Saskatoon and Regina Air Service

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Why would you ever fly Wesjet and have to arrive an hour early to clear security when you can walk right on Expressair 5 mins before departure? This is a huge difference on a 45 minute flight.

express what now?

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Why would you ever fly Wesjet and have to arrive an hour early to clear security when you can walk right on Expressair 5 mins before departure? This is a huge difference on a 45 minute flight.

Perhaps. (But it'll still work though.) People will still buy tickets for that YQR-YXE route if it is one flight/day. Your argument could be easily submitted to folks who fly between Calgary/Edmonton. (Air Canada; Westjet; Central Mountain Air fly several times/day over there.)

[Davidson]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

express what now?

https://www.expressairclub.ca/

Operated by West Wind Aviation. Flies between Regina-Saskatoon on weekdays.

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Why would you ever fly Wesjet and have to arrive an hour early to clear security when you can walk right on Expressair 5 mins before departure? This is a huge difference on a 45 minute flight.

I agree with Stormer... Express Air already serves this market and I can't image its a highly profitable route. If it is, I'd assume Express Air would increase it's capacity with larger aircraft or increase the number of flights between the two cities in a day. Further more, the Calgary-Edmonton market is extremely different in regards to the population those airlines are servicing. I'd say... Westjet Encore, leave this Saskatchewan airline alone and all those who think it's a good route for Westjet to fly... support your local business community and fly Express Air between the communities.

[Davidson]

Originally Posted by kalin_10

I agree with Stormer... Express Air already serves this market and I can't image its a highly profitable route. If it is, I'd assume Express Air would increase it's capacity with larger aircraft or increase the number of flights between the two cities in a day. Further more, the Calgary-Edmonton market is extremely different in regards to the population those airlines are servicing. I'd say... Westjet Encore, leave this Saskatchewan airline alone and all those who think it's a good route for Westjet to fly... support your local business community and fly Express Air between the communities.

I agree 100%. Express Air is operated by West Wind Aviation, which is a Saskatchewan company and is an excellent corporate citizen. They also offer a very good, convenient and friendly air service.

[SkydivePilot]

I agree with you guys. Since Regina/Saskatoon continue to grow; ergo, there will eventually be an increase in demand for air travel between the two communities. Other carriers will eventually want step into the ring. That is a promise.

[casper]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

I agree with you guys. Since Regina/Saskatoon continue to grow; ergo, there will eventually be an increase in demand for air travel between the two communities. Other carriers will eventually want step into the ring. That is a promise.

The one thing that would benefit Westwind is if they listed the flight in the regular booking systems that the other airlines use, e.g., Sabre. Two weeks ago I had a meeting with someone from Calgary who had meetings in both Regina and Saskatoon, wanted to fly but ended up driving because his corporate travel agent could not find a flight between Regina and Saskatoon in the central booking systems.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by casper

The one thing that would benefit Westwind is if they listed the flight in the regular booking systems that the other airlines use, e.g., Sabre. Two weeks ago I had a meeting with someone from Calgary who had meetings in both Regina and Saskatoon, wanted to fly but ended up driving because his corporate travel agent could not find a flight between Regina and Saskatoon in the central booking systems.

Yes, if West Wind were to do that, that could be a very viable route for them. They could then possibly utilize an ATR-42 for the route as well.

[Davidson]

Originally Posted by casper

The one thing that would benefit Westwind is if they listed the flight in the regular booking systems that the other airlines use, e.g., Sabre. Two weeks ago I had a meeting with someone from Calgary who had meetings in both Regina and Saskatoon, wanted to fly but ended up driving because his corporate travel agent could not find a flight between Regina and Saskatoon in the central booking systems.

Question - would West Wind/Express Air be able to use the Sabre booking system, without having to operate out of the main terminals? Right now, one of the chief benefits of flying with them is that they operate out of their own separate Aero centres in Saskatoon and Regina....thus, you don't have to go through the usual airport screening and you can arrive up to 15 minutes before the flight leaves.

[jmt18325]

I've arrived for AC flights in Winnipeg about 20 mins before the flight leaves. It's really no big deal for the most part.

[kalin_10]

Express Air also has reasonable ticket prices between Saskatoon and Regina considering if a person was to stay in either city over night with travel cost, it would probably cost equal or greater than round trip airfare the same day - difference is no wear and tear on personal vehicle, a person can sleep in their own bed, and they can be home with their families as soon as possible + +. They definitely need to get their flights on a central booking server as I've seen some 'avid' flyers go from Saskatoon-Calgary-Regina in the same day and I always ask why they take such a long route considering connection times and it's always the same answers... 1) I didn't know I could fly direct with another airline 2) Who is Express Air?

[bubba17]

Does anyone have new pics of the expansion construction to post? The webcam will soon be useless as the roofing gets finished. Exteriors from different angles would be appreciated.

[kalin_10]

[QUOTE=bubba17;6044847]Does anyone have new pics of the expansion construction to post? The webcam will soon be useless as the roofing gets finished. Exteriors from different angles would be appreciated.[out/QUOTE]

I have lots of pictures however I havent posted any for while because basically the phase 1 pier structure has been completed and now they are installing the clading, glass, and installing all the internal services so the exterior pictures haven't changed much over the last month or two. I don't have access to the construction area, only the restricted area and air side. Look back In the forum as there are several progress shots. I'll post some photos within the next few weeks.

[bubba17]

[QUOTE=kalin_10;6045527]

Originally Posted by bubba17

Does anyone have new pics of the expansion construction to post? The webcam will soon be useless as the roofing gets finished. Exteriors from different angles would be appreciated.[out/QUOTE]

I have lots of pictures however I havent posted any for while because basically the phase 1 pier structure has been completed and now they are installing the clading, glass, and installing all the internal services so the exterior pictures haven't changed much over the last month or two. I don't have access to the construction area, only the restricted area and air side. Look back In the forum as there are several progress shots. I'll post some photos within the next few weeks.

Even some recent outside shots would be good because the last postings were last fall. It would be good to see how it looks from airside right now.

[kalin_10]

I will take additional photo's within the next couple of weeks and post a March update shortly thereafter.

[bubba17]

Thanks Kalin

[Robag]

Just out of curiousity, how many of the loading bridges are they able to use during the YXE construction?

[kalin_10]

Originally Posted by Robag

Just out of curiousity, how many of the loading bridges are they able to use during the YXE construction?

Currently, there are 4 bridgeable gates plus 1+1 ground loading down from the 6 gates prior to construction; however, as phase 1 moves along and the charter season wraps up, SAA states gate congestion and inconvenience to passenger services will begin. I'm at an assumption that they will be removing gates A3/A5 leaving gates A1/A2 (Phase 2) as well as ground loading as the only available gates as Phase 1 construction includes the A3/A5 passenger/aircraft areas. As stated, this is an assumption as SAA has not notified us of any immediate changes but I suspect this will be the case within the next 4-5 weeks.

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

The United Chicago flight - via a Canadair CRJ-700 - is still active. But it should be mentioned that prior to mid-spring, YXE's pax numbers on that route were quite weak compared to that of YQR's numbers. (As-of-late? I don't know. United is monitoring it.) The Saskatoon-Regina-Chicago flight is the only flight of its type within United's network. (Aka, 'milk run.')

This is an old post, but there is one other flight United has like this - LAX-SYD-MEL (Los Angeles-Sydney-Melbourne).

Noticed later that this was mentioned already, so apologies.

[wacko]

Surprised that United wasn't getting more passengers from Saskatoon, at least last year. I am one of those from YQR who flew to Chicago last summer, had a great time. Visited St. Louis also.