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  #101  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2011, 1:22 PM
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Well, I'm back home now and thought I would give a final review on the Porter Toronto-Moncton run.

Took the free shuttle bus from the Royal York hotel to the ferry terminal to Billy Bishop Toronto Island Airport. Took the free ferry to the terminal building. Check in was a breeze and security screening was relaxed (compared to Pearson), but thorough.

Billy Bishop seems more like a bus terminal than an airport, but I mean that in a good way. The departure lounge is relatively small but comfortable, with many single chairs with endtables and lamps rather than the rows of benches that you see in most terminals. I decided to go to the coffee shop to get something to drink while I was waiting for my flight, and after picking up my coffee, I admit to being temporarily confused as I could not find the cashier to pay for my purchase, and then it slowly dawned on me that there was no cashier and that everything was again free!!!

The flight back to Moncton again made a station stop in Ottawa. I was again surprised to see how much of the Moncton bound traffic was from Ottawa. On the way up, I figure that about 50% of the passengers got off in Ottawa. On the way back, about 75% of the passengers on the final leg of the journey got on the plane in Ottawa.

I've thought about why this might be, and I figure it has to do with capacity and choice. Between Air Canada, WestJet and Porter, there has to be about eight flights per day between Moncton and Toronto. There are only two flights a day to Ottawa (Air Canada and Porter). This would naturally boost numbers on the Moncton-Ottawa Porter run.

Final verdict on Porter Airlines:

- Boy, do these guys ever have a niche!!!
- Porter is an ideal choice if you can fly to Toronto on a relatively relaxed schedule, especially if your ultimate destination is downtown.
- Obviously if you need to make connections, Air Canada and Pearson would be a better choice, but it should be noted that Porter is beginning to fly to more and more destinations in the US northeast and midwest. These connections are through Billy Bishop and I imagine the atmosphere (for making connections and clearing customs) would be less zoo-like than at Pearson. i flew to Chicago in the Spring, and in retrospect, it might have been interesting to fly there via Porter from Moncton, with connections in Toronto.

I will be flying Porter again! The plane was 100% capacity on the way up and at least 90% capacity on the way back. I think the volume is there for some service expansion. I have heard that Porter is pleased with their Moncton run so far. It would be good to see a second daily flight out of Moncton each day. In my ideal world, I would want this to be a St. John's-Moncton-Toronto route. I'm convinced that this would also be a very successful route.
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Last edited by MonctonRad; Sep 16, 2011 at 3:11 PM.
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  #102  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2011, 11:07 PM
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Thanks, MonctonRad, for your commentaries. Always nice to hear passenger experiences on airlines! I had planned to travel between Toronto and Ottawa on Porter this summer, but my plans got waylaid. Maybe next summer! I'm waiting for Porter to start flying to DC, which I hope is soon!
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  #103  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2011, 6:13 PM
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Airports Ranked on Affordability 2011

Quote:
To help travellers snag low-cost flight deals, we've ranked 20 airports
in Canada and on the US border based on affordability. Savvy flyers
know that airfares vary greatly depending on your departure or
destination airport and this ranking breaks down the differences to
help give you a leg up on travel planning.
See the rankings here, three Atlantic Canada airports are included:

http://www.cheapflights.ca/promos/20...ility-ranking/
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  #104  
Old Posted Sep 22, 2011, 8:52 PM
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GMIA forms partnership with Belgian airport


Cathy LeBreton - StaffSep 22, 2011 16:15:40 PM


MONCTON, N.B. - In its quest to become Atlantic Canada's air cargo hub, the Greater Moncton International Airport is teaming up with Belgium's busiest cargo airport.

Airport officials from Moncton and Liege inked a partnership this afternoon to work together to help build up each other's international business.

The Liege airport is the seafood gateway to Europe.

Greater Moncton CEO Rob Robichaud calls the partnership a win-win, saying partnering will give them a foot-hold in the European market, as well as provide a wealth of expertise to help Moncton grow its business.

In return, Moncton has agreed to recommend Liege for European sun destinations.

