[ad_1]
Breadcrumb Trail Links
BusinessLocal News
Article content
Despite robust travel demand, Windsor International Airport has only recovered 50 to 65 per cent of its pre-pandemic passenger volume and 40 per cent of its daily flights to Toronto as the airline industry struggles with pilot and equipment shortages.
“Depending on the metrics you’re using, a lot of that has to do with seasonal and different traffic,” said Windsor International Airport CEO Mark Galvin.
Advertisement 2
Article content
“We had Flair (Airlines) last year, which certainly helped, and we don’t have them this year. WestJet did return and is doing well, but our Air Canada and Porter flights are less than pre-COVID and there’s a lot of reasons for that.
“Pilot shortages and aircraft shortages. Certainly, we would love to get more capacity for the region.”
Galvin added giant aircraft builder Boeing’s ongoing difficulties in building aircraft and with quality control, along with the higher fares on routes from regional airports, are also hampering the recovery.
Prior to the pandemic, Windsor enjoyed 10 daily flights to Toronto’s Pearson International and Billy Bishop airports. Currently, the schedule is four flights daily to Toronto along with WestJet offering three flights weekly to Calgary.
Galvin said Sunwing will return to offer seasonal flights to southern vacation destinations beginning in late November.
Despite the volume reductions, Galvin remains confident Windsor’s airport will remain profitable in 2024, and decisions have been made aimed at controlling costs.
Advertisement 3
Article content
“When you have less connectivity and less frequency of flights, it’s certainly challenging,” Galvin said.
“It’s something we’ve heard from travellers wanting to connect through Pearson Airport or to go to destinations point-to-point and they’d love to have that ability to do that in Windsor.
“As we get through this post-pandemic period, it’ll take some time.”
Air travel has returned to 98 per cent of pre-pandemic levels along the nation’s main routes between major cities. However, regional airports like Windsor have seen service pared back or eliminated.
Galvin said his discussions with Flair Airlines returning to Windsor is typical of the challenges airlines are facing currently.
“I think Flair returning isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when,” Galvin said. “We hope to welcome them back to the destinations they flew before.
“Halifax did very well, Vancouver did very well. They did Orlando last winter.
“It comes down to business decision airlines have to make with their limited resources in pilots or aircraft.”
In addition to frequency, passengers are also dealing with the frustrations of flight cancellations with few fallback options given the reduced schedules.
Advertisement 4
Article content
Galvin admits cancellations are impacting passengers’ decisions on choosing how to travel or not. With more hybrid work options, business travel is also down.
“The sector relies on certainty,” Galvin said. “People want to know they’ll be taking off when expected.
“Cancellations and scheduling have been difficult issues. Having connectivity is very important, but it has to be reliable, so you make connections with relative ease.”
Galvin said he’s encouraged that airlines continue to have interest in exploring options in Windsor. What is happening locally with population growth and economic investment has not gone unnoticed.
“That’s our first slide in our presentations to airlines,” Galvin said.
“We’re pointing out to our existing airline partners and potential new ones, Windsor’s economy is booming with the battery plant and the supply chain growth.
“We keep trying to plant the seeds, that when they have the pilots and aircraft, Windsor is the perfect place for new routes.”
Galvin said Halifax, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa have been identified as the most desired Canadian routes to add while Las Vegas, Orlando and the Caribbean and Mexico are the top winter options desired by local travellers.
Advertisement 5
Article content
“There are people who also want to be able to fly to Europe and we’re trying to work with airlines on that,” Galvin said.
Though Detroit is a flight competitor, he said it’s also a growing source for passengers.
Canadian routes and connections are proving particularly attractive to passengers from the U.S. Midwest states. Galvin credits the ease of travel once in the country and the buying power of the U.S. dollar.
“At any given time in our parking lot, 40 per cent of the cars have U.S. licence plates,” Galvin said. “We see them from as far away as Ohio and Kentucky.
“We can be successful in competing with Detroit when we have the right routes.”
Recommended from Editorial
Windsor preparing large swath of airport land for economic development
Flair Airlines introduces two sunny destinations from Windsor
Galvin noted freight traffic is also expected to increase at Windsor to service the expanding demands of the local economy.
The local airport has the third-longest runway in Ontario and has already handled the giant Antonov cargo plane.
“We do already have a fair amount of cargo and private business flights,” Galvin said.
“With the addition of the battery plant and the feeder plants we expect to expand that business. We have the facilities and a wonderful location that we’ll promote to serve them.”
Dwaddell@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/winstarwaddell
Article content
Share this article in your social network
[ad_2]
Source link
