Tag: Sydney NS YQY

WestJet introduces nonstop seasonal service between Sydney and Calgary this summer as part of robust summer 2025 network schedule

SYDNEY, NS, Nov. 18, 2024 /CNW/ – Today WestJet announced its full summer schedule for 2025, expanding Nova Scotia’s connectivity to Western Canada with the introduction of exclusive service between Sydney and Calgary, providing Cape Bretoners with enhanced access to Alberta.

“Today’s announcement is a milestone in the community, marking the first ever nonstop service between Cape Breton and Western Canada.” said Andy Gibbons, WestJet, Vice-President, External Affairs. “The addition of this route will not only provide long-desired direct access to Alberta, but it connects Cape Bretoners to WestJet’s global hub, providing access to destinations world-wide.”

Route Peak weekly
frequency Start date End date
Sydney-Calgary 2x weekly June 10 October 18

To support the ongoing schedule enhancements in Nova Scotia, and beyond, WestJet has recently reaffirmed its commitment to providing world-class reliable air travel all year long. To learn more about the changes being made to fortify WestJet’s operational resiliency, visit the WestJet newsroom.

Additional quotes

Myles Tuttle, Chief Executive Officer of the Sydney Airport Authority says; “We are overjoyed to welcome WestJet back to the McCurdy Sydney Airport with their new Calgary route – a connection we’ve been eager to establish for our community. This new connection holds significant value for Cape Breton, especially for those residents who work rotationally in other provinces and travel regularly across the county to be with their loved ones.”

“Cape Breton has experienced decades of interprovincial migration, especially to Alberta. This new direct service offers an easier, faster way for Cape Bretoners to return, cutting down travel time and allowing them to spend more meaningful moments with family and friends,” continues Tuttle. “Likewise, it opens the door for more people to visit loved ones out west, giving friends and families the chance to create lasting memories together while exploring all that Alberta has to offer. We are proud to partner with WestJet to make this meaningful connection a reality.”

About WestJet

In 28 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 26 countries.

For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

18 November 2024
Sydney, N.S., airport wants more airlines

Web News • Click to view 🔗 a new window (or tab) will open to an external site reporting on Canadian aviation news

3 April 2023

WestJet announces domestic winter service suspensions as airline transitions strategic direction

By WestJet | July 18, 2022

Winter service to Charlottetown, Fredericton, Sydney and Quebec City to be suspended as of November 15, 2022

As WestJet begins to strategically transition flying in Eastern Canada to focus on sun and leisure destinations as well as enhanced connections to Western Canada, the airline has announced the suspension of winter service to four communities in Eastern and Atlantic Canada. Effective November 15, 2022, service will be suspended to, Fredericton, N.B., Sydney, N.S., Charlottetown, P.E.I., and Quebec City, QC. Service between now and November 15, 2022, will NOT be affected.

Any guests with impacted travel will be notified beginning on July 18, 2022, either directly or through their travel agent. WestJet will strive to rebook guests with alternative travel arrangements, or guests will be eligible for a refund to original form of payment. More details are available here: https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/contact/alternate-travel-arrangements.

“We understand this is disappointing news and we apologize for any disruption this will cause our guests and communities,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. “We are undertaking these strategic changes in a responsible manner and it was critical to give our guests and the communities as much advance notice as possible.”

WestJet recently announced how a growing, stronger, sustainable WestJet will benefit Canadians, following a strategic review to determine the best course for the airline’s sustained future success. This August, WestJet will release the airline’s full winter 2022/2023 schedule that will see significant sun and leisure flying investments for Eastern Canada along with capacity enhancements nationwide.

“As a national airline, we will continue to engage with these communities and stakeholders as we look to enhance service to Eastern and Atlantic Canada through direct connections to Western Canada, sun and leisure destinations,” continued Weatherill. “By making these difficult decisions now, it will ensure we can offer more of what our guests expect from WestJet and solidify our airline as the most reliable and affordable airline for many years to come.”

