Saskatoon and Regina Air Service

[casper]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Now if only Delta would give us another destination....

Out of Saskatoon a few years ago (just after Northwest and Delta merged) there was a Salt Lake City flight that was sold for a while in hunter season. I was booked on it and then it disappeared and was back to MSP. I don't know if they ever operated it or not.

Hunting season is also interesting in that we go from a small commuter aircraft to 757 or 319.

[jmt18325]

Winnipeg also used to have a Salt Lake City flight. We need another connection.

[kalin_10]

Air Canada Introduces Q400 Service in Western Canada; Increases Capacity with Next-Generation Aircraft

MONTREAL, Feb. 1, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - With today's departures of Air Canada Express flights AC8371 from Calgary to Fort McMurray, AC8430 from Calgary to Regina and AC8586 from Calgary to Saskatoon, Air Canada introduced new Q400 service in Western Canada. Concurrent with rolling out new, state-of-the-art Bombardier Q400 Next Generation aircraft in these markets, Air Canada announced it is boosting capacity on key regional routes this spring and summer in response to demand.

"Today, we are delighted to introduce the newest, ultra-quiet regional aircraft for customers in Alberta and Saskatchewan," said Marcel Forget, Air Canada's Vice President, Network Planning. "This spring, Air Canada will strategically increase capacity by either scheduling larger aircraft or adding flights to meet strong demand in Western Canada and we will continue to roll out the Q400 aircraft on additional routes in BC, Alberta and the Northwest Territories in the coming months. Air Canada Express flights are scheduled to enable convenient, point-to-point, same-day business travel, as well as convenient and easy connections to Air Canada's extensive domestic, US and international network at Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver."

More...

Air Canada is also offering an additional Saskatoon to Edmonton flight daily increasing total direct daily seats to Edmonton from 50-100.

Pictures of the Inaugural flight of Air Canada Express Bombardier Q400 AC8587 TO CALGARY 1450HRS FEBRUARY 1, 2013:

[Stormer]

Summer flights to Europe?

http://regina.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=848164

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Summer flights to Europe?

http://regina.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=848164

This story is in relation to the January 17 announcement stating support for collaborative air service development. If any, flights to Europe or Asia from Saskatoon and Regina are at least 2-3 years away.

[kalin_10]

Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker Airport is facing tremendous growth over the next year. The airport is well on its way to completing an expansion which will essentially double the size of the air terminal building. Furthermore, continued record growth in passenger numbers is already providing a positive outlook for 2013.
The big news though is YXE’s growth numbers for 2012. As of now, Saskatoon International Airport is the fastest growing airport [in terms of passenger service] of Canada’s 15 major airports. Only 3 of Canada’s busiest airports have yet to report their 2012 passenger loads and growth rates, setting up Saskatoon International to be one of the top 4 fastest growing major airports in 2012. 2012 finished off the year with 6.5% growth rate, arriving well above some of Canada’s busiest airports. Vancouver International Airport, the nation’s second busiest airport, reported a 3.3% growth rate for 2012; half the rate of Saskatoon International. Calgary, St.Johns, and Edmonton International airports came closest to matching Saskatoon’s growth rate at 6.0% and 6.4% respectively. Montreal Pierre-Elliot Trudeau and Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airports recorded dismal growth rates of 0.9% and 1.3%. Montreal is Canada’s 3rd busiest airport while the nation’s capital is the 8th.
Quebec City Jean Lesage Airport, Saskatoon’s closest competitor for passenger numbers, reported a 2.2% passenger growth. This places Saskatoon International Airport within 16,000 passengers of Quebec City Airport and 13th of Canada’s 15 busiest airports.
The next coming weeks will heighten the anticipation for Saskatoon International Airport as its expected both Toronto Pearson International and Billy Bishop Airports, as well as Halifax Stanfield International will release their numbers for 2012. As it sits, 3.8% is the average passenger growth rate for Canada’s 12 busiest airports in 2012.

[kalin_10]

In an announcement today, Westjet says it is increasing the number of flights between Toronto and Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina.
"Our increase in domestic capacity this summer season is a strategic decision aimed at improving our schedule for leisure and business travellers," said Chris Avery.

No official flight schedule has been released.

More on today's press release.



Saskatoon will add an additional flight direct from Calgary and an additional direct flight to Toronto daily; whereas, Regina will add an additional flight to Toronto weekly.

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by kalin_10

In an announcement today, Westjet says it is increasing the number of flights between Toronto and Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina.
"Our increase in domestic capacity this summer season is a strategic decision aimed at improving our schedule for leisure and business travellers," said Chris Avery.

No official flight schedule has been released.

More on today's press release.

Looks like yxe gets another departure to Calgary, so instead of 4 737 flights there will be 4 737 plus 1 Q400. Filling needs like this, or even stepping down a flight a day from 737s to Q400s on any routes where the pax aren't there is, I think ad much the new brands role, despite all the attention being on new destinations.

