Halifax Stanfield International Airport Developments

[someone123]

I am not familiar with Winnipeg but I agree with Hali87 about where Halifax sits as far as the cities I do know. It is noticeably more "Francophone friendly" than BC or AB. I think it also has a bit of a Francophone community with institutional support (e.g. CSAP), even though those schools or neighbourhoods are not very well known or recognizable (instead of there being a St. Boniface type town a lot of the bilingual families will just live in Clayton Park or Bedford). Plus it's next to Quebec and the Maritimes are a bit more culturally integrated with Quebec, like how Ontario is, compared to the West or maybe Newfoundland. I think French has a bit more practical use in NS than it does here. The vacuum of knowledge of French here reminds me a lot of the US.

I'm not sure how you'd objectively prove this with statistics but one statistic you can look at is % who have French as a mother tongue and % who declare that they can speak French in the census in addition to English. Halifax of course isn't anywhere in the "bilingual" ballpark on those metrics but sits noticeably ahead of some other cities. In Canada the baseline is maybe 5-10% declared bilingual, Halifax was over 10%, while I would guess in the US it would be closer to 0, and really bilingual feeling areas are 30-50%+.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by someone123

I am not familiar with Winnipeg but I agree with Hali87 about where Halifax sits as far as the cities I do know. It is noticeably more "Francophone friendly" than BC or AB. I think it also has a bit of a Francophone community with institutional support (e.g. CSAP), even though those schools or neighbourhoods are not very well known or recognizable (instead of there being a St. Boniface type town a lot of the bilingual families will just live in Clayton Park or Bedford). Plus it's next to Quebec and the Maritimes are a bit more culturally integrated with Quebec, like how Ontario is, compared to the West or maybe Newfoundland. I think French has a bit more practical use in NS than it does here. The vacuum of knowledge of French here reminds me a lot of the US.

I'm not sure how you'd objectively prove this with statistics but one statistic you can look at is % who have French as a mother tongue and % who declare that they can speak French in the census in addition to English. Halifax of course isn't anywhere in the "bilingual" ballpark on those metrics but sits noticeably ahead of some other cities. In Canada the baseline is maybe 5-10% declared bilingual, Halifax was over 10%, while I would guess in the US it would be closer to 0, and really bilingual feeling areas are 30-50%+.

The Montebello Drive area of Dartmouth also has a noticeable French population as the CASAP school is just around the corner of Avenue de Portage.
The Federal Departmental presence in the Halifax area is second only to Ottawa so DND, Transport Canada, The Halifax airport training program for all Security staff for Canada, BIO and National research programs all bring French to Nova Scotia.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

The Federal Departmental presence in the Halifax area is second only to Ottawa so DND, Transport Canada, The Halifax airport training program for all Security staff for Canada, BIO and National research programs all bring French to Nova Scotia.

This is true and I didn't really think of it.

Connections between Quebec City and Halifax are pretty interesting and could grow. There aren't any Quebec City like towns to visit in the Maritimes. On the other end, Halifax is growing and offers more to visitors over time and definitely has a distinct feel now compared to Quebec or Northeastern cities. Traditionally, I think Maine or PEI have been popular destinations for Quebec, while Halifax has had a comparatively low profile. It seems like a lot of the tourism is "beach tourism".

Around here, Montreal and Quebec City have an oddly low profile. I notice more and more how people talk as if Canada has 2 big cities, Toronto and Vancouver. Aside from distance and family connection aspect part of this may be due to outlook. Urban success around here can be sort of tied to the perception of high immigration (which is happening all over Canada but which a lot of people still think of as Toronto/Vancouver) and high-end real estate development.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by someone123

This is true and I didn't really think of it.

Halifax has always had a large concentration of federal (especially CF and DND) employees and consequently a large concentration of francophone federal civil servants. They're impossible to miss if you have any interaction with any federal agency or federal Crown corporation around here.

Around here, Montreal and Quebec City have an oddly low profile.

Really? To me, that's a bizarre comment, at least with respect to Montreal. It's a relatively frequent and much-loved destination for my family and many, many people I know, and always has been.