Impacted routes:

Route	Peak Frequency	Service	Suspension Date
Fredericton – Toronto	13x weekly	WestJet Encore	November 15, 2022
Sydney – Halifax	7x weekly	WestJet Encore	November 15, 2022
Charlottetown – Toronto	3x weekly	WestJet	November 15, 2022
Quebec City – Toronto	21x weekly	WestJet Encore	November 15, 2022

5 August 2022

Nova Scotia Government Invests in J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport
May 6, 2022

The Sydney Airport Authority will be able to attract more air routes and passengers to Cape Breton and make important infrastructure upgrades with the help of a $6.3-million investment from the Province.

Brian Comer, MLA for Cape Breton East and Minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health, was at J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport on behalf of Economic Development Minister Susan Corkum-Greek to announce the funding today, May 6.

“Our airports play an important role in growing our provincial and local economies, creating good jobs and serving as essential transportation, business and tourism links,” said Minister Comer. “On Cape Breton Island, the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport is a vital regional hub that connects us to the world. This funding will help ensure the airport is positioned for long-term success.”

Some of the funding – $1 million – will be used to establish a new Air Access Fund, which the Sydney Airport Authority can use for incentives to airlines to establish new routes at J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport. The other $5.3 million is for infrastructure upgrades at the airport.

Quotes:

This investment is a significant statement of confidence and support, not only for the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport, but for Cape Breton Island, our tourism sector, our businesses and our people. We are very thankful to the Government of Nova Scotia for working with us to make this announcement possible. The funding will enable the Sydney Airport Authority to re-engage our capital plan, which has sat idle these last two years due to the pandemic’s impact, and even more exciting, establish the $1-million Air Access Fund, which will allow us to compete for new air services as the industry recovers.Mike MacKinnon, Chief Executive Officer, J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport

Quick Facts:
- the funding is part of a $19.3-million investment in Nova Scotia’s two largest airports, with the Halifax International Airport Authority receiving $13 million for its Air Access Fund
- Susan Corkum-Greek, Minister of Economic Development, was at Halifax Stanfield International Airport today to announce the funding for its airport authority
- air access funds help the airport authorities attract new routes by offering incentives to reduce airlines’ financial risk of allocating airplanes and other supports to a route
- the infrastructure upgrades at the Sydney airport include repairs to the primary and secondary runways, upgrades to the main terminal and paving the main road to airport
6 May 2022

Air Transat and WestJet launch Transatlantic codeshare

MONTREAL and CALGARY, AB, April 28, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – Today, Air Transat and WestJet have launched a new transatlantic codeshare. WestJet’s “WS” code is now activated for sale on select Air Transat operated flights to/from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and Croatia. Connections via Montreal and Toronto are now available for flight dates beginning May 17, 2022.

On May 4, 2022, Air Transat’s “TS” code will be activated on select WestJet flights, and from that date Air Transat will also offer itineraries connecting select WestJet flights with appealing Air Transat European destinations.

“We are very excited to launch this codeshare agreement with WestJet,” said Michèle Barre, Vice President, Network, Revenue Management and Pricing of Air Transat. “The complementarity of our respective networks allows us to offer more alternatives to our customers, providing them with a quality and affordable product. This partnership is part of Air Transat’s development strategy, enhancing our long-standing presence in the transatlantic market.”

“This new codeshare with Air Transat complements our growing global network, allowing WestJet to offer guests exciting new destinations in Europe,” said John Weatherill, Chief Commercial Officer, WestJet. “As our guests return to travel, these new options will connect North America and Europe in new ways and benefit guests on both sides of the Atlantic.”

With this new codeshare, guests now have more options for their transatlantic travel, and will enjoy conveniences such as a single purchase for connecting flights, the ability to check in for all flights at their first departure, and baggage checked through to their final destination.

Once activated, both Air Transat and WestJet codeshare ticket sales will be available via the carriers’ websites and call centers, as well as via major GDS systems and travel agencies.

