Atlantic Canada airport thread - Page 56

MonctonRad · #**1101** Posted **Aug 17, 2017, 12:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J81

Further to this discussion, Westjets long standing sun flight from Moncton to Cancun which ran from October to may this past winter season will not return as a result of the switch to Encore. They will still offer 1 weekly flight to Orlando on Mondays so i guess theres that...

I just discovered that WestJet is also cutting some sun flights from Halifax Stanfield as well.

Halifax-Fort Lauderdale
Halifax-Punta Cana
Halifax-Tampa

A post on the Canada section airport thread indicates that these cuts are system wide by WestJet. It's not just a Moncton thing. It appears that WestJet is following Air Canada into a more "hub and spoke" model

Sunnybrae · #**1102** Posted **Aug 17, 2017, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I just discovered that WestJet is also cutting some sun flights from Halifax Stanfield as well.

Halifax-Fort Lauderdale
Halifax-Punta Cana
Halifax-Tampa

A post on the Canada section airport thread indicates that these cuts are system wide by WestJet. It's not just a Moncton thing. It appears that WestJet is following Air Canada into a more "hub and spoke" model

I think it is inevitable. A spread out, thinly populated country can only do so much P2P. The bean counters see more money to be made with H2S. It could be too that they need the frames for more profitable routes.

L'homard · #**1103** Posted **Aug 17, 2017, 8:00 PM**

It's too bad.
Even Canada post does the hub-and-spoke thing. If i mail a letter to my next door neighbour here in Moncton, the letter goes to Saint John for processing and then back to Moncton.
I once had the opportunity to ask Mr. Campbell, the president of Mount A University and world expert on postal services, how this model can possibly save money. He gave me a long explanation about why it is more cost-efficient, for which I remain very thankful, but was way over my pointy little head
Which is to say, I guess airlines (and postal services) wouldn't use this model of service if it didn't save them money.

J81 · #**1104** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 1:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I just discovered that WestJet is also cutting some sun flights from Halifax Stanfield as well.

Halifax-Fort Lauderdale
Halifax-Punta Cana
Halifax-Tampa

A post on the Canada section airport thread indicates that these cuts are system wide by WestJet. It's not just a Moncton thing. It appears that WestJet is following Air Canada into a more "hub and spoke" model

I also caught that on the Canada Airport thread. I had a sneaking suspicion when i saw all the new frequencies out of YYZ and YYC that it would be at the expense of p2p from smaller airports.

I personally liked WJ a lot better when it was different then AC. It very much is nearly the same now. We'll see in a decade or so how that will work out.

stephan.richard · #**1105** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 12:16 PM**

It appears that the new reality for folks in the Maritimes that we will have to connect through the major Hubs like Ottawa, Montreal or Toronto to fly anywhere in Canada, US or Worldwide.

q12 · #**1106** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 1:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

It appears that the new reality for folks in the Maritimes that we will have to connect through the major Hubs like Ottawa, Montreal or Toronto to fly anywhere in Canada, US or Worldwide.

Calm down there Moncton folks and don't panic, Halifax has plenty of non-stop flights to other parts of Canada, the U.S., Caribbean and Europe.

It's only a 2 hour drive and as a bonus you can stop at IKEA on the way home.

http://www.flightconnections.com/

It's also notable that Westjet will now be flying 3x weekly to Orlando from Halifax starting in October. And Westjet's Cancun flight starts in October.

Just Air Canada and Westjet alone starting in December have a combined 10 weekly non-stop flights to Florida
Air Canada 3x weekly & WestJet 3x weekly - Orlando
Air Canada 3x weekly - Tampa
Air Canada 1x weekly - Fort Lauderdale

WESTJET

https://www.westjet.com/assets/wj-web/do.../flight-info/WestJet_NonStopSchedule.pdf

MonctonRad · #**1107** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 1:34 PM**

True, but the point has been made before that a flight out of Halifax for a Moncton resident is a penalty in itself.

It means:
1)- a tank of gas
2)- tolls
3)- parking fees
4)- a hotel room near the airport (maybe)
5)- added stress and inconvenience (especially if driving down in the winter)
6)- extra time added onto the trip (driving time at least 5 hours return).

Extra flights out of Halifax is fantastic - if you live in Halifax or central NS. Otherwise, you're talking about hundreds of dollars in extra expenses (gas, parking & possibly hotels), and added stress and inconvenience.

Better to get your neighbour to drop you off at the GMIA and make connections in Toronto. It's simpler, more straightforward and less expensive. The only time I would consider flying out of Halifax Stanfield would be for a major family vacation with lots of luggage where you might appreciate the convenience of a direct flight (if one were available to your ultimate destination). For me, you're talking about once every five years or so. Otherwise, it's just not worth it..........

q12 · #**1108** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 2:16 PM**

^That's your opinion which your entitled to however airport stats at Halifax Stanfield suggests your neighbours may not feel the same way. A significant part of the 4 Million annual passengers enplaning and deplaning at Halifax Stanfield are not from Central NS...

Here is some insight from Halifax Stanfield:

Quote:

The international passenger catchment area is Atlantic Canada and the domestic catchment area is Nova Scotia, Southern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. HSIA is unique in the national airport
system as it serves four provinces. Source (PDF)

Quote:

Halifax Stanfield accounts for 40 per cent of all seat capacity in Atlantic Canada and based on departing seats per capita, as a community we are number one in the country (based on latest data). Source (PDF)

Sunnybrae · #**1109** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 4:33 PM**

For what its worth, I had no problem flying out of Moncton. Time was never a factor on my trips. Being an aviation enthusiast, I would actually look for flights with multiple stops and different types of aircraft for the experience. That was the old days. My last trip to Vancouver was a nightmare so my days of flying are over. Between cancellations, equipment failures, being treated like cattle and even people almost coming to blows over overhead bins, i'm done with it. I drive now or have staycations and enjoy what the maritimes have to offer.

