Westjet Decision is Monday

[mountain sky]

I have heard that the decision for Westjets new regional service will be announced on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed. This would be very big for Penticton, both for people elsewhere to come to Penticton and residents of the South Okanagan. I will put $50.00 for gas in a jar for every trip to Kelowna I don't have to drive to the airport.

Think aboout the opportunity for training for Fort McMurray done in the Okanagan or onboard paperwork and orientation on way.

this could really open doors.

[3+141592]

It is almost a given that we get some type of AB service :)
It will be interesting to see how they try to make it work.
I also don't enjoy driving to YLW - lots of wasted time.

You mention Fort McMurray business - fine idea but let's hope
that the ugly side of "gold rush" town doesn't invade Penticton.
Nothing personal - I'm just not impressed positively by "Fort Mac".

[nepal]

Hoping to see WJ at YYF too. Having said that, AC has connections from Penticton(YYF) via YVR and direct jet to Fort McMurray and come May, AC will have more flights from YYF, for better connections. I agree that flying from Penticton can save $50 in fuel, $12 for no YYF airport improvement fee, way cheaper YYF parking and the 3+ hour YLW return driving time. YYF is (was) a best kept OK valley air travel secret. It is crazy that YYF does not advertise.

[-fluffy-]

I'll be watching this with interest as well. I may have regular flights between Penticton and Ft. McMurray in my near future and the current schedule out of Penticton kind of sucks. Getting a flight time of six or seven hours between here and Ft. Mc. puts you up among the lucky few, most will run eight or ten. But, given the current choices I'd rather be sitting in an airport reading than making that trip to the Kelowna Airport and back.

[BC Dave]

I don't think we will know today. Found this online:

WestJet says decision on air service pushed back to February
By: Lindsey Enns

Brandon won’t find out if it’s on the first round of communities to be served by WestJet’s new regional air service until next month, a spokesperson for the company confirmed yesterday.
Originally the Sun had reported that more details would be released on Jan. 21, but now the announcement has been pushed back to February according to WestJet public relations manager Robert Palmer.

[mountain sky]

Oh no. Was really looking forward to have it all finalized today and could actually start making reservations for the summer months.

[Dizzy1]

Hoping to see WJ at YYF too. Having said that, AC has connections from Penticton(YYF) via YVR and direct jet to Fort McMurray and come May, AC will have more flights from YYF, for better connections.

AC is adding one flight per day to YVR, but I guess thats an extra 25% in capacity LOL!

I agree that flying from Penticton can save $50 in fuel, $12 for no YYF airport improvement fee, way cheaper YYF parking and the 3+ hour YLW return driving time.

I'll agree with you on the cost/fuel savings for Pentictonites, but if YYF were to get more frequencies with more airlines, parking fee increases and AIFs are almost a give in. The airport infracstructure would have to grow which costs money, guess where that money is going to come from? User fees. Just look at YLW today, and compare it with the mid 90s when the AIF kicked in ... it keeps expanding and expanding and is attracting more carriers and destinations.

YYF is (was) a best kept OK valley air travel secret. It is crazy that YYF does not advertise.

It would only make sense for YYF to advertise south of Peachland, the cheaper parking and no AIF currently wouldn't outweigh the costs of most people in Kelowna (never mind farther North) having to drive down for a choice of only 4 daily flights to one destination when YLW offers numerous year round dailies to YVR, YYC, YEG, YYZ, YYJ, YXS, SEA and LAX, not to mention all the seasonal sunshine charters. So in that regard, its not really an OK valley secret, the math and logic just isn't there.

I do hope that YYF gets WS service, but honestly I just don't see it happening, at least not in the first round. YLW is just too close to YYF given the size of the catchment area in the OK valley. But in the airline industry, one just never knows so I guess we'll just have to wait and see :)

[nepal]

The South Okanagan is a separate market from the Kelowna/Vernon airport, due to distance. Penticton YYF would benefit from advertising from Peachland, south. YYF is an excellent service for the South Okanagan and likely has no desire to compete with YLW, nor all those flights.. It may be smart for YLW to see that YYF has some airline capability, so infrastructure at YYF is always available nearby, as an alternate runway, for the single YLW runway. There have been necessary diversions to YYF in the past. I would feel safer flying in from Mexico, low on fuel, knowing YYF was available if YLW was not.

[Dizzy1]

The South Okanagan is a separate market from the Kelowna/Vernon airport, due to distance.