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by Hawker

Looks like yxe gets another departure to Calgary, so instead of 4 737 flights there will be 4 737 plus 1 Q400. Filling needs like this, or even stepping down a flight a day from 737s to Q400s on any routes where the pax aren't there is, I think ad much the new brands role, despite all the attention being on new destinations.

It won't be another direct to Calgary, rather a direct from Calgary and a Direct to Toronto as post above.

[casper]

Originally Posted by kalin_10

It won't be another direct to Calgary, rather a direct from Calgary and a Direct to Toronto as post above.

Those are probably round trip pairs....

As per: http://airlineroute.net/2013/02/11/w...n=tweets130211

Schedule varies after 15SEP13

Calgary – Regina eff 15AUG13 1 of 4 daily service replace Mainline operation
WS3296 YYC0815 – 0943YQR DH4 D
WS3289 YQR1015 – 1148YYC DH4 D

Calgary – Saskatoon eff 24JUN13 Overall service increases from 4 to 5 daily
WS3241 YYC1650 – 1805YXE DH4 D
WS3246 YXE1835 – 1953YYC DH4 D

[thefourthtower]

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[mjpaul]

Renovations at YQR were desperately needed.....now they need to deal with Westjet Airlines. Service at the WJ counter is brutal beyond belief. They need more the 1 person working their counter!. BRUTAL. This was the case last time I flew out of Regina. People were panicking in line for fear of missing their flights..The lone westjet agent spent 1/2 hour checking in two people!

YQR also needs to address the lack of self check in kiosks...not enough of them and usually one is broken. (story doesn't mention of any added kiosks) I just get the feeling that YQR is just a backwater afterthought for Westjet.


I like what Saskatoon is doing .When you compare the two airports, Saskatoon clearly is and will be Saskatchewan premier airport.

YQR needs to get better

[jmt18325]

Saskatoon is a bigger city with a not insignificant amount more passenger traffic.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Saskatoon is a bigger city with a not insignificant amount more passenger traffic.

Saskatoon has about 10% more passengers... and Kelowna has about 10% more than Saskatoon... I wouldn't say those numbers are all that significant. In the grand scheme of things, they are probably thought of as being around the same level.

[jmt18325]

Saskatoon is a larger city with more passengers (those things don't always go together, but this time they do). It's that simple.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Saskatoon is a larger city with more passengers (those things don't always go together, but this time they do). It's that simple.

And Kelowna is a smaller city, with more passengers, my point was that the sizes really aren't all that different at this point in time. Regina and Saskatoon actually have similar catchment area populations. Besides, Saskatoon and Regina will never be any sort of hub as Calgary already fulfills that role for the region; the most they could become is something like a smaller Edmonton, an airport with decent connections to hubs. It's for this reason that Regina and Saskatoon are trying to work together and market themselves as a pair for possible longer-range international flights. We already pair up to get a few extra destination vacation flights that wouldn't have been given singularly. Whether anything will come of it has yet to be seen.

(And I'm from Saskatoon so this isn't coming from some sort of misplaced rivalry).

[jmt18325]

I would be very surprised if Saskatoon and Regina got any kind of overseas flight before Winnipeg.

[kalin_10]

By Scott Larson
The StarPhoenix
February 14, 2013

Four new hotels with a total of 500 new rooms are scheduled to be built near the airport.

ReMax Guardian Commercial president Gil Dobroskay said a Courtyard by Marriott, a Homewood Suites by Hilton, a Main-Stay Suites and a Hampton Inn and Suites will be built along Airport Drive and 45th Street.

"We are tickled pink to get the first Marriott in Saskatchewan," Dobroskay said. "Three of them are going to start construction (this year)."

One developer will be constructing the Courtyard by Marriott and Homewood Suites by Hilton. The Marriott (120 rooms), to be built at the corner of 45th Street and Airport Drive, should begin construction this spring and the Hilton (an extended-stay hotel along 45th Street) at a later date, Dobroskay said.

The hotels are part of the AeroGreen Business Park, formerly McNab Park. Mc-Nab Park served as military housing until the 1960s and then low-cost housing.

Read more...http://www.thestarphoenix.com/travel...#ixzz2L2STCa00

[thefourthtower]

`

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

I would be very surprised if Saskatoon and Regina got any kind of overseas flight before Winnipeg.

First of all, Saskatoon's CMA is both larger and more populous. Secondly: Even though [as Nathan stated as well] YQR/YXE each has a similar catchment area, YQR experiences cross-border 'bleeding' to Minot to U.S. destinations from travelers who live in SE Saskatchewan. YWG also experiences that same phenomenon with Grand Forks/Fargo.

With regards to who will get overseas flights to Europe? European carriers are still in a very cautious economic mindset with reference to expansion into new markets. But if I were a carrier, I'd pick Saskatchewan. (Since our economy is is growing at a far superior rate than that of Manitoba.)