L'homard · #**1110** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 6:47 PM**

I'm with SB!
I'm done with it.

MonctonRad · #**1111** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 6:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by L'homard

I'm with SB!
I'm done with it.

I still have to fly at least once a year (sometimes twice) for medical conferences, but I generally agree too. The luster and romance of air travel disappeared sometime in the mid 1990's. No more food and free drinks. Leg room is now a luxury. Showing up at the airport two hours beforehand for security clearance is a pain in the ass. Pat downs are becoming more frequent. The skies aren't friendly any more.......

I might do one or two more European trips in retirement, but by and large I think Maritime staycations are good enough for me........

J81 · #**1112** Posted **Aug 18, 2017, 8:12 PM**

I figured q12 would pipe up about Halifax. He loves his airport and his city. So do I honestly. Not enough to drive 2.5 hrs to get on an airplane o a regular basis when it costs me a 12$ Cab ride to YQM though. Unfortunately my vacation schedule is tight and doesnt allow for a lot of options for taking trips south in the winter so ive had to fly out of YHZ, YSJ and YFC in the past but my first choice is always home. As far as im concerned im losing 2.5 hrs either way whether i drive to YHZ or connect in YYZ like i am doing on Thursday on my way to Venice. Just my preference

stephan.richard · #**1113** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 5:03 AM**

Look I have nothing against Halifax but i wish we had more affordable options out of Moncton. And during the past years to go to Myrtle beach I had to fly out of Bangor and Halifax.

Nashe · #**1114** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 8:53 AM**

Yeah, we previously did several trips out of Halifax, primarily to save the $300 or so premium that sometimes occurs in Moncton. Lately it doesn't seem worth it, though, and we've been putting the money we'd spend on gas and hotel towards the Moncton ticket and it's a lot less stressful.

Scarface · #**1115** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 10:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

Yeah, we previously did several trips out of Halifax, primarily to save the $300 or so premium that sometimes occurs in Moncton. Lately it doesn't seem worth it, though, and we've been putting the money we'd spend on gas and hotel towards the Moncton ticket and it's a lot less stressful.

I still take the Train to travel since it's still free for me to ride the rail But I'd do the same if I took planes to travel it's less stress to use the money from the extra cost on a ticket leaving from the local airport then having to travel pay for extra gas use, and potentially hotel/motel as extra cost. for me less stress during travel is worth a little more then a 300$ discount, and 2.5-3 hour drive added to it, and can't forget if you don't have a way to get to Halifax other then drive, and if you have no family, or friends where you can park your vehicle Keep in my the cost of long term parking.

stephan.richard · #**1116** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 1:47 PM**

What drives me nuts out of the province is that New Brunswick always plays second fiddle compared to Nova Scotia. Flying out of Moncton and connecting into Halifax would be handy but its soo expensive to fly from Moncton to Halifax. But I wish that Air carriers would look at getting more fight options out of here.

q12 · #**1117** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 2:55 PM**

^Myth busted!

Use Google flights select YHZ as your connecting airport, limit flight time and voila!

YQM-YHZ-BOS $339.49 return
YHZ-BOS $369.39 return

$30 cheaper for me to drive to Moncton and then fly to Halifax as oppose to flying directly out of Halifax to Boston!

And you pre-clear U.S. customs in Halifax with just enough time!

google.ca/flights/

MonctonRad · #**1118** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 3:17 PM**

Good stuff q12, I'm sure YQM will appreciate your business!

On the other hand, this is the type of equipment you will use on your connecting flight:

Scare Air indeed!!!

I would venture to guess that the cheap fares you are quoting are designed to coax unwilling passengers to use this inferior equipment on the connecting route.

I took one of these puddle jumpers once from Montreal to Moncton (last minute change of equipment). For some reason, the pilots left the cockpit door open on approach to the GMIA. It was very interesting watching the plane bob and weave on it's approach run from the pilots perspective. Very interesting, but unnerving. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.........

Also, I believe that on weekdays, there are four flights per day from YQM to YHZ (three on weekend days). The capacity of a Beechcraft 1900 is 19 passengers. This means that the route capacity between Moncton and Halifax on most days is 76 passengers. You could fit that many people on a Maritime Bus Service bus.

q12 · #**1119** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 3:29 PM**

You guys live in Moncton, your not a metropolis of 10 million people and your airport is served almost exclusively by prop plane, quit the whining.

Here is another comparison to New York, only $24 extra return to fly YQM-YHZ-EWR ($452.89) versus YHZ-EWR ($429.24).

There I'm done being Moncton's travel agent.

MonctonRad · #**1120** Posted **Aug 19, 2017, 3:37 PM**

I'm not whining, and generally I don't mind propeller planes on connecting flights. All I'm saying is that if a connecting flight is necessary, I would rather use something like this:

Rather than this:

And make my connections out of Toronto rather than Halifax.

Porter still gives out free booze too.

Come to think of it, I'll likely be going to DC next spring for a conference. It seems to me that Porter has a new new route offering from Billy Bishop to Dulles. Hmmmm - I should check it out........