[Calfan12]

Air Canada inflight entertainment has new features now. Good for Sports fans & the 1's that enjoys the news world wide✅!!

Air Canada has upped their game with exclusive new in-flight features.

With the holiday season upon us, thousands will be travelling across the country to see their loved ones. And if you’re someone who tends to get super bored on flights, we’ve got good news.

Thanks to Air Canada, flying just got a whole lot better — especially for sports fans. The airline has recently launched Live TV on select domestic flights, which means passengers will no longer miss out on exciting live-action sports games while in the air.

With six live channels in both English and French, passengers will also be able to keep up-to-date with live national news onboard.

TV programming consists of TSN 1, TSN 2, and RDS, which will deliver comprehensive live sports coverage for marquee sports events including soccer, hockey, basketball, football, baseball, and more; CTV News Channel for 24-hour worldwide breaking news; LCN, Quebec’s all-news station; and BNN Bloomberg for all things new in the business and finance world.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/air-...atures-live-tv

[q12]

Air Canada non-stop service between Halifax and New York (EWR) starts today complimenting daily non-stop service between Halifax and Boston.





Also Air Canada will offer 2x Daily non-stop service from Halifax to Vancouver this summer.

[dtown]

These destinations do not appear to apply anymore when you search for it on Westjet's site. However, it does show flights to Paris resuming April 12th and to London (Gatwick) on April 29th.

Originally Posted by q12

Looks like Westjet has confirmed on Twitter a few days ago the return of YHZ-Europe in 2023.



EDIT: Also on their website:


https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/flights

[q12]

Looks like Westjet is trying to get ahead of the PR nightmare of hyping transatlantic from Halifax and then suspending all the routes, even if they plan on bringing them back in 2024 (If they don't go bankrupt or ONEX sells them).

WestJet announces temporary transatlantic route suspensions from Halifax

By WestJet

January 30, 2023

WestJet today is announcing that it has temporarily suspended transatlantic service between Halifax and Europe as part of its 2023 summer schedule. Today’s announcement comes as a result of the airline’s strategic decision to suspend transatlantic flying from select Canadian cities as it continues to responsibly manage and recover its network in response to capacity constraints impacting the aviation ecosystem.

The airline remains committed to engaging with local stakeholders and community members to evaluate the return of transatlantic service in 2024, as well as for all network opportunities moving forward. WestJet’s focus remains on positioning its network to meet the travel demands of Canadians, while strengthening its footprint across Eastern Canada through sun and leisure travel which will be bolstered by its recent acquisition announcement of 42 additional Boeing MAX aircraft.

“Halifax remains an integral part of our network and we understand this is disappointing news for our guests and the local community,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. “As we continue to responsibly balance our schedule alongside operational requirements, capacity constraints and the deployment of our aircraft across Canada, we are making these difficult decisions now to enable us to re-position our investments to best serve the province for years to come.”

WestJet has proudly served Halifax for 19 years and while these routes have not been available for sale, the airline is prioritizing providing guests with as much advance notice as possible and giving firm clarity on routes that have been in question. As WestJet plans to announce its summer schedule in the coming weeks, the airline looks forward to enhancing domestic offerings from coast-to-coast, inclusive of increased service between Halifax and Western Canada.

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2...spensions-from

[Drybrain]

Am I wrong to be confused by the way this is being covered as an Atlantic-centric thing? Westjet has also suspended direct flights to Europe from Toronto and Vancouver. You can't fly on WestJet to Europe anymore unless you go through Calgary. For people in BC, that's an annoying pit stop instead of what was previously an uninterrupted flight. For people anywhere east of the prairies, that's a dealbreaker backtracking across half the continent. There are a handful of directs to Asia from Vancouver, but most seem to also route back through Calgary.