Thats a tough one, the catchment area of the OK valley is only around 350,000 people and maybe another 30,000 if you add the West Kootenay region, even though we are very spread out, its really not enough for two airports only an hour apart to compete which they are, not directly against each other but they are competing for the some of the same population.

Penticton YYF would benefit from advertising from Peachland, south.

I agree to a point, it might keep some Pentictonites from driving up to YLW, but at present, with only 4 daily flights to one destination, it might not be enough.

YYF is an excellent service for the South Okanagan and likely has no desire to compete with YLW, nor all those flights.. It may be smart for YLW to see that YYF has some airline capability, so infrastructure at YYF is always available nearby, as an alternate runway, for the single YLW runway. There have been necessary diversions to YYF in the past.

Just for my own interest, do you have any links or examples of YLW diversions to YYF? Again, just for my own interest.

I would feel safer flying in from Mexico, low on fuel, knowing YYF was available if YLW was not.

Keep in mind though, a flight such as a commercial IFR flight won't or rather shouldn't ever be in a situation where fuel requires them to divert to YYF if YLW's runway is closed for whatever reason. Most airlines flying into YLW will have more options at either YVR or YYC or just return to SEA, more options as in ground support/staff and options to get the passengers where they need to go and aircraft utilization. As for fuel requirments, by law they'll have enough fuel for the flight to their destination, a contingency reserve for a pre-determined amount of attempts to land, fuel to reach their pre-determined alternate plus about another extra reserve.

[nepal]

Okay Dizzy1. You make your points: You don't like AC, you don't like YYF, you don't like to see other cities have anything that Kelowna can take all of. Have a nice day :-)

[bipdl]

IMHO, our MLA, MPP and the RDOS should all FYI the CEO of WS and say the PPL of PEN would be MBO with YYF served by WS as well as ACC. HeII, let's get JAL, KLM and TWA in there too! The PIB won't mind.

I mean, let's face it... YLW on your way to YVR, YYC, YEG, YYZ, YYJ, YXS, SEA or LAX is a PITA, especially if your OYW to YFM for your JOB. You don't get OT, not even a DD for all the DT. LOL.

Sure there'll be an AIF, but that's life. So is GST and PST now that there's no HST because of the NDP.

It's not like the KVR is an ALT anymore, and there's no LRT in the OK. So with GYHND cuts, we're SOL unless you drive your SUV... just don't use the HOV on your way.

I'm I_MFAO! :dyinglaughing:

Say... doesn't anyone speak english anymore?

[dreamon]

I'm I_MFAO! :dyinglaughing:
Say... doesn't anyone speak english anymore?

That was a great post, a good stab! No one in aviation writes or really speaks in long form, every happens in short form. Most of the short form is to ICAO standard.
Once you have spent enough time around it, you understand it well. Many industries have their own unique acronyms and lingo.

[bipdl]

10-4 dreamon.

And here I thought this was a thread for all us groundhogs who just want to ride on planes. Silly me. :127:

Anyways, here's hoping Westjet feels there's enough potential business south of Peachland to justify flying out of Penticton Regional with something better than Jetstream buzzbombs.

I'm 10-65.

[Dizzy1]

Okay Dizzy1. You make your points: You don't like AC, you don't like YYF, you don't like to see other cities have anything that Kelowna can take all of. Have a nice day :-)

:dyinglaughing: Where the heck have I ever said such things? In fact, I'd love to see YYF grow, but what I'd like to see doesn't matter, all the matters are the numbers and location, which, and I'm really sorry to rain on your little parade, is something that doesn't work in YYF's favour. That isn't my opinion, its facts. No where have I ever said that YYF won't grow, never have I said that WS won't be serving YYF and no where have I ever said I dislike AC. The only thing I've ever brought to this thread and the previous YYV/WS thread is insight in to what any airline looks at when deciding at starting new service to an area so when the announcement comes and if YYF isn't on the list, you'll know why.

At this point in time, even though there are no rumours on any aviation websites about YYF getting any WS service at this time, one never knows, maybe they'll even surprise everyone and start 737 service as the Dash8s might free some up 737 airframes by reducing capacity in other markets or you just might have to wait a few more years before you'll see any new flights.

[Spocky]

Nope, they passed YYF by.

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-87209-21-.htm#87209

With this news and the likelihood of no further expansion, it might be best just to turn the airport into residential. As it is, it's just a huge waste of a huge chunk of Penticton's flat and usable land.