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  • Passengers Down, Cargo Up At Moncton Airport In 2020

    From Huddle.Today – link to source story

    May 18, 2021by Allan Dearing

    Greater Moncton Romeo LeBlanc International Airport. Image: Airport Facebook page

    MONCTON — The CEO of the Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport has described 2020 as a miserable year for the aviation industry.

    At its recent annual general meeting, Bernard LeBlanc noted how passenger activity fell by 74 percent last year – just over 173,000 passengers used the terminal – which was a financial blow to the facility.

    LeBlanc said the majority of its revenue comes from passenger activity with a tremendous impact on airline partners such as Air Canada which significantly reduced service, WestJet cancelled flights in November while Porter Airlines, Sunwing and Air Transat all suspended service.

    He added car rental companies, restaurant operator Aramark and convenience outlet Relay all saw their business plummet.

    The airport sustained itself operationally by dipping into cash reserves which have been significantly depleted.

    Revenue dropped to $9.6 million which was 53 percent lower than the $20.3 million projected in the budget.

    To compensate for pandemic impacts, LeBlanc said planned expenses and infrastructure projects were cut and nine employees were laid off or 26 percent of the workforce.

    But LeBlanc reported much better news for the airport’s cargo activity in 2020.

    “Domestic cargo actually went up by four percent last year. When we factor in the international cargo, we look at our volume towards Asia and to and from Iceland, it’s actually 50 percent in volume higher than what we’ve seen.”

    On another positive note, LeBlanc said the airport was fortunate to see two air services launch during the pandemic.

    PAL Airlines started flights to Newfoundland and Labrador in September and Bluebird Nordic began weekly cargo flights to and from Iceland in November.

    Allan Dearing is a reporter with 91.9 The Bend in Moncton, a Huddle content partner.

  • Minister of Transport introduces new funding programs to support Canada’s airports

    Transport Canada

    OTTAWA, ON, May 11, 2021 /CNW/ – The global COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the air sector in Canada. Airports have been significantly affected, experiencing major decreases in traffic over the past 15 months. Despite these consequences, airports have played a crucial role since the start of the pandemic by continuing to provide essential air services, including traveling to medical appointments, air ambulance services, community resupply, getting goods to market, search and rescue operations, and forest fire response.

    Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, launched two new contribution funding programs to help Canada’s airports recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic:

    • The Airport Critical Infrastructure Program (ACIP) is a new program providing close to $490 million to financially assist Canada’s larger airports with investments in critical infrastructure-related to safety, security or connectivity;
    • The Airport Relief Fund (ARF) is a new program providing almost $65 million in financial relief to targeted Canadian airports to help maintain operations.

    In addition to launching these two new funding programs, the Minister announced that Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) is receiving a funding top-up of $186 million over two years. The ACAP is an existing contribution funding program which provides financial assistance to Canada’s local and regional airports for safety-related infrastructure projects and equipment purchases.

    Quote

    “Canada’s airports are major contributors to our country’s economy, and play a key role in sustaining the social and economic well-being of our communities, and our local airport workers. These programs will help ensure that, as Canada works towards recovery and travel restart post pandemic, our airports remain viable and continue to provide Canadians with safe, reliable and efficient travel options, while creating and maintaining good paying jobs in the airport sector.”

    The Honourable Omar Alghabra
    Minister of Transport

    Quick Facts

    • The Airport Critical Infrastructure Program (ACIP), the Airport Relief Fund (ARF), and the Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) funding top-up and program expansion were originally announced in the Fall Economic Statement in November 2020.
    • The Airport Critical Infrastructure Program (ACIP) will distribute $489.6 million in funding over five years to airports for eligible projects such as runway repairs/rehabilitation, airfield lighting enhancements, investments in terminal buildings, and transit stations to ensure connectivity to mass transit systems.
    • On April 15, 2021, the Government of Canada announced a contribution of up to $100 million towards the $600-million project to construct a new Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light rail underground station at the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. Federal funding for this project comes from the Airport Critical Infrastructure Program (ACIP).
    • The Airport Relief Fund will provide $64.8 million in funding to airports whose 2019 revenues were less than $250 million. The amount of funding to each targeted eligible recipient will be calculated using a tiered formula-based approach, based on 2019 revenues.
    • In addition to the one-time funding top-up of $186 million, eligibility for the Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) has been temporarily expanded to allow National Airport System airports with less than one million annual passengers in 2019 (Gander, Charlottetown, Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, Thunder Bay, London, and Prince George) to apply for funding under the Program in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
    • For 2021-2022, funding has been awarded to 63 airports for 86 ACAP projects, including runway and taxiway repairs/rehabilitation, lighting enhancements, purchasing snow clearing equipment and firefighting vehicles and installing wildlife fencing.

