe dream though. It would easily be a $1-2B project, and this is money the feds won't want to spend and that the province can't afford to spend. Then you would be left with the problem with what to do with the existing infrastructure in the three cities. There is no sense in keeping them open only for cargo flights. You would be saddling NB with three Mirabels.....

Consolidation won't happen unless it is to one of the three existing airports and we all know what a political dog's breakfast that would be!!!

Nope, not ever going to happen. All we can do is maximize the assets we already have.......

Just out of curiosity where did you get the $1-2B number? That is quite a wide range.

I agree that it is not something that we will see in the foreseeable future but if NB ever wants to get serious we may see it at some point.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by nwalbert

Just out of curiosity where did you get the $1-2B number? That is quite a wide range.

Off the top of my head, but knowing the general cost of infrastructure projects, I imagine that I am at least in the proper order of magnitude.....

Costs would include land acquisition, site prep costs, runway and ancillary service construction (fire hall, hangars etc) , passenger terminal and control tower construction, parking structures, road access, and a few other things that I can't think of right away........

Just look at how much the Mile One Interchange in SJ cost.

[CdnEh]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I wouldn't worry tremendously about those Halifax numbers. They would be considerably inflated by connecting passengers. You can probably subtract at least 30% off the top because of this......

What difference does it make? Asses are in the seats, coins are going to the airport, coins are going to the airlines, passenger numbers rise.

[mylesmalley]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Off the top of my head, but knowing the general cost of infrastructure projects, I imagine that I am at least in the proper order of magnitude.....

Costs would include land acquisition, site prep costs, runway and ancillary service construction (fire hall, hangars etc) , passenger terminal and control tower construction, parking structures, road access, and a few other things that I can't think of right away........

Just look at how much the Mile One Interchange in SJ cost.

Based on what CYQM spent on their runway extension, it would cost $112 million ($6300 per foot!) just to replace the runways. Probably just as much for the aprons and taxiways. Another $300 million for a terminal (new tower, radar etc). Probably $50 million for emergency structures, approach lighting, fuel tanks etc. Access roads, highway interchange, overpasses, parking lots/structure...

You need a whole lot of land for an airport. So you're buying land and expropriating. Fighting with people in court. Fighting the NIMBY hoards...

Then there's the private sector costs like new hangars for FedEx, UPS, Purolator...

[MonctonRad]

So yes, probably at least $1B just for the infrastructure and construction costs alone, let alone land acquisition (and legal) costs.

I doubt the denizens of Sussex would want a major international airport in their bucolic valley. Expect lots and lots of lawyers.......

[JHikka]

It's amazing how even just the thought of shuttering Moncton International conjures up plenty of reasons why a centralized airport in Sussex is a bad idea.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by JHikka

It's amazing how even just the thought of shuttering Moncton International conjures up plenty of reasons why a centralized airport in Sussex is a bad idea.

Well, we could shut down the port of Saint John instead and spend a billion dollars to dredge the Petitcodiac River for a brand new superport.......

Just kidding BTW.......

[SignalHillHiker]

You guys... don't bicker among yourselves. That's how Halifax wins.

(Kidding, of course... this is just really fun to watch. I love internal New Brunswick politics).

[mylesmalley]

I'm 100% behind an airport in the middle of the province. My problems are two-fold though. Obviously the cost would be horrendous. We can't afford to plow roads. Dumping a huge pile of money into air infrastructure... not likely.

The other thing is logistics. Mirabel Airport was supposed to be the facility of the future. Lots of land to grow. Lots of new infrastructure. But they didn't close Dorval and people hated driving out of town to get there. Sussex would be around the same distance. If one of the airports in Moncton, Fredericton or Saint John cooked up a reason why they just had to stay open, then the whole project would fall apart. My money would be on Fredericton since it is tied in with the base.

[KnoxfordGuy]

It is both awesome and crappy that New Brunswick has three cities that are roughly the same size. None of them want to give up to the other. Let's just move all of Fredericton and all of Moncton and Saint John to Sussex. It would be a city of about 200,000 people with a CMA of about 370,000 (adding Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John together). Then there would NEED to be an airport there hahaha.

[MonctonRad]

Personally I think there is a unique vigour to NB politics (with two linguistic groups, three major cities and four distinct regions) that is sorely missing in NS. Nova Scotia politics is so boring.

Halifax wins at everything down there. I think the rest of the province has given up. For a time, Cape Breton tried to put up a fight, but lately, you don't hear anything from the island at all. I think everyone in CB has thrown in the towel and moved to greater Haligon.

Properly managed, the competitiveness between the three NB cities could be a good thing. It keeps us on our toes. None of the three big NB cities can afford to be complacent. A well honed competitive spirit can make us more proactive, which can be a good thing in terms of being able to attract new business. The thing the NB cities have to learn is to be supportive of each other, especially in areas where one city has a clear competitive advantage over it's provincial neighbours (Saint John - heavy industry & port, Moncton - transportation & distribution, Fredericton - high tech & government services).