Subject to connectivity between their scheduled flights, Air Transat and WestJet will both offer the following transatlantic routings:

WestJet Operated Flights Air Transat “TS” Codeshare Applied	Connection Via	Air Transat Operated Flights WestJet “WS” Codeshare Applied
Deer Lake St. John’s Halifax Sydney Fredericton Moncton Charlottetown Montreal Quebec City London, ON Ottawa Thunder Bay Toronto Winnipeg Regina Saskatoon Boston N.Y. LaGuardia	Montreal Toronto	France: Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes, Nice Italy: Lamezia, Rome Spain: Malaga Portugal: Faro Switzerland: Basel-Mulhouse Croatia: Zagreb

About Air Transat

Founded in Montreal 35 years ago, Air Transat is a leading leisure travel brand. Voted World’s Best Leisure Airline by passengers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards, it flies to international and Canadian destinations, striving to serve its customers with enthusiasm and friendliness at every stage of their trip or stay, and emphasizing safety throughout. It is renewing its fleet with the greenest aircraft in their category as part of a commitment to a healthier environment, knowing that this is essential to its operations and the magnificent destinations it offers. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., a world-renowned holiday travel provider that has achieved Travelife certification in 2018 in recognition of its sustainability commitments.

About the WestJet Group of Companies

In 26 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.

For more information about everything WestJet, please visit www.westjet.com

28 April 2022

Ottawa pledges $2.7 million to support operations at regional airport in Sydney, N.S.

From CTV News – link to source story

Published Friday, July 16, 2021

Funding for the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport, located in Cape Breton, N.S., will come from the $206-million Regional Air Transportation Initiative launched by Ottawa in March.

SYDNEY, N.S. — The federal government is promising $2.7 million to help the airport in Sydney, N.S., recover from losses suffered because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding for the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport, located in Cape Breton, N.S., will come from the $206-million Regional Air Transportation Initiative launched by Ottawa in March.

As COVID-19 travel restrictions across the Atlantic region ease, airlines have begun restoring flights in and out of Cape Breton.

Bob McNeil, chairman of the airport authority’s board of directors, said today in a news release the funding will allow the airport to continue to operate as travellers gradually begin to fly again.

Mike Kelloway, member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, adds it’s important to maintain the jobs at the airport as the area moves toward a post-pandemic recovery.

The money will help maintain 11 full-time jobs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2021.

16 July 2021

WestJet reconnecting Atlantic Canada routes

Airline to restart seven routes across Atlantic Canada by July 2

New non-stop service between Calgary-Charlottetown to launch on July 29

CALGARY, AB, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ -WestJet is further restoring Atlantic Canada’s domestic and interprovincial connectivity with the restart of seven routes to and from destinations across Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. The airline today also announced it will launch its new non-stop service to Charlottetown from Calgary on July 29. Full schedule details and resumption dates are outlined below.

“We continue to work towards the restoration of our pre-COVID domestic network to ensure that when our guests are ready to travel, we are there for them,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. “WestJet remains committed to building back stronger for the betterment of all Canadians and as we look ahead to reconnecting friends, family and loved ones, the safe restart of travel is essential to Canada’s economic recovery.”

Connecting Prince Edward Island to Alberta non-stop

After being delayed due to the pandemic, WestJet will bridge new domestic connections between the east and the west with the introduction of new twice-weekly non-stop service between Charlottetown, P.E.I., and Calgary beginning July 29. The service connecting the two provinces was previously scheduled to start in June 2020.

WestJet’s investments are critical to ensuring Atlantic Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and by the end of June, the airline is set to restore commercial air service to Sydney, N.S., Deer Lake and Gander, Nfld., with the restart of flights from Halifax and Toronto.

“As WestJet leads the restart of travel across the Atlantic region, it is critical that we get clarity and guidance on travel policies from the federal government. The safe return of visitors to and from the region is key to recovery and we thank the Atlantic Premiers and their governments for the work they have done to prioritize the safe restart of travel. WestJet remains committed to affordably connecting Atlantic Canada to the rest of the country and the world,” said Angela Avery, WestJet Executive Vice-President.

This July, WestJet will offer non-stop service to Atlantic Canada from Halifax to six cities, from St. John’s to three cities, from Charlottetown to two cities and from Moncton, Fredericton, Deer Lake, Gander and Sydney to one city.