I'd love someone with aviation industry expertise to weigh in on Westjet's hub strategy for Calgary. It renders WestJet irrelevant for international flights anywhere to the south or east for the large majority of Canadians, and is a pretty significant reduction in domestic service as well. It feels like they've decided to become a regional carrier again, but it's being spun as an effort to turn Calgary--a medium-sized city in a less-than-central location--into a global travel hub. It all seems very weird.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

it's being spun as an effort to turn Calgary--a medium-sized city in a less-than-central location--into a global travel hub. It all seems very weird.

Worked for Atlanta.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Am I wrong to be confused by the way this is being covered as an Atlantic-centric thing?

No, not wrong at all. CBC in fact amended its headline a little later to include Toronto and Vancouver.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Worked for Atlanta.

...which really can't be compared to Calgary.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Worked for Atlanta.

Atlanta has more than six million people, though, and is situated within the heavily populated US southeast, not far from the Atlantic coast. Calgary has 1.5 million people, and is situated near very little, nowhere near any coast. From a global connectivity perspective, Calgary is remote. Atlanta is not.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Worked for Atlanta.

I don't think Atlanta has problems de-icing planes when it gets too cold. That was apparently an issue in Calgary just before Christmas 2022... I heard flights were landing there, but couldn't take off again. WestJet continued to operate flights landing in Calgary, so they collected planes and staff there for a few days, impacting service elsewhere in Canada.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I don't think Atlanta has problems de-icing planes when it gets too cold. That was apparently an issue in Calgary just before Christmas 2022... I heard flights were landing there, but couldn't take off again. WestJet continued to operate flights landing in Calgary, so they collected planes and staff there for a few days, impacting service elsewhere in Canada.

De-icing can be a problem anywhere in this country, occasionally even Vancouver.

My comparison to Atlanta is not in terms of city size or the population of the adjacent hinterland. It's just Atlanta is not a city you think of as a premiere destination in the US. NYC, Chicago, LA yes, Atlanta, not so much. Atlanta is only a hub because Delta decided to make it a hub. Same thing for WestJet and Calgary.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

De-icing can be a problem anywhere in this country, occasionally even Vancouver.

My comparison to Atlanta is not in terms of city size or the population of the adjacent hinterland. It's just Atlanta is not a city you think of as a premiere destination in the US. NYC, Chicago, LA yes, Atlanta, not so much. Atlanta is only a hub because Delta decided to make it a hub. Same thing for WestJet and Calgary.

Atlanta however IS a prime destination for South American traffic going to the U.S..

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Am I wrong to be confused by the way this is being covered as an Atlantic-centric thing? Westjet has also suspended direct flights to Europe from Toronto and Vancouver. You can't fly on WestJet to Europe anymore unless you go through Calgary. For people in BC, that's an annoying pit stop instead of what was previously an uninterrupted flight. For people anywhere east of the prairies, that's a dealbreaker backtracking across half the continent. There are a handful of directs to Asia from Vancouver, but most seem to also route back through Calgary.

I'd love someone with aviation industry expertise to weigh in on Westjet's hub strategy for Calgary. It renders WestJet irrelevant for international flights anywhere to the south or east for the large majority of Canadians, and is a pretty significant reduction in domestic service as well. It feels like they've decided to become a regional carrier again, but it's being spun as an effort to turn Calgary--a medium-sized city in a less-than-central location--into a global travel hub. It all seems very weird.

I noticed this change in flights out of YVR and it affected my travel plans somewhat. I have some WestJet credits and they're less useful now. It's an annoying time in general to try to travel by air and this past holiday season was a total disaster.

I think a lot of the coverage of this, as you suggest, is a bit odd, and the comments I read in those other SSP air travel threads sometimes seem lacking in perspective (a portion of the motivation for the media articles is likely literally the "bad stuff happens to salt of the earth folk" for the media and "of course a small town airport doesn't deserve direct flights to other continents" for some of the individual commenters). It's a volatile time for air travel -- you can project whatever narrative you want onto the random declines in service -- and I think in the long run Halifax will have decent demand for flights to Europe due to geography (not just the "backtracking" issue but also Europe being relatively accessible and popular as a destination) and demographics. Those realities are not likely to be less important or persistent in the long run than WestJet and their focus on Calgary.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Am I wrong to be confused by the way this is being covered as an Atlantic-centric thing? Westjet has also suspended direct flights to Europe from Toronto and Vancouver. You can't fly on WestJet to Europe anymore unless you go through Calgary. For people in BC, that's an annoying pit stop instead of what was previously an uninterrupted flight. For people anywhere east of the prairies, that's a dealbreaker backtracking across half the continent. There are a handful of directs to Asia from Vancouver, but most seem to also route back through Calgary.