    Related Products

    Associated Link

    Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. 

  • Sunwing announces winter flight schedule from regional gateways across Atlantic Canada

    Tour operator to offer weekly flights from Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, St. John’s, Deer Lake and Gander

    TORONTO, April 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sunwing is making it easier for residents of Atlantic Canada to head back to the tropics this winter, with convenient weekly flights from regional gateways across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. Residents of Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, St. John’s, Deer Lake and Gander can make their much-anticipated return to paradise with vacation packages to some of the most popular destinations across the Caribbean and Mexico. Flights will begin in January 2022 and run weekly until May 2022.

    “We’re thrilled to be returning to Atlantic Canada for another winter season,” commented Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing Travel Group. “After a difficult year, we’re sure that Canadians will be eager to return to paradise and enjoy some much-needed rest and relaxation. We’re excited to be able to help them enjoy a frictionless vacation experience with convenient flights from local gateways across the region.”

    Residents of Atlantic Canada will be able to choose from a range of vacation packages designed for every travel style and budget. Sun-seekers can Vacation Like a Star™ at the newly-opened Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun and the first-ever Planet Hollywood Adult Scene Cancun, featuring entertainment-themed facilities and authentic Hollywood memorabilia around the resort. Those looking to make the most of their vacation budget can enjoy exclusive RIU®-topia inclusions at Canadian-favourite chain RIU Hotels & Resorts, including the recently renovated Riu Montego Bay. Plus, travellers who book by April 30, 2021 for travel between November 1, 2021 and April 30, 2022 can enjoy flexible booking options with the ability to change their plans with ease and save up to $1,000 per couple during the tour operator’s Freedom 21/22 Sale.

    The flight schedule from Halifax, NS will be as follows:

    • Between Halifax and Cancun, Sundays from January 16, 2022 until May 8, 2022
    • Between Halifax and Montego Bay, Mondays from January 17, 2022 until May 9, 2022
    • Between Halifax and Puerto Plata, Tuesdays from January 18, 2022 until May 10, 2022
    • Between Halifax and Punta Cana, Fridays from January 14, 2022 until May 6, 2022
    • Between Halifax and Cayo Coco, Wednesdays from January 12, 2022 until May 11, 2022
    • Between Halifax and Cayo Santa Maria, Thursdays from January 13, 2022 until May 5, 2022
    • Between Halifax and Holguin, Sundays from January 16, 2022 until May 8, 2022
    • Between Halifax and Varadero, Thursdays and Saturdays from January 13, 2022 until May 7, 2022

    The flight schedule from Moncton, NB will be as follows:

    • Between Moncton and Cancun, Thursdays from February 10, 2022 until May 5, 2022
    • Between Moncton and Montego Bay, Sundays from February 13, 2022 until May 8, 2022
    • Between Moncton and Puerto Plata, Fridays from February 11, 2022 until May 6, 2022
    • Between Moncton and Punta Cana, Saturdays from February 12, 2022 until May 7, 2022
    • Between Moncton and Varadero, Fridays from February 11, 2022 until May 6, 2022

    The flight schedule from Saint John, NB will be as follows:

    • Between Saint John and Varadero, Saturdays from February 5, 2022 until May 7, 2022

    The flight schedule from Fredericton, NB will be as follows:

    • Between Fredericton and Cancun, Mondays from February 14, 2022 until May 9, 2022
    • Between Fredericton and Punta Cana, Wednesdays from February 9, 2022 until May 4, 2022
    • Between Fredericton and Cayo Coco, Tuesdays from February 15, 2022 until May 10, 2022

    The flight schedule from St. John’s, NL will be as follows:

