Atlantic Canada airport thread

[MonctonRad]

I imagine that WestJet will be back after the end of the pandemic (whenever that is), at least in some form, but this is sad news nonetheless. It will be at least five years before we return to a semblance of normal in terms of air operations in Canada. Atlantic Canada seems particularly hard hit. Things are much better in western Canada (presumably because of the long distances between cities).

Also, Porter has suspended all operations in it's network until at least December 15th.
https://www.cp24.com/news/porter-air...c-15-1.5143149

[Smevo]

Although I'm in favour of the quarantine on arrival approach, it has had a large impact on flight demand in the region. This year was supposed to be our Christmas in Sydney, but it makes no sense to go with the inter-provincial quarantine in place, since we live outside of the bubble. With the state of things here, though, I may have elected not to travel anyway to eliminate the risk of spreading COVID to my family unknowingly.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Smevo

Although I'm in favour of the quarantine on arrival approach, it has had a large impact on flight demand in the region. This year was supposed to be our Christmas in Sydney, but it makes no sense to go with the inter-provincial quarantine in place, since we live outside of the bubble. With the state of things here, though, I may have elected not to travel anyway to eliminate the risk of spreading COVID to my family unknowingly.

I'm in the same boat. Would have been flying into the Maritimes to visit family this year but between quarantine and potential spread i've no real interest or ability in doing so. Maybe next year.

[lirette]

Originally Posted by Smevo

Although I'm in favour of the quarantine on arrival approach, it has had a large impact on flight demand in the region. This year was supposed to be our Christmas in Sydney, but it makes no sense to go with the inter-provincial quarantine in place, since we live outside of the bubble. With the state of things here, though, I may have elected not to travel anyway to eliminate the risk of spreading COVID to my family unknowingly.

The airlines in the US are starting to offer covid testing (for a cost), Id imagine we're probably still at least 6 months away until we see testing so massively available that all passengers could get it before they board. You'd have to think that would be a game changer to get rid of some of the quarantine measures and encourage more travel. But it would have to be mandatory for all passengers to be truely effective.

[J81]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I imagine that WestJet will be back after the end of the pandemic (whenever that is), at least in some form, but this is sad news nonetheless. It will be at least five years before we return to a semblance of normal in terms of air operations in Canada. Atlantic Canada seems particularly hard hit. Things are much better in western Canada (presumably because of the long distances between cities).

Also, Porter has suspended all operations in it's network until at least December 15th.
https://www.cp24.com/news/porter-air...c-15-1.5143149

Or maybe the fact we’re the only region in Canada requiring travellers to quarantine for two weeks. The rest of Canadians are free to move about this huge country as they please. Not us poor broke folk in the east though.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by lirette

The airlines in the US are starting to offer covid testing (for a cost), Id imagine we're probably still at least 6 months away until we see testing so massively available that all passengers could get it before they board. You'd have to think that would be a game changer to get rid of some of the quarantine measures and encourage more travel. But it would have to be mandatory for all passengers to be truely effective.

Only if the test told you if you were contagious or not. Like many other things, you don't have to be suffering symptoms to pass it along.

[MonctonRad]

From the Hon. Greg Turner's FB page:

Iceland's Bluebird Nordic (formerly known as Bluebird Cargo) will be landing tomorrow morning @Moncton CYQM at 8 a.m. with their Boeing 737-400 Freighter with fish destined for Canadian markets. This is the start of a weekly flight into YQM.

If there is one thing saving CYQM's bacon during these pandemic times, it is air cargo. It's great to see this new service from Reykavik to Moncton.

[ghYHZ]

Air Canada is suspending all service at Sydney effective Jan 11/21 Guess the only option now will be to drive or the bus to YHZ to connect.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...nded-1.5832674

[felip_ars]

Sadly, the cut didn't stop there
@Silbermancbc
BREAKING: Air Canada announces plans for more cuts in Atlantic Canada, including suspending all flights in Saint John and Sydney and four routes in Fredericton, Charlottetown, Halifax, Deer Lake, @ACAirports confirms.

[OliverD]

Anyone know the details of those other routes?

I assume this means no more commercial flights to/from Fredericton since the only flight left was to/from YUL.

[adamuptownsj]

Looks like the multi-decade airport consolidation debate answered itself.

[Bishop2047]

They may be cancelling some flights that they would bait and switch with. I have booked Freddy to Toronto about a dozen times only to have it changed to the Montreal flight, then connect onward. I flew today and that flight is always near full. Though I won't expect anyone to do any favors to the Maritimes it would seem rash.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Anyone know the details of those other routes?

I assume this means no more commercial flights to/from Fredericton since the only flight left was to/from YUL.

YFC-YUL route will remain

[Smevo]

I think we all pretty much saw this coming with the reduction in traffic due to the pandemic. I'm just hoping service resumes when demand increases. I would assume it would be slowly phased in, as they're expecting that demand won't return to pre-pandemic norms for quite a while from what I've read previously.

It's a sad day for all cities served by the airports experiencing cuts, that's for sure. And a good day for rental car companies, shuttles, and busses in Halifax and Moncton.

[thenoflyzone]

The following services are suspended.

YYZ-YQY
YUL-YSJ
YDF-YHZ
YFC-YYZ
YYG-YYZ
YHZ-YOW

[Taeolas]

It does make economic sense to cut those flights, but AC (and WJ) should probably have phrased them as "Suspension of service" or something. Though outright cancelling all service likely lets them fire people and/or get out of leases and stuff if they wanted to.

