Halifax Stanfield International Airport Developments

[egb]

That’s pretty great to have four into NY, kinda surprised it happened to be honest. I feel like the best case scenario for the airport isn’t so much to have more exotic connections but more consistent and better connections to existing hubs.

[MonctonRad]

From the Canada section:

Originally Posted by MountainView

Icelandair is returning to Halifax - YHZ with 3x weekly service

3x weekly on Mon, Wed, Fri
FI607 KEF-YHZ 18:35-20:30
FI606 YHZ-KEF 21:30-4:45 (+1)

After a few years break, flights to Halifax will restart, with three flights a week from May 31 until mid-October 2024.

I flew from YHZ once on Iceland Air to Europe via KEF, and found it an enjoyable experience. I would consider it again.

[q12]

Originally Posted by q12

I think the airport is likely trying to get Icelandair flights back. These were popular as they allow connections all over Europe. They were cancelled when they switched from a Boeing 757 to Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that were grounded back in 2019.

I called this a week ago that this was likely coming back. Halifax Stanfield is nearly back to a post pandemic route map with the exception of regional maritime routes (YFC/YSJ/YQM/YYG/YQY), and the Westjet (Europe) retreat to the west. We've even added Washington, and Reykjavik as well as improved Frankfurt and Vancouver service that we didn't have immediately before the pandemic halted flying.

United Airlines is the other airline that could soon return with Newark and Chicago non-stop flights.

2019/2020

[Justanothermember]

It's interesting that Halifax has received all these NY routes, but I don't envisage all of them lasting that long. There is only so much demand for a city of 400k. No offence to Halifax intended.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

It's interesting that Halifax has received all these NY routes, but I don't envisage all of them lasting that long. There is only so much demand for a city of 400k. No offence to Halifax intended.

You're probably unaware that there was a point, not so long ago, when YHZ had a half-dozen (maybe seven) direct flights daily to NYC year-round, and they were very well patronized. American alone had four per day to JFK. Continental (later United) served EWR, and Delta flew to LGA (and JFK for a while too, if memory serves).

Also, the population is closer to 500K, not 400K, and YHZ doesn't only serve this city, it's is a regional hub for all of the Atlantic provinces.

I'd be surprised if more capacity isn't added at some point - either more flights or larger aircraft - when that becomes possible (there's a system-wide pilot shortage which is restricting growth at the moment), and I expect Chicago service will also be restored.

[LikesBikes]

I've been flying quite a bit recently and just about every time the plane is totally full. This includes flights to Montreal, Philly, Boston, and even London UK. It doesn't surprise me there's enough demand to support more flights right now.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

Also, the population is closer to 500K, not 400K, and YHZ doesn't only serve this city, it's is a regional hub for all of the Atlantic provinces.

It's likely well over 500k now. The population is/was growing incredibly quickly (+4.5% per year) and that will likely have a significant impact on demand for flights as it continues.

The Statistics Canada estimate for July 1, 2022 is approximately 505,500 using the 2021 census boundaries. Since then they estimate that NS added about 44,000 people.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by someone123

It's likely well over 500k now. The population is/was growing incredibly quickly (+4.5% per year) and that will likely have a significant impact on demand for flights as it continues.

The Statistics Canada estimate for July 1, 2022 is approximately 505,500 using the 2021 census boundaries. Since then they estimate that NS added about 44,000 people.

There you go. In any event, I doubt that Justanothermember was aware that pre-pandemic YHZ was already at 4.3M pax annually.

[bartekci]

We're also locked away with a drive to any major city being at minimum 10 hours (Boston, MA being what I would classify as the closest "major city") and the train infrastructure sucks.

Thus, we default to flying and therefore increasing demand.

[someone123]

Keflavik has around 6 million annual passengers and all of Iceland has under 400,000 inhabitants.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

It's interesting that Halifax has received all these NY routes, but I don't envisage all of them lasting that long. There is only so much demand for a city of 400k. No offence to Halifax intended.

I think the NY routes did well prior to the pandemic. Also, as Porter moves to make Halifax a hub, we may see customers for whom it does not make sense to connect via YUL or YYZ. Regionally, it's nice to have the pre-clearance here as it offers connections regardless of customs on the other end.

[q12]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

It's interesting that Halifax has received all these NY routes, but I don't envisage all of them lasting that long. There is only so much demand for a city of 400k. No offence to Halifax intended.