Robichaud says he sees a day when large cargo planes from Europe will stop here to unload instead of going on to New York or Boston.
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  #105  
Old Posted Sep 22, 2011, 9:14 PM
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CBC stated that GMIA and Lieges are actively working on a seafood flight using Iceland Air as the carrier.

Apparently Lieges is one of the busiest cargo hubs in Europe and handles 20x the traffic of GMIA (or Halifax Stanfield for that matter). This could be a very strategic partnership for the airport!
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  #106  
Old Posted Sep 27, 2011, 5:57 PM
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There was an article on CBC a few days back around the Saint John airport attracting additional airlines.

The interesting part was the fact that there appeared to be general consensus amongst commenter's that a central airport in Sussex is the only logical choice for NB if we want to have reasonable air service.

Who knows, maybe we will see something get done in the next 20 years.
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  #107  
Old Posted Sep 27, 2011, 6:01 PM
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Perhaps, do you happen to have a billion dollars to spare?
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  #108  
Old Posted Sep 27, 2011, 8:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad View Post


Perhaps, do you happen to have a billion dollars to spare?
No. Have you done a study examining what it would cost to build an airport in Sussex or what savings could be attained through a reduction in operating costs by removing the duplication of services at three airports to come up with a ROI?

I find it hard to believe the economics do not make sense. Relocating massive amounts of head count to India, etc.. is expensive but the reduction in operating costs makes it a cost effective solution for many organizations.

It is a political issue.
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  #109  
Old Posted Sep 27, 2011, 9:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nwalbert View Post
It is a political issue.
Yes, it is. I'm sure anyone at the Moncton/Fredericton/Saint John airports would fight you to the death if you told them their jobs would be moved to Sussex.

Although, the way Saint John is, our airport is nearly closer to Sussex than Uptown Saint John, anyway.

I'm all for a central regional airport in Sussex, but as it stands I can't see anything actually being done about it for the time being.
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  #110  
Old Posted Oct 8, 2011, 12:56 AM
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Here is a link to the .pdf for the RFP issued for the lengthening of runway 06/24 at the GMIA to 10,000 ft.

http://www.gmia.ca/english/What's%20...EMBER%2029.pdf

Note that they have mandated a completion date of December 1, 2013. The document contains a diagram of the project. The end of the runway will be very close to the TCH. You can also see the extension to Aviation Blvd, and how it will extend a considerable distance beyond Malley Industries. The road will run between the end of the runway extension and the TCH. I believe the eventual plan may be to have an interchange directly from Aviation Blvd to the TCH. Perhaps Myles can confirm this.....
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  #111  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2011, 4:50 PM
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Bathurst airport

was reported in various media that meetings with direction of the airport and various agencies went ahead to try to gather 10 millions dollars to improve the airport.

would serve to extend the runway by 900 feet (not to create a cargo hub!!) but to be able to accomodate the next gens planes used by jazz.

Monies would also be used to double the size of the terminal since it get pretty crowded at the turnaround time
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  #112  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2011, 5:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad View Post
Here is a link to the .pdf for the RFP issued for the lengthening of runway 06/24 at the GMIA to 10,000 ft.

http://www.gmia.ca/english/What's%20...EMBER%2029.pdf

Note that they have mandated a completion date of December 1, 2013. The document contains a diagram of the project. The end of the runway will be very close to the TCH. You can also see the extension to Aviation Blvd, and how it will extend a considerable distance beyond Malley Industries. The road will run between the end of the runway extension and the TCH. I believe the eventual plan may be to have an interchange directly from Aviation Blvd to the TCH. Perhaps Myles can confirm this.....
Sorry, MonctonRad, I didn't even notice this comment.

What I've been told is that Aviation Avenue will extend all the way to Champlain Street at some point to completely encircle the airport.

I've never seen a plan for it yet, but I've heard a few times that the plan is to build some kind of interchange on the TCH someday.
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  #113  
Old Posted Nov 6, 2011, 12:30 AM
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Moncton Flight College signs $7M China contract
Published Saturday November 5th, 2011

Provincial trade mission wraps up tomorrow
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

Moncton Flight College has signed a $7-million contract with Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics to train Chinese pilots so they can attain commercial licence standards.