I have a feeling it was mostly poor internal communications. WestJet's original press release only mentions Halifax, and it's not entirely clear which European destinations WestJet served out of YVR (LGW + ?) or YYZ (?).

The news also seems much more significant for YHZ than for YYZ - Halifax seemed to have the largest number of transatlantic WestJet routes (?) and these made up a large proportion of its transatlantic flights. If Toronto loses 1 or 2 (or even 4+) of its transatlantic routes (out of like... dozens) and still has coverage on those same routes through other carriers, it doesn't really seem newsworthy in the same way. Halifax lost 50%+ of its transatlantic routes and now offers service to 2 European airports instead of 6. The only Euro airport served by multiple carriers from YHZ was/is Frankfurt; there is still service to London but only Heathrow, not Gatwick; the three routes that remain are the 3 most expensive and transfers through Heathrow tend to be more expensive than those through Gatwick. I would guess that YVR still has considerably better service to Europe than YHZ does.

There are also more subtle problems like - wasn't Halifax just chosen as the site of some new NATO office? It seems like "relatively good air connections with Europe" would have been something that factored into the selection process, whereas now we have "mediocre air connections with Europe"

Overall it seems like WestJet sees/brands itself as the equivalent of Air Canada for the Western provinces (while seeing Air Canada as "Eastern"/"of Montreal"), and sees/brands Calgary/YYC as the Atlantic-oriented equivalent of Vancouver/YVR. Whether or not this makes sense, it seems to be what they're doubling down on.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Hali87

The news also seems much more significant for YHZ than for YYZ - Halifax seemed to have the largest number of transatlantic WestJet routes (?) and these made up a large proportion of its transatlantic flights.

Yes, I think Halifax now only has direct flights to London (which is good, at least, since it's an enormous hub) and beginning this summer, Frankfurt, with a German airline called Condor.

So that's pretty bad, really. A few years ago I used IcelandAir's direct from Halifax to Reykjavik to visit Iceland and hop from there to Amsterdam. There were other good routes like that, but the pandemic killed them. In the long run I think things will rebalance (I wouldn't be surprised to see Air Canada add direct Halifax to Europe flights in WestJet's absence) but it's pretty poor connectivity right now.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Yes, I think Halifax now only has direct flights to London (which is good, at least, since it's an enormous hub) and beginning this summer, Frankfurt, with a German airline called Condor.

So that's pretty bad, really. A few years ago I used IcelandAir's direct from Halifax to Reykjavik to visit Iceland and hop from there to Amsterdam. There were other good routes like that, but the pandemic killed them. In the long run I think things will rebalance (I wouldn't be surprised to see Air Canada add direct Halifax to Europe flights in WestJet's absence) but it's pretty poor connectivity right now.

I think there's one other airline (EuroWings or something?) doing seasonal Halifax-Frankfurt, in addition to Condor. However both of them are quite a bit more expensive than WestJet or even AC IIRC. In practice they seem more geared towards Europeans who want to vacation in Canada than the opposite. Amsterdam and Gatwick seem like they would be more attractive as hubs (and even destinations) from a Halifax/Maritime perspective. If Halifax really wants to double down on the military/diplomacy niche then Brussels might be a good route to start pushing for. These could be "instead of" somewhere like Paris or Frankfurt (although again I think Frankfurt is thought of more as the point of origin than the destination).

IcelandAir seemed like a great service and it's a shame that it's gone. It would also be nice to see a return of service to/through Chicago as well as service to Denver and one or more of the non-Boston cities in New England.

IMO the most intriguing "new" destination from Halifax is Quebec City.