Love Where You’re Going Again – WestJet’s Latest Video

For more than 17 months, Canadians from coast-to-coast have been separated from the people and places they love. WestJet’s latest brand moment is a reminder to Canadians that it’s time to love where they’re going, again.

Atlantic Canada route restarts

Route	Peak Frequency	Route restart date
Charlottetown – Toronto	4x weekly	June 25, 2021
Fredericton – Toronto	1x daily	June 26, 2021
Deer Lake – Toronto	4x weekly	June 27, 2021
Halifax – Sydney	1x daily	June 28, 2021
Gander – Halifax	3x weekly	June 30, 2021
Moncton – Toronto	1x daily	July 1, 2021
Halifax – Edmonton	2x weekly	July 2, 2021
Charlottetown – Calgary *	2x weekly	July 29, 2021

*New Route

About WestJet

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.

25 June 2021

UPDATED: Cape Breton debut of PAL Airlines may be facing another delay

From Saltwire – link to source story

Low booking reason for changing start date once more

Ian Nathanson · Updated: June 16, 2021

A PAL Airlines Dash 8-100 aircraft, the plane to be used when the carrier starts offering Sydney-Halifax flights. Service was expecting to start June 28, but now looks like it will launch the end of July. — CONTRIBUTED

SYDNEY, N.S. — The newest airline set to fly out of Sydney airport is expressing concern over the low number of bookings in place for its Sydney-Halifax route, and says it will be delaying its start date once again.

Janine Browne, PAL Airlines’ director of business development and sales, says the airline has been watching Nova Scotia’s plans to perhaps open up for domestic air travel. — CONTRIBUTED – Contributed

PAL Airlines announced during a presentation to Cape Breton Regional Municipality council that the June 28 scheduled launch of the airline at J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport will now be moved toward the end of July.

“It is a likely change — it has not been confirmed in our system just yet,” said Janine Browne, director of business development and sales for the St. John’s, N.L.-based airline. “We have not seen the bookings that we would like to have seen. We hope that that does change, and that bookings will pick up in the next month.”

Expanding outside the Newfoundland and Labrador area, PAL Airlines initially planned to launch at Sydney airport on May 31. Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases at the time and the ensuing “circuit-breaker” lockdown put into effect in Nova Scotia, that launch date was then pushed back to June 28.

With Nova Scotia just announcing its second phase of easing pandemic restrictions and its participation in the Atlantic bubble for June 23, Browne said she would like to see the Sydney-Halifax route “meet a demand that exists in the market, and that we’re able to launch a sustainable, long-term flight” for that route.

Browne told the Cape Breton Post that so far the date change appears to apply only to the Sydney-Halifax flight, “but we’re monitoring the demand in all the regions we’re deploying. It’s looking very strong in some regions, and it’s not in others.”

BASED ON DEMAND

Sydney airport CEO Mike MacKinnon, who confirmed July 30 as PAL’s newest restart date, said the airline is taking these date adjustments seriously.

Mike MacKinnon – Contributed

“Their business decisions are based on the demand out there,” he said. “And because of the uncertainty of the restrictions in our province, that has curtailed consumer demand up until this point.

“Now we, or the airline, might start to see bookings gather some steam with the news about the Atlantic bubble coming back and hopefully more good news will come in the conversations between the premiers to talk about reopening our region to the rest of Canada.”

PAL’s three-times-a-week departure schedule from Sydney and three-times-a-week arrival schedule from Halifax on alternate days will remain the same, Browne said.

Browne and PAL’s sales director Steve Short also told council of its pricing scale for the eventual launch: starting with an introductory price of $69 one-way — one of four different pricing levels offered.

More information is available at PAL Airlines’ website.

16 June 2021

Air Canada Supports Economic Recovery as the Country’s Leading Carrier, Serving 50 Cities Across Canada to Enable Canadians to Conveniently Connect

Most extensive domestic schedule supports Canada’s tourism and hospitality sector
Includes three new routes, re-established routes plus Air Canada Signature Class and Premium Economy Class cabins on select transcontinental routes
New refund policy gives additional peace of mind

MONTREAL, June 15, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ – Air Canada’s domestic peak summer schedule beginning at the end of June has been developed to advance the country’s economic recovery and support Canada’s tourism and hospitality businesses during the important summer period. Three new domestic Canada routes, service to 50 Canadian airports, the re-establishment of select regional routes, and wide-body aircraft featuring Air Canada Signature Class and Premium Economy Class on select transcontinental routes are included. Seats with attractive pricing in all cabins are available for purchase now at aircanada.com, via the Air Canada App, Air Canada’s Contact Centres and travel agencies.