    • Between St. John’s and Cayo Coco, Thursdays from March 10, 2022 until May 12, 2022
    • Between St. John’s and Varadero, Saturdays from March 12, 2022 until May 14, 2022
    • Between St. John’s and Cancun, Fridays from March 11, 2022 until May 13, 2022
    • Between St. John’s and Montego Bay, Sundays from March 13, 2022 until May 15, 2022
    • Between St. John’s and Punta Cana, Mondays from March 14, 2022 until May 9, 2022

    The flight schedule from Deer Lake and Gander, NL will be as follows:

    • Between Deer Lake/Gander and Varadero, Tuesdays from March 15, 2022 until May 10, 2022
    • Between Deer Lake/Gander and Punta Cana, Wednesdays from March 16, 2022 until May 11, 2022

    Vacationers can return to these Canadian-favourite destinations and travel with peace of mind knowing that the highest Canadian standards are in place throughout their entire vacation experience with the Safe with Sunwing commitment, created under the advisement of global healthcare leader Medcan.

    About Sunwing

    The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing has more flights to the south than any other leisure carrier with convenient direct service from airports across Canada to popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations as well as cruise packages and seasonal domestic flight service. Sunwing customers benefit from the assistance of the company’s own knowledgeable destination representatives, who greet them upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. The company supports the communities where it operates through the Sunwing Foundation, a charitable initiative focused on the support and development of youth and humanitarian aid.

  • WestJet to restore regional routes suspended due to COVID-19

    Flights set to resume to airports across Atlantic Canada and Quebec City as part of the airline’s commitment to a safe restart  

    CALGARY, AB, March 24, 2021 /CNW/ – WestJet today announced it will restore flights to the communities of Charlottetown, Fredericton, Moncton, Sydney and Quebec City after service was suspended as a result of COVID-19. The reinstatement of service will restore WestJet’s complete network of pre-COVID-19 domestic airports.

    “We committed to return to the communities we left, as a result of the pandemic, and we will be restoring flights to these regions in the coming months, of our own volition,” said Ed Sims, WestJet, President and CEO. “These communities have been a crucial factor in our success over our 25 years and it is critical for us to ensure they have access to affordable air service and domestic connectivity to drive their economic recovery.” 

    Service is set to resume to the five airports WestJet suspended service from in November, beginning June 24, 2021 through to June 30, 2021. In addition, service between St. John’s and Toronto, which was indefinitely suspended in October, will resume effective June 24, 2021. Following a temporary suspension, the restart of service between St. John’s and Halifax will be advanced from June 24, 2021 to May 6, 2021. Full schedule details and restart dates are outlined below. 

    “Our focus remains on the safe restart of air travel. We ask that federal and provincial governments work with us to provide clarity and certainty to Canadians, including travel policies that support economic recovery and restore jobs,” continued Sims.  

    Recognizing the investments that WestJet’s travel and tourism partners in the regions need to make to begin to recover from the pandemic, the airline will continue to encourage the Atlantic premiers to advance their efforts to ensure the region is open to Canadians this summer. 

    “Alongside an accelerated and successful vaccine rollout, we are hopeful that there will be an easing of onerous travel restrictions currently in place,” said Sims. “We look forward to working together to safely reconnect Canadians to the region in the coming months.”  

    Planned Network Service Resumptions: 

    Route Frequency Planned restart date 
    St. John’s-Halifax 6x weekly May 6, 2021 
    Charlottetown-Toronto 11x weekly June 24, 2021 
    St. John’s-Toronto 1x daily June 24, 2021 
    Fredericton-Toronto 1x daily June 26, 2021 
    Quebec City-Toronto 1x dailyJune 28, 2021 
    Sydney-Halifax 1x daily June 28, 2021 
    Moncton-Toronto 1x daily June 30, 2021 

    In 25 years of serving Canadians, WestJet has cut airfares in half and increased the flying population in Canada to more than 50 per cent. WestJet launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees and five destinations, growing over the years to more than 180 aircraft, 14,000 employees and more than 100 destinations in 23 countries, pre-pandemic. 

    Since the start of the pandemic the WestJet Group of Companies has built a layered framework of safety measures to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly through the airline’s Safety Above All hygiene program. During this time, WestJet has maintained its status as one of the top-10 on-time airlines in North America as named by Cirium.