Just another troll if you read the short history of this forum member. Winnipeg must be jealous of Halifax.

How does one fly direct to Europe from Winnipeg? Oh yeah that's right they don't.

There are over 2 Million people in the Maritimes, an area that fits inside southern Manitoba.

Also Halifax-New York has traffic in both directions because Americans want to visit the Maritimes as tourists. Not sure you can find many Americans who wants to visit Winnipeg...

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I think the NY routes did well prior to the pandemic. Also, as Porter moves to make Halifax a hub, we may see customers for whom it does not make sense to connect via YUL or YYZ. Regionally, it's nice to have the pre-clearance here as it offers connections regardless of customs on the other end.

Stanfield was the sixth-busiest airport in the country last year, and generally ranked eighth prior to the pandemic. U.S traffic was generally not far behind Ottawa and Winnipeg, and other international ahead of Winnipeg. Presumably that has to do with A: proximity to Europe and B: acting as a sort of regional hub for the Maritimes at large, therefore serving a bigger hinterland than many metropolitan airports.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by q12

Just another troll if you read the short history of this forum member. Winnipeg must be jealous of Halifax.

How does one fly direct to Europe from Winnipeg? Oh yeah that's right they don't.

There are over 2 Million people in the Maritimes, an area that fits inside southern Manitoba.

Also Halifax-New York has traffic in both directions because Americans want to visit the Maritimes as tourists. Not sure you can find many Americans who wants to visit Winnipeg...

LOL. Calm down, Winnipeg is fine...

[q12]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

LOL. Calm down, Winnipeg is fine...

We're all good, just letting you and the others who responded know that the user was a troll.

They posted in the Halifax airport thread with one purpose which was to tell us, that Halifax shouldn't expect New York flights to last based on zero accurate facts. They did the same in some other airport threads.

No offense to Winnipeg though, LOL.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

You're probably unaware that there was a point, not so long ago, when YHZ had a half-dozen (maybe seven) direct flights daily to NYC year-round, and they were very well patronized. American alone had four per day to JFK. Continental (later United) served EWR, and Delta flew to LGA (and JFK for a while too, if memory serves).

Also, the population is closer to 500K, not 400K, and YHZ doesn't only serve this city, it's is a regional hub for all of the Atlantic provinces.

I'd be surprised if more capacity isn't added at some point - either more flights or larger aircraft - when that becomes possible (there's a system-wide pilot shortage which is restricting growth at the moment), and I expect Chicago service will also be restored.

Pre-pandemic I used to do a lot of business flights between Halifax and Columbus, OH. When possible I always tried to get a connecting flight to Newark, LGA, or Boston vs YYZ. Toronto-connected flights always seemed to be longer from start to finish, plus, passing through customs in Halifax was vastly superior to the clusterfugg of Toronto. So even if NY or Boston are not your end destinations, these flights give a lot more options to passengers to/from Halifax, and the Maritimes in general, for that matter.

[q12]

Westjet Summer 2024

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

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

You're probably unaware that there was a point, not so long ago, when YHZ had a half-dozen (maybe seven) direct flights daily to NYC year-round, and they were very well patronized. American alone had four per day to JFK. Continental (later United) served EWR, and Delta flew to LGA (and JFK for a while too, if memory serves).

Also, the population is closer to 500K, not 400K, and YHZ doesn't only serve this city, it's is a regional hub for all of the Atlantic provinces.

I'd be surprised if more capacity isn't added at some point - either more flights or larger aircraft - when that becomes possible (there's a system-wide pilot shortage which is restricting growth at the moment), and I expect Chicago service will also be restored.

Plus Air Canada flies YHZ-EWR as well; a route inherited from Air Nova days. As well, don't forget prior to the pandemic, YHZ had service to ORD, DTW and ATL.

[q12]

Halifax's Transatlantic so far scheduled for peak summer 2024:

Discover Airlines YHZ-FRA 4x weekly A330
Condor Airlines YHZ-FRA 3x weekly A330
Air Canada YHZ-LHR Daily 737max8
Icelandair YHZ-KEF 3x weekly 737max8
Westjet YHZ-LGW 4x weekly 737max8
Westjet YHZ-EDI 3x weekly 737max8
Westjet YHZ-DUB 4x weekly 737max8

[q12]

Updated 2024 Route Map for YHZ: