Atlantic Canada airport thread

[MonctonRad]

RECORD BREAKING TRAFFIC IN 2014

The Charlottetown Airport Authority announced today that passenger traffic in 2014 was up 7.3% compared to 2013.

"We had a record breaking year with 317,827 enplaned and deplaned passengers,” said Doug Newson, CEO of the Charlottetown Airport Authority. "And it was the first time in our history that we surpassed the 300,000 passenger mark.”

Newson said that PEI 2014 celebrations across the Island contributed a lot to the increased passenger traffic with world-class concerts like Shania Twain and all the events from tip-to-tip motivating people to travel.

"People had many reasons to come to PEI in 2014 and the provincial government put additional marketing effort into promoting the Island. Charlottetown Airport worked closely with our airline partners and they responded to the anticipated increased demand with additional seat capacity. From our perspective it was a win-win situation for everyone,” noted Newson.

Newson is expecting another good year for Charlottetown Airport in 2015. This winter season, Islanders wanting to escape to warmer weather will have the option of flying direct from Charlottetown with Sunwing Vacations on non-stop direct flights to Holguin, Cuba starting February 17th and running for 13 weeks.

For the 2015 summer season Charlottetown Airport is anticipating a slight decrease in overall seat capacity compared to 2014. Delta Airlines has suspended their seasonal July and August flights between New York and Charlottetown this year due to some operational constraints at JFK airport in New York this summer.

"Passenger numbers for Delta on the Charlottetown route were strong in 2014,” said Newson, "but unfortunately due to operational constraints, they could not make it work this year. We have a good relationship with Delta and have already had preliminary discussions regarding a return to Charlottetown in 2016.”

Air Canada will make slight adjustments to the extra capacity that was added for the 2014 celebrations, while WestJet will maintain its 2014 capacity.

[MonctonRad]

GMIA press release:

Another record breaking year in passenger traffic at the Greater Moncton International Airport
January 16, 2015
DIEPPE, NB

Passenger traffic at the Greater Moncton International Airport (GMIA) saw a healthy increase once again in 2014, continuing a positive overall trend for New Brunswick’s largest and preeminent airport.

In 2014, the number of passengers at the airport rose to 677,159, a 4,6% increase over 2013 (647,682), a new record! It is interesting to note that the GMIA’s passenger traffic exceeds the combined volume of all other New Brunswick airports. The passengers flew on the GMIA’s main airline partners, including Air Canada Express, the airline offering the most frequency from Greater Moncton, as well as Porter, WestJet and United (which discontinued service last September). A significant increase was also noticed coming from chartered aircraft (Canadian North) transporting mobile workers primarily to and from Alberta.

The GMIA is also served during winter months by airlines offering direct non-stop flights to southern destinations. This winter is our biggest season ever with 15 flights per week. Transat Holidays is offering flights from Greater Moncton to Mexico, Cuba and Dominican Republic. Sunwing Vacations is offering direct flights to Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Mexico with a new addition to Caya Coco, Cuba. Meanwhile, WestJet is also offering direct flights from Greater Moncton to Mexico and Florida. A new concept this winter is the all-inclusive cruise package with Celebrity Cruises, which will fly to Miami then onto a cruise to the Caribbean. For details, check the GMIA’s website (www.cyqm.ca) under the “Flight Information” tab, contact the airlines directly or call your travel agent.

“The continued loyal support of our customers, airlines, and our partners in the business community and government, have made it possible for us to continue increasing our air service,” said Johanne Gallant, Director of Commercial Development for the Greater Moncton International Airport Authority.

“As New Brunswick’s busiest and fastest-growing airport, we’re very proud of what we have to offer and are dedicated to excellence for our travelers.”, said Bernard LeBlanc, the airport’s newly appointed President and CEO. “With yet another year of increased service, we continue to work hard on making the GMIA the airport of choice for the Province.”

[magee_b]

Not a major announcement, but I read on CBC that Sunwing has temporarily shifted its Cuba service from Fredericton to Saint John. I think that makes 4 sun destinations that are now available direct from YSJ.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/new-...cuba-1.2904361

[magee_b]

Major announcement from WestJet, which in my eyes more or less sets up Halifax as a regional hub in Atlantic Canada. New Daily routes starting in 2015 include:
Halifax - Gander, NL (Encore)
Halifax - Deer Lake (Encore)
Halifax - Sydney, NS (Encore)
Halifax - Glasgow, UK (Mainline)
Moncton - Ottawa (Encore)
Gander - Toronto (Mainline)

There are additional changes to the schedules and aircraft deployment on Halifax - St. John's and Halifax - Toronto

Also, a reminder it was previously announced that Fredericton - Toronto will be starting this year with their Encore service. The seasonal Moncton-Ottawa route was a surprise, considering Air Canada and Porter are serving this already.

Source: http://www.westjet.com/guest/en/deal....shtml#halifax

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by magee_b

Moncton - Ottawa (Encore)
The seasonal Moncton-Ottawa route was a surprise, considering Air Canada and Porter are serving this already.

I won't complain, makes my life easier getting out to NB

Flew through Pearson today for the first time. Impressive airport is an understatement.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by magee_b

The seasonal Moncton-Ottawa route was a surprise, considering Air Canada and Porter are serving this already.

Source: http://www.westjet.com/guest/en/deal....shtml#halifax

I don't think the new WestJet Moncton/Ottawa route is seasonal. I think it's year round. It will start on July 15th.

As you have said, there are already daily Porter and Air Canada routes to Ottawa from Moncton, so the new WestJet route will increase the number of daily flights to the capital city to at least 3x (up to 4x in the summer with extra Porter flights).