“With Canada’s ongoing vaccine roll-out acceleration together with various provincial governments’ reopening plans that include travel, this summer is looking brighter. As customers are ready to travel, Air Canada is taking a leadership position to support our partners in Canada’s tourism and hospitality sector with service to 50 destinations from coast to coast, the re-start of regional services and new, non-stop flights,” said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada.

“We are especially proud that our new state-of-the-art, Canadian-manufactured Airbus A220 aircraft will be operating across Canada. With our industry-leading CleanCare+ bio-safety protocols, promotional fares including for our premium cabins, compelling Aeroplan opportunities, and our new refund policy offering additional peace of mind, customers can book Air Canada with confidence. We look forward to welcoming you onboard when you’re ready to fly,” concluded Mr. Galardo.

Air Canada’s new refund policy provides customers an option for a refund to the original form of payment in instances where Air Canada cancels their flight or reschedules the departure time by more than three hours, irrespective of the reason. Air Canada customers will also have the option of accepting an Air Canada Travel Voucher or Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus. Normal fare rules will apply when customers make voluntary changes to non-affected flights.

New route details:

Route	Frequency	Aircraft	Effective
Montreal-Deer Lake	Daily	CRJ900	Jul 1, 2021
Montreal-Kelowna	3x Weekly July4x Weekly Aug	Airbus A220	June 26, 2021
Montreal-Saskatoon-Regina	Daily	CRJ900	Aug 1, 2021

Resumption of services:

Airport Station	Route		Effective	Frequency
Gander	Gander – Halifax		Jun 29	3x Weekly
Gander – Toronto		Jul 2	5x Weekly
St. John’s	St. John’s – Toronto		Jun 19	Daily
Goose Bay	Goose Bay – St. John’s		Jun 29	3x Weekly
Deer Lake	Deer Lake – Halifax		Aug 1	5x Weekly
Halifax	Halifax – Calgary		Aug 1	5x Weekly
Sydney	Sydney – Toronto		Jun 26	3x Weekly
Sydney – Montreal		Aug 1	Daily
Charlottetown	Charlottetown – Toronto		Jun 18	4x Weekly
Saint John	Saint John – Montreal		Jun 30	3x Weekly
Saint John – Toronto		Jul 2	4x Weekly
Fredericton	Fredericton – Montreal		Jun 29	Daily
Fredericton – Toronto		Jul 1	5x Weekly
Bathurst	Bathurst – Montreal		Jun 27	3x Weekly
Quebec City	Quebec City – Toronto		Jun 19	1x Daily
Ottawa	Ottawa – Calgary		Jul 2	Daily
Ottawa – Edmonton		Aug 1	2x Weekly
North Bay	North Bay – Toronto		Jun 28	3x Weekly
Fort McMurray	Fort McMurray – Toronto		July 1	2x Weekly
Winnipeg	Winnipeg – Calgary		Jun 20	6x weekly
Winnipeg – Montreal		Aug 1	Daily
Regina	Regina – Calgary		Jul 1	5x Weekly
Saskatoon	Saskatoon – Calgary		Jul 2	5x Weekly
Kamloops	Kamloops – Vancouver		Jun 29	4x Weekly
Kamloops – Calgary		Jun 28	4x Weekly
Comox	Comox – Vancouver		Jun 30	3x Weekly
Nanaimo	Nanaimo – Toronto		Jul 4	1x Weekly
Nanaimo – Calgary		Jul 2	5x weekly
Prince Rupert	Prince Rupert – Vancouver		Jun 25	3x Weekly
Penticton	Penticton – Vancouver		Jun 29	4x Weekly
Sandspit	Sandspit – Vancouver		Jun 23	3x Weekly
Victoria	Montreal – Victoria		Jun 19	3x Weekly
Toronto – Victoria		Jun 19	4x Weekly
Calgary – Victoria		Jun 21	4x Weekly
Castlegar	Castlegar – Vancouver		Jun 28	3x Weekly
Kelowna	Kelowna Toronto		Jun 18	4x Weekly
Yellowknife	Yellowknife – Calgary		Jun 30	3x Weekly

Air Canada is also providing connectivity to five additional regional communities through interline agreements with third party regional carriers: Wabush, Baie Comeau, Gaspe, Mont Joli, and Val d’Or.