What no one is likely daring to say, is that this is probably a pressure tactic to open up the provinces. The 4 provinces out here are sealed off in our own (separate ATM) bubbles so travel is severely hindered. The "between the lines" read on these reduced service and cancelled service is that "If you opened up we could fully service your airports again".

In any case, while this is disastrous news on top of disastrous news for the airports in the region, we do have the vaccine light at the end of the tunnel. Which means that the provinces should be able to start opening up again within a few more months. If AC and WJ aren't ready to step up service again, then Porter and PAL (especially PAL) will probably be ready to pick up the slack.

[stephan.richard]

With these cuts it would be time to look more closely at air service in the province my vision would be the following Moncton could become the main international airport in the province with Fredericton, Saint John, and Bathurst playing a secondary role. With that said I can see the Greater Moncton Romeo Leblanc international could have more leverage in getting a transborder and possibly a non stop flight to Western Canada. But as a province we only have room for one main international airport and a few secondary ones.

[MonctonRad]

I doubt the status quo will change after the pandemic. All three cities have too much invested in their airports.

The Saint John airport however is the most vulnerable, and since it is now effectively closed to commercial air traffic, it's vulnerability is glaringly on display. The upcoming couple of years following the pandemic will be very critical for the Saint John Airport as it attempts to rebuild it's passenger business. Both Freddy and Moncton are in better shape.

[homebody]

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

With these cuts it would be time to look more closely at air service in the province my vision would be the following Moncton could become the main international airport in the province with Fredericton, Saint John, and Bathurst playing a secondary role. With that said I can see the Greater Moncton Romeo Leblanc international could have more leverage in getting a transborder and possibly a non stop flight to Western Canada. But as a province we only have room for one main international airport and a few secondary ones.

And there it is..... It was just a matter of time the pro Moncton Airport people chime in. Look it’s just not gonna happen. There will be others to come in and fill the void. If the above ever happened Fredericton I feel would be a way better choice due to the even further distance from Stanfield.

[MonctonRad]

Press release from CYQM:

Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport implements a major environmentally focused de-icing fluid management system
NOVEMBER 30, 2020

GREATER MONCTON, NB – A glycol management project was finalized this week in collaboration with TransAqua and the City of Dieppe, as a part of YQM’s commitment to the environment and its efforts to mitigate and reduce the airport and its airport partners’ carbon footprint.

This $7.5 million construction project, which was funded in part through the federal government’s National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF), began in June, and the final environmental commissioning took place this week. The project consisted of the construction of new underground infrastructure, two new control buildings for control systems and two above ground storage tanks (which are visible to the left of the airport terminal building).

Here is a System Overview:

The storm water run-off from the existing de-icing pad is captured in the underground infrastructure and is sent to a new glycol (de-icing fluid) management system where it is analyzed for glycol content in real-time.
If the glycol concentration is below environmental guidelines, the run-off is released to our storm water system.
If the glycol concentration is above guidelines, the run-off is captured and sent to one of two above ground storage tanks based on glycol concentration, a 750,000-gallon low concentration tank or a 250,000-gallon high concentration tank.
Once captured in the tanks, the run-off will be released at a controlled rate to TransAqua via the City of Dieppe’s sanitary sewer system.
The system also has the ability to pump to a tanker truck.
The system is fully automated.
“YQM has been a small airport leader in its commitment to being a strong environmental steward. Proof of this being the $7.5 million investment in the capture and disposal of de-icing fluid in a coordinated fashion with the City of Dieppe and to complement TransAqua’s new biological secondary treatment facility. Not only will this new YQM infrastructure allow environmental compliance but more important, it is being done as a collaborative effort with our key community partners and we thank them for their engagement and support”, highlights Airport President and CEO Bernard LeBlanc.

In 2015, YQM made the decision to become an early North American participant in a global airport carbon footprint reduction initiative. In 2019, YQM was one of only five Canadian airports to reach the third of four tiers of this program in its aim to eventually achieve carbon neutrality as part of this Airports Council International Airport Carbon Accreditation Program.

Since its inception in this program, YQM has significantly reduced its carbon footprint. This was only possible through the focused efforts of its employees, its tenants and airline partners, and the commitment and support of its management team and board of directors.

Over the past five years a variety of capital projects have led to a significant reduction of water and energy consumption at YQM. These have included the installation of faucet aerators, as well as urinal and toilet upgrades in most areas, that have significantly reduced the water flow and usage. From the electrical perspective, LED energy efficient lighting has been installed in the terminal building and in several parking lots, leading to significant electrical energy consumption reductions. Other initiatives have included modifications to the terminal building’s heating and cooling schedules, as well as to its main chiller system, and also a reduction of heating set points in certain zones during low occupancy periods. Although 2020 is a very challenging year financially, the Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport is maintaining its environment commitment through a continued focus on these efforts with its employees and airport partners. A quarterly “environmentally focused” newsletter is one key means to not only keep educating airport employees and partners, but also to communicate the progress being made, as well as opportunities to keep reducing its carbon footprint and energy and water usage with the long-term aim of reaching carbon neutrality.

Energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction efforts are not only beneficial to the environment but have also greatly assisted YQM in reducing its operating costs, which has been a significant benefit in ensuring long term financial sustainability.