Glenco
Senior Member
It would be nice if another airline only introduced 3 new routes.
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Edmonton International Airport (EIA/YEG)
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
IanO
Senior Member
This would be a more premium service for business and leisure travellers.
As a former regular user of the 747, it is ok, but missing the mark and opportunity to improve/expand YEG's overall offerings.
Glenco
Senior Member
I am perfectly well aware of that. Who really knows if there is a demand for such a service at this point in time. There is a lot of “could“ and not a lot of “will” Chasing rainbows in this press release. We know there is a demand for the 747 but once an hour during the day is hardly considered a desirable frequency so why not improve this service first before running after another low demand infrequent route that could cost the paying customer double or triple the cost of the 747.
Glenco
Senior Member
Let’s be honest exactly how much business or tourist traffic comes to Edmonton and wants to go downtown. Be honest.
Gronk!
Senior Member
"The new route could attract more conference goers and boost the economic potential of the airport and downtown" is the most important part. I recall Puneeta McBryan saying that Edmonton has lost out on convention bids due to the lack of a direct shuttle between YEG and downtown.
My only question is where will the downtown shuttle terminal be located?
My only question is where will the downtown shuttle terminal be located?
David A
Senior Member
Good question. I feel this may be one place where the city's bureaucratic empire builders may easily go off the rails. Rather than adding some fancy expensive additional infrastructure, just use some existing transit stops. This is how Montreal does it and it seems to work there.
A couple other sensible alternatives would be to partner with one or more of the major downtown hotels or have a designated stop at a place such as the Convention Centre or the Museum.
CaptainBL
Active Member
Spoke to a friend of mine who is a pilot at WestJet based out of Edmonton. Says that the long-term plan is to grow the base here by adding new flights and routes, but the growth in Edmonton isnt growing as fast as he expected when he was hired on by WestJet in Edmonton.
He has been flying once a month, yes one round trip per month, the past three months because they currently have these pilots sitting on reserve and havent/arent adding flights to staff them. WestJet can and will send these Edmonton pilots out to run flights from, say, Toronto and it is all on the company dime given they are based out of Edmonton. However, many (I dont know how many my friend was referring to) pilots are currently sitting idle in Edmonton with limited trips.
He has been flying once a month, yes one round trip per month, the past three months because they currently have these pilots sitting on reserve and havent/arent adding flights to staff them. WestJet can and will send these Edmonton pilots out to run flights from, say, Toronto and it is all on the company dime given they are based out of Edmonton. However, many (I dont know how many my friend was referring to) pilots are currently sitting idle in Edmonton with limited trips.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
IMO, the most logical place would be the Convention Centre. Somewhere around ICE District wouldn't be bad, either, but I don't really see a clear choice for a location there.
IanO
Senior Member
You would only want 1-2 stops Downtown and one near Whyte maybe.
ECC (but not at that location, but rather outside of the Westin on 100st IMO to capture various hotels (conference traffic), Legislature area potentially perhaps on 108st/100ave and then IF, IF something on Whyte, I would put it either at the UofA near their bus terminal/LRT or on Calgary Trail just north of Whyte.
MacLac
Senior Member
Over at SSP, @HollywoodCory is indicating that WS’s YEG-MCO is going year round, but “not reflected in the schedule yet.”
Tropical
Active Member
Agreed for the most part. Calgary Trail or Gateway at Whyte then the Westin at Churchill Square would be ideal.
BASE
Active Member
BrettB
Active Member
It's mentioned in the news release in post 2,291 with MCO and PHX called "summer extensions."
MacLac
Senior Member
Summer extensions translate to “year round?” I simply presumed that PHX - in particular was being extended 1 month but didn’t know it was going year round?
Oilers99
Active Member
kind of disheartening that the growth isn't meeting expectations because it definitely is in calgary. great that they are committed though.