Air Canada’s commercial schedule may be adjusted as required based on the COVID-19 trajectory and government restrictions.

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline, and in 2020 was among the top 20 largest airlines in the world. It is Canada’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax. In 2020, Air Canada was named Global Traveler’s Best Airline in North America for the second straight year. In January 2021, Air Canada received APEX’s Diamond Status Certification for the Air Canada CleanCare+ biosafety program for managing COVID-19, the only airline in Canada to attain the highest APEX ranking. Air Canada has also committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050.

15 June 2021

Sydney airport CEO encouraged by entry of new regional airline

From CBC News – link to source story

Mike MacKinnon says new flights from PAL Airlines will add jobs, boost confidence among travellers

Tom Ayers · CBC News · May 26, 2021

The CEO of the airport in Sydney, N.S., is looking forward to the return of air travel at the end of June, especially with the addition of new flights from regional carrier PAL Airlines. (Submitted by PAL Airlines)

The CEO of the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport is looking forward to the resumption of air travel in the Atlantic region, and he’s especially excited about the new arrival of an airline from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mike MacKinnon said having PAL Airlines come into the Maritimes will create jobs and add options for travellers.

“Pre-pandemic, the airport itself had about 140 direct jobs at the airport … with the different entities that work here and we’re below 30 now, so anything is going to be an improvement over where we’ve been for the last year to 14, 15 months,” he said.

Commercial flights have been shut down at Atlantic airports since January. They were set to restart at the end of May, but the pandemic’s third wave put that on hold.

PAL Airlines has announced it will be flying out of Halifax, Charlottetown and Fredericton starting at the end of June and its inaugural flight out of Sydney, N.S., is on June 28.

WestJet plans to restart Sydney-to-Halifax flights on June 28, while Air Canada has said it is resuming flights from Sydney to Toronto and Montreal on June 26 and from Sydney to Halifax on July 1.

Janine Browne, director of business development and sales with PAL Airlines, says the company identified gaps in the regional marketplace and has the equipment and staff to fill them. (Submitted by PAL Airlines)

MacKinnon said adding flight choices in Sydney will boost confidence among travellers.

“It’s the road to recovery,” he said. “It’s encouraging to see that we’ve got a new carrier who are going to be operating interregional routes around Atlantic Canada and that’s great for our airport.”

Janine Browne, director of business development and sales with PAL Airlines, said the company identified gaps in the regional marketplace and already has the equipment and staff to fill them.

“It’s a huge expansion,” she said.

“Our team is very excited that, during this challenging time, that we are able to do this.”

The airline is starting from Sydney with a 37-seat Dash 8 that can also carry cargo.

‘People are really, really eager to travel,’ says PAL spokesperson

Browne said the company is prepared to operate in a new environment, given differing health restrictions in each province.

“We’re obviously keeping a close eye on government restrictions and respecting that, but we think it’s going to be the right time and we think that people are really, really eager to travel,” she said.

“People are looking to get on that plane. People are looking to get in the air and fly.”

PAL announced its plans to fly out of Sydney on Tuesday morning and by midday, had already taken some bookings, Browne said.

26 May 2021

Route	Peak weekly frequency	Start date	End date
Sydney-Calgary	2x weekly	June 10	October 18

Tag: Sydney NS YQY

Quotes:

Quick Facts:

Low booking reason for changing start date once more

BASED ON DEMAND

Mike MacKinnon says new flights from PAL Airlines will add jobs, boost confidence among travellers

‘People are really, really eager to travel,’ says PAL spokesperson