Hamilton International Airport

[LikeHamilton]

I hope they will pic Hamilton for the east.

Southwest moves to partner with WestJet in 2010

TheSpec.com Ross Marowits

MONTREAL — Southwest Airlines hopes to complete its code-share partnership with WestJet next year before possibly flying its own planes to Canada as early as 2011.

The agreement, which would allow the two companies to sell tickets both airlines and make transferring between the two networks easier for travellers, was put off in May as Southwest focused on technological upgrades within its own network.

But the Dallas-based airline said it expects to have partnerships with Calgary-based WestJet and Mexico’s Volaris up and running in 2010.

“Once we get that code share service up and running with WestJet and Volaris, the technology will be much closer to us serving destinations on our own,” Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Brandy King said from Texas.

Last week, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said the 37-year-old carrier could spread its wings to near international destinations in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean as early as 2011.

King wouldn’t say what Canadian cities Southwest will mostly likely service.

“We would look at Canada as a whole and decide where we see the best benefit for our service being introduced.”

She added entry into Canada wouldn’t distract its efforts with WestJet.

WestJet spokesman Robert Palmer said it was working towards an agreement but “no firm timelines have been set by either partner.”

Airline analyst Jacques Kavafian of Research Capital Corp. said high airport fees, taxes and other charges would complicate Southwest’s desire to offer discount fares from Canada.

“It’s just one additional airline flying to Canada,” he said, downplaying the significance of such a move, should it occur.

Kavafian said Calgary and Vancouver would likely be Southwest’s first Canadian cities because of their proximity to hubs in Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Many Canadians seeking cheaper fares currently catch Southwest flights from border airports in Detroit, Buffalo, N.Y., Seattle and Spokane, Wash., but Southwest said it hasn’t tabulated the number of Canadians who fly the airline.

King said the introduction of Canadian service wouldn’t necessarily result in expanding its fleet. Southwest flies 545 planes and recently added Boston and New York by reallocating resources from unproductive routes.

Code-sharing involves airlines selling seats on each other’s planes and sharing the revenues. One carrier can put its code on a flight operated by the other.

It is considered a low-risk way for airlines to expand their networks without the added cost of more planes and employees.

WestJet is seen to reap greater benefits from the partnership, since it will give passengers access to Southwest’s 65 cities that provide more than 3,200 daily flights.

The airline is also working on code-share arrangement with European carriers Air France and KLM.

Earlier this week WestJet announced a revised aircraft delivery schedule designed to help the airline grow capacity between five and 10 per cent in 2010 and give it flexibility to adapt to changing markets until 2016. It plans to add 30 Boeing
737s.

On the Toronto Stock Exchange, WestJet’s shares closed at $11.82, up five cents.

[SteelTown]

This would go just in time, 2011, if Hamilton Airport gets funding for the expansion.

[urban_planner]

Anyone know whats up with the planned expansion for Runway 24-06 (the shorter one) Also the new fuel Farm is taking shape.

[realcity]

Southwest has a big operation out of Buffalo. I don't think they'll consider Hamilton being only 50 minutes away. It'll canabalize their own business.

[SteelTown]

More population (bigger market) on Hamilton's side though.

[realcity]

But Buffalo already draws significant numbers from the golden horseshoe. Somewhere around 1/4 of passengers are canadian

[markbarbera]

The advantage Southwest would gain with YHM over BUF: Southwest could fly from any of its US bases into YHM and, using the codeshare agreement with WestJet, connect to WestJet Canadian destinations that depart from YHM. To do the same thing via BUF would require a lot more dedicated resources and a lot of new airport landing agreements.

[SteelTown]

More the reason to put Southwest at Hamilton.

[urban_planner]

just because SWA is in Buffalo doesn't mean they can come here. Look at Westjet they fly out of Toronto Hamilton Kitchener and London. Also SWA flies out of a hand full of cities in Southern California also Boston and Two other cities near by.

[realcity]

I heard on the news that Buttonville is closing. Will this help our little airport that could?

[urban_planner]

I don't think it will have much of an impact. The only thing i wonder is where the Cargojet regional flights will go to I guess YYZ (pearson) Right now there are several flights from Buttonville to Hamilton with small Beech 1900d and Cessna Caravans for cargojet that come to YHM then get loaded on to the larger fleet to move to the other airports that Cargojet flies to.

But I guess then will either truck in to YHM and use those aircraft someone else or just switch the flights to YYZ to YHM.

aside from that I don't think buttonville has anything significant that we might gain, perhaps some private jets.

[FairHamilton]

I would think TCCA would pick-up any private jets.

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by urban_planner

I don't think it will have much of an impact. The only thing i wonder is where the Cargojet regional flights will go to I guess YYZ (pearson) Right now there are several flights from Buttonville to Hamilton with small Beech 1900d and Cessna Caravans for cargojet that come to YHM then get loaded on to the larger fleet to move to the other airports that Cargojet flies to.

But I guess then will either truck in to YHM and use those aircraft someone else or just switch the flights to YYZ to YHM.

aside from that I don't think buttonville has anything significant that we might gain, perhaps some private jets.

Buttonville is the third busiest airport in the country for takeoffs and landings, the only 2 airports that are busier are Pearson and Vancouver. They had 170,000 takeoffs and landings last year.

The management at HI might be wise to try and attract some of that business.

[realcity]

I'm just a big fan of Buffalo-Niagara International. But then again I like anything Buffalo/Niagara.... anyway.....


It's practically local, very efficient and affordable. YHM is up against a world-class Pearson and a well positioned Buffalo. I don't think there is much of a position left in that space that YHM could take-up, other then being the cargo-shmargo airport that it is.

And our City Staff thinks Aerotropolis will save our economy. >>>?

[urban_planner]

there are limitations to the Island airport. Rwy length for most Jet aircraft is too short. Also you need to take a ferry off. some people might be into that.

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by urban_planner

there are limitations to the Island airport. Rwy length for most Jet aircraft is too short. Also you need to take a ferry off. some people might be into that.

While runway length may be an issue for certain types of planes. The ferry is no problem, it's 120M and takes no time at all. Those who've taken Porter know that the ferry is a non-issue.

[urban_planner]

Except when the city of Toronto Employee go on strike. None the less the runways are short there. The Dash-8-400s are Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft hense they have no trouble at all. If you look at flightware the last couple of days all the flights are either Porter or single engine aircraft propeller aircraft.

[markbarbera]

Toronto Island airport is restricted to propellor type aircraft - no turbine jets permitted unless it is medevac.

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by urban_planner

Except when the city of Toronto Employee go on strike. None the less the runways are short there. The Dash-8-400s are Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft hense they have no trouble at all. If you look at flightware the last couple of days all the flights are either Porter or single engine aircraft propeller aircraft.

The TCCA ferry service is not run by the City of Toronto, it's run by the Port Authority and was unaffected by the City of Toronto Employee strike.

I'm not saying it can (or does) handle them now, but apart from public objection anything could most likely be changed.

[urban_planner]

I guess they have seprate service from the rest of the islands because according to the city of Toronto Website ferry service to the islands were cancelled. None the less still have runways that are too short for anything worth more then 4 seats.