This may seem surprising, but there are a surprising number of federal civil servants in Moncton (Transport Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, Corrections Canada, Superannuation Branch etc).

This new WestJet route will help to make up for the lost capacity from the demise of the United route to Newark.

[statbass]

CBC News
Jan 21, 2015

This announcement is a couple days old now but still worth mentioning.

Gander airport officials are flying high after a recent announcement from WestJet, that the airline is returning service to the central Newfoundland town.

The carrier announced Monday that it will offer a direct flight to Halifax and a seasonal flight to Toronto, the first time in a decade that the Calgary-based carrier has operated out of Gander International Airport.

"It's not the same Gander it was 10 years ago and we're a different airline," said Ferio Pugliese, president of WestJet Encore, the company's regional service.

Pugliese said the travelling demands in the region have changed since then.

"We've got more connections now, which we believe make the air travel more conducive for people to want to choose and we also have new aircraft type, which allows us to fly the shorter hauls more inexpensively," he said.

The seasonal service to Toronto will begin in early May, and the Halifax connection begins in July.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...line-1.2919480

[magee_b]

From the TJ:

Saint John Airport sets all-time passenger record
January 21, 2015

SAINT JOHN • The Saint John Airport has something to celebrate after setting an all-time record for passengers......
..... Traffic was up 5.5 per cent for 2014 over 2013.

The airport’s primary airline is Air Canada, although Sunwing Vacations also flies from Saint John. Sunwing is starting its ninth season with the Saint John Airport this year."

-----------

Odd that they didn't report the actual numbers, but some quick calculations based on last years' final tally means that the 2014 number should be 248,784.

[Trevor3]

We are expecting Porter to announce the 2015 schedule between Stephenville and Halifax in the next 2-3 weeks. Still no word on whether it will continue to be seasonal or permanent, but it will be particularly interesting to see what is essentially their reaction to WestJet's expansion.

YJT doesn't release official pax numbers because it is in direct competition with YDF - Deer Lake, and obviously posts substantially smaller numbers, but I do know from speaking to people in the know that YJT pulled off its best year, in 2014, since Jetsgo went under about a decade ago.

[ghYHZ]

And another transatlantic ‘737 for Halifax this summer!

Europe Airpost will be back again this year with flights to Paris CDG…… But this year the flights will stop in Dublin instead of Glasgow as they did last year……and the flights are conveniently timed to connect with Air St. Pierre in Halifax to offer those residents a service to France.

http://www.europeairpost.com/en/hali...ansatlantique/

(Nice colour scheme on that ‘737-700!)

Besides Europe Airpost at YHZ……there’s:
Air Canada: daily ‘767 to Heathrow
WestJet: daily ‘737 to Glasgow
Air Transat: twice-weekly to Gatwick
Icelandair: three times weekly
Condor to Frankfort

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by ghYHZ

And another transatlantic ‘737 for Halifax this summer!

Europe Airpost will be back again this year with flights to Paris CDG…… But this year the flights will stop in Dublin instead of Glasgow as they did last year……and the flights are conveniently timed to connect with Air St. Pierre in Halifax to offer those residents a service to France.

http://www.europeairpost.com/en/hali...ansatlantique/

(Nice colour scheme on that ‘737-700!)

Besides Europe Airpost at YHZ……there’s:
Air Canada: daily ‘767 to Heathrow
WestJet: daily ‘737 to Glasgow
Air Transat: twice-weekly to Gatwick
Icelandair: three times weekly
Condor to Frankfort

Hey ghYHZ, out of these flights, how many are not seasonal?

[ghYHZ]

Originally Posted by Sunnybrae

Hey ghYHZ, out of these flights, how many are not seasonal?

Air Canada 860/861 to/from Heathrow is the only year round service (and not always daily in the winter) other flights are summer only or also shoulder season when people are travelling to those destinations. No different that the numerous non-stops from YHZ to Florida and the Caribbean in the winter months.

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by ghYHZ

Air Canada 860/861 to/from Heathrow is the only year round service (and not always daily in the winter) other flights are summer only or also shoulder season when people are travelling to those destinations. No different that the numerous non-stops from YHZ to Florida and the Caribbean in the winter months.

Thanks for the info ghYHZ! Let's hope more European carriers take an interest in our region. Who knows, maybe one of the ME3 will take a peek someday.

[Freddypop]

Latest numbers for FIA..

http://www.frederictonairport.ca/en/...ional-airport/

Will be interesting to see next years numbers given the new WestJet flights

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Latest numbers for FIA..

https://www.telegraphjournal.com/dai...l-airport-sets

Will be interesting to see next years numbers given the new WestJet flights

Behind a paywall, so can't see the figures. Please post.

[magee_b]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Behind a paywall, so can't see the figures. Please post.

"The figures for 2014 show more than 315,000 passengers either arrived at or departed from the Fredericton airport during the year. That’s an increase of more than six percent from the previous year, which was also a record year."

Source: http://www.frederictonairport.ca/en/...ional-airport/

[Bishop2047]

It will be interest to see what West Jet's presence does to these numbers. They will start on April 15, and hopefully expand at some point on their twice daily to T.O

[Freddypop]

Try this link...

http://www.frederictonairport.ca/en/...ional-airport/

[MonctonRad]

So now we have updated passenger data on four airports in the Maritimes:

Moncton - 677,159
Charlottetown - 317,827
Fredericton - 315,000
Saint John - 248,784

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

So now we have updated passenger data on four airports in the Maritimes:

Moncton - 677,159
Charlottetown - 317,827
Fredericton - 315,000
Saint John - 248,784

Impressive numbers. Still amazes me how big Halifax is though considering all these airports added together are not even half of YHZ.