Economic Development Minister Paul Robichaud participated in the signing ceremony in Beijing, China. The contract, valued at $7 million, is for training services to be provided by the college in 2012.

"This signing ceremony between the Moncton Flight College and the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics is another symbol of our strong working relationship with China," said Robichaud.

"This contract marks the fourth agreement between a leading New Brunswick flight college and a world-renowned Chinese university, which clearly demonstrates New Brunswick companies can do business with China."

Robichaud is leading six New Brunswick companies, including the Moncton Flight College, on a trade mission to Beijing and Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province. The trade mission ends tomorrow.

"We are pleased to have signed a new contract with Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics," said Mike Tilley, chief executive officer, Moncton Flight College. "The Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics is an important client for the Moncton Flight College. We look forward to welcoming the 30th class of students from the university to New Brunswick this January."

The college received approval to train Chinese commercial pilots from the Civil Aviation Authority of China in 2006. The college has the largest quota among the 27 foreign flight schools approved by the Chinese government.

Since 2006, more than 700 Chinese students have graduated from the college's campuses in Moncton and Fredericton. The college has provided training for numerous Chinese airlines, including Air China, Air China Cargo, China Eastern, Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and SF Airlines.

personal note - every time a new class of Chinese flight students arrives at MFC, there is a spike in young oriental males being screened by Canadian Immigration Services as part of the citizenship application process. I wonder if there is a correlation here.....
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  #114  
Old Posted Nov 10, 2011, 3:16 AM
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^ Awesome!

Its good to hear they will continue with the program. Hopefully well into the future!
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  #115  
Old Posted Nov 26, 2011, 11:12 PM
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GMIA has redesigned their website:

http://www.cyqm.ca/en/home/default.aspx

Here are a few pictures of the airport from their home page











This is a link to a .pdf listing the sun destinations for the 2012 winter season:
http://www.cyqm.ca/site/media/gmia/2...-d%27hiver.pdf

Sun destinations include Varadero, Punta Cana, Montego Bay, Cancun and Orlando.

Finally, this is a rather neat map of the taxiways and main building around the airport. The 06/24 runway is the one that will be lengthened to 10,000 feet by December 2013.
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Last edited by MonctonRad; Nov 27, 2011 at 12:22 AM.
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  #116  
Old Posted Dec 11, 2011, 5:47 PM
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More good news for Stanfield

December 7, 2011

Icelandair Cargo Returns to Halifax Stanfield
Start-Up Schedule Timed to Meet High December Demand

Halifax, N.S. – Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA) has announced that, starting today, Icelandair Cargo will once again operate scheduled air cargo service at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (HSIA).

“Our team is very pleased to welcome Icelandair Cargo back to Halifax,” says Jerry Staples, HIAA Vice President Marketing & Business Development. “And the timing couldn’t be better. Having this new service start in December – typically our busiest month for air cargo – is great news for seafood shippers,” he says.

The weekly scheduled service will operate with a B757 freighter on Wednesday’s from Halifax to Reykjavik, Iceland and on to Liege, Belgium. The flight will arrive at Halifax Stanfield at 11:30 a.m. and depart for Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavik at 1:00 p.m.

“We are delighted to be back operating in Halifax after a three-year absence,” says Gunnar Mar Sigurfinnsson, Managing Director for Icelandair Cargo. “We look forward to renewing our relationship with the local airport and business communities,” he says.

“The addition of this new dedicated air cargo service provides a significant opportunity for exporters in our region to reach markets in Scandinavia and other points in northern Europe and demonstrates the priority we place on growing our cargo business,” adds Staples.

Work is currently underway to extend the main runway at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
Extending the runway from 8,800 to 10,500 feet will allow the airport to handle larger wide-bodied and heavy aircraft. This will enhance the airport’s position as a key international air cargo and passenger hub.

The project is being jointly funded by Halifax International Airport Authority, the federal government through Transport Canada and the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund, and the Province of Nova Scotia.
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  #117  
Old Posted Jan 7, 2012, 4:19 PM
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Rumour from the Moncton thread that UPS will soon be operating flights out of the GMIA and will be building a distribution centre at the airport.

Lending credence to this is the fact that UPS has already announced that they will be commencing direct delivery service to the region, beginning with stations in Halifax and Moncton.

UPS already has a significant presence in the city with a large call centre at Heritage Court (employing hundreds) as well as a couple of UPS stores.

If UPS does indeed build a terminal at GMIA, it will join existing facilities operated by FedEx and Purolator.

-----------------------------------------------------

In other GMIA news, the airport is fighting the iminent imposition of rent payments to the federal government. These are to begin in 2016, and will amount to about $300,000 per year. The airport argues that this money would be better spent improving the infrastrucure at the airport (who could disagree with this?)

To my understanding, since the GMIA was the first tier 2 airport in the country to be privatized, we will also be the first such airport in the country forced to pay the feds this rental fee. This therefore could serve as a significant penalty for our airport compared to other facilities in the region.

On a brighter note however, the rent is "only" $300k/yr. When you think of it, the airport serves nearly 600k passengers a year. As such, the GMIA would only have to put an additional 50 cent surcharge on the airport improvement fee charged to departing passengers to recover this. It therefore might not be a game changer. Still, I agree with the GMIA fighting this, if for no other reason than simple fairness.
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  #118  
Old Posted Jan 12, 2012, 4:32 PM
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Passenger numbers are out for the Bathurst airport. 43 425 for 2011, up from 40 011 in 2010!

Also in 2011, the airport proceeded to the expansion of the parking area, doubling the number of spaces available
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  #119  
Old Posted Jan 17, 2012, 12:08 PM
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from Reuters

WestJet considers regional airline vs Air Canada
Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:18am EST

(Reuters) - WestJet Airlines Ltd (WJA.TO) said on Monday it may launch a regional, short-haul airline as early as 2013, a move that would put it head to head with its main rival Air Canada (ACb.TO) on routes to smaller destinations in Canada.

WestJet, Canada's No. 2 airline, said it expected to hold talks with employees through January on the plan to set up the carrier, which would operate with 40 turboprop planes.

Until now, WestJet, which was launched in 1996 as a low-cost airline modelled on U.S.-based Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), has operated a single fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft on routes within Canada and to mainly sun destinations in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

But the Calgary-based airline, which has increasingly moved away from its low-cost roots as it searches for new revenue sources, has mulled adding a second fleet for some time.

It said in several media interviews over the Christmas period that if it expanded it was likely to be into a fleet of smaller aircraft to serve smaller communities in Canada.

The move would increase competition with Air Canada, the country's largest carrier, which uses regional airline Chorus Aviation (CHRb.TO) to fly to smaller domestic markets.

"Right now, in a lot of places, Air Canada is maybe the only game in town," said PI Financial analyst Chris Murray.

A WestJet spokeswoman said staff would be asked to vote on the proposal, which would create new connections with existing WestJet destinations and boost the frequency of its flights. The process should be completed in early February, she said.

WestJet chairman and founder, Clive Beddoe, said in a statement that a sister company would operate the turboprops.

WestJet did not say which aircraft it was but market speculation is that the Q400 turboprop, made by fellow Canadian company Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO), was the most likely candidate.

Murray noted that the new airline's likely competitors, Chorus and Skyservice Business Aviation, also flew Q400s, as does Porter Airlines, a regional airline focused on Eastern Canada.

It's interesting to speculate how this might affect the airline industry in Atlantic Canada.

I would certainly think this would mean regular WestJet service to Saint John, Fredericton and Charlottetown. In Moncton right now we have 1-2 flights daily to Toronto and Hamilton (seasonal). Would WestJet supplement this or would they substitute their 737s with the Bombardier Q400s and increase service frequency to 4-5 flights daily instead? Would they institute new routes like Moncton-St.John's? This development will certainly have an impact on the GMIA and this story will be interesting to follow.
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  #120  
Old Posted Jan 17, 2012, 1:12 PM
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What makes you think they would operate on the East coast? I would expect them to focus on Western Canada, at least initially.
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