Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport - Page 99

rypinion · #**1961** Posted **Mar 20, 2012, 9:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ajs

eh were all oddballs

Speak for yourself.

The Unknown Poster · #**1962** Posted **Mar 20, 2012, 11:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Sorry, this thread has become post after post from me, but I read something that made me think. About 60 000 people per year are flying from Grand Forks and Fargo that would otherwise be going from Winnipeg. About 30 000 of those are going to Vegas. That's the equivalent of 4 Westjet 737 - 700s per week. That would pretty much take Winnipeg from 4 flights a week to Vegas to a point where the service would be at least daily.

I'll fly from here even if it costs a bit more so that my airport can have better service.

First timer poster here.

So many people tell me to fly out of North Dakota to Vegas. I've been to Vegas twice and flew WestJet from Winnipeg both times. When pricing it out (and including parking my car for a week in ND) and taking into consideration convenience and quality, WestJet was cheap enough.

When you also consider WJ runs a direct flight now, why would you go with that discount airline (though I heard they were going to operate out of WPG also).

jmt18325 · #**1963** Posted **Mar 20, 2012, 11:50 PM**

It's just really annoying that we could have daily service to Vegas from Winnipeg, or service with another airline, if not for people crossing the border.

The Unknown Poster · #**1964** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 12:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt18325

It's just really annoying that we could have daily service to Vegas from Winnipeg, or service with another airline, if not for people crossing the border.

But if there is enough business there, wouldn't it make sense for Westjet to slightly lower their prices to compete? As I said, it makes sense for me to fly out of WPG even if its a bit more. But I can see people willing to spend $100 in gas just to save $50 an airfare and fly an airline of lesser quality.

Gf's family just went to DisneyWorld and drove to Minneapolis to do fly from there.

jmt18325 · #**1965** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 12:16 AM**

Much of the price difference though, has to do with cross border and Canadian taxes, and that isn't something that Westjet can make up. If Westjet doesn't make enough money on the flight, they aren't going to have it at all.

The Unknown Poster · #**1966** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 12:21 AM**

Good point. For me personally, after a long hard week in Vegas, the last thing I want to do is have the size of my bag scrutinized so the airline can pocket an extra $50 at departure and then drive from Fargo and deal with the border. To save what? Not enough.

Now if we can get a direct flight to Orlando by next fall, I'll be thrilled.

jmt18325 · #**1967** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 1:05 AM**

Westjet offers 4 direct flights to Orlando per week between November and April. Air Transat offers direct flights between the middle of December and the middle of March. Westjet also offers winter flights to Phoenix and Palm Springs California.

casper · #**1968** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 1:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt18325

So, I got a response from the WAA for some questions I asked. There's going to be another retailer behind the MLCC, so that explains the ugly wall. They're going to make it look better soon, they say.

On Minneapolis service, WAA says that 5 - 6 flights a day will continue as they are for the foreseeable future (the 6th flight only operates at the busiest times of the year) as Delta is very happy with their load factors (since they're 100% on many flights, I would hope so).

On new destinations, the WAA expects to have some news on new trans border routes in the coming months.

Air Canada partners with United. So they are more likely to either add flights to a destination they know they can fill or a city that is a hub for one of their partners where they can make good money on connecting passengers.

WestJet was independent for many years and in the last year they started to partner with both Delta and American Airlines. They are the same way, either it's a destination they fill the plan going there or they have good connections to one of their partners. Last month WestJet announced Vancouver and Calgary to Chicago (a hub for America). They are also adding Laguardia in New York (using Delta's terminal area).

The difference between the two is Air Canada has been partnering with United for years so they probably connected most of the dots on the map they were planning to connect.

For WestJet this is their first year having code-share agreements with US airlines. So they have more potential connections they and their partners may want to make.

In Saskatoon we had two flights a day on Northwest for many years. When Delta merged with Northwest they changed to three or four CRJ100 aircraft a day for about a year. We are now back to two flights a day but they are the bigger regional jets. October for hunting season we jump up to B757 or A320 for a few weeks.

jmt18325 · #**1969** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 1:23 AM**

Winnipeg never gets anything that big from Delta, as far as I know. Skywest Airlines operates most Delta and United flights from Winnipeg to Chicago, Minneapolis, and Denver. On all routes, they only ever use the CRJ 100/200. Expressjet airlines also operates some United flights to Chicago from Winnipeg. They operate the ERJ 145 on that route, so really no difference.

I'm really surprised that at least one of the flights isn't a CRJ 700, given (as I already posted in this thread) Winnipeg is MSPs second busiest Canadian destination, and 5th busiest international route overall.

jmt18325 · #**1970** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 2:58 AM**

Is it true that Delta has been reducing the size of their aircraft on the Winnipeg - MSP route? Is is that they increased the frequency instead? I read somewhere that there was at difference time over the last few years, A319s, CR7s, and CR9s serving the route.

casper · #**1971** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 3:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Is it true that Delta has been reducing the size of their aircraft on the Winnipeg - MSP route? Is is that they increased the frequency instead? I read somewhere that there was at difference time over the last few years, A319s, CR7s, and CR9s serving the route.

I don't know about the past, but the last few days it Looks like it is always CRJ100/200 (only 757 flights to MSP are UPS cargo flights): http://flightaware.com/live/findflight/KMSP/CYWG

Saskatoon in October always have a large influx of American hunters, many connecting onto small planes for the trip up to northern fishing and hunting lodges. I don't know if Winnipeg has the same type of tourists or not.

jmt18325 · #**1972** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 3:46 AM**

I think that many of the hunters that come to Manitoba drive. We live in an area 3 hours north of Winnipeg, and the wealthy American hunters that come up always bring their trucks with them.

jmt18325 · #**1973** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 3:53 AM**

The Denver flights are interesting:

http://flightaware.com/live/findflight/CYWG/KDEN/

Not only did I not know that there were 3 aircraft types on the route, but I didn't know Expressjet went there.

casper · #**1974** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 4:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt18325

The Denver flights are interesting:

http://flightaware.com/live/findflight/CYWG/KDEN/

Not only did I not know that there were 3 aircraft types on the route, but I didn't know Expressjet went there.

This link gives you real-time data on all traffic in/out of Winnipeg

http://flightaware.com/live/airport/CYWG

kattiff · #**1975** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robag

Any idea what that would mean for some of the smaller Canadian centre's like Regina and Thunder Bay? I think they fly the CRJ 200's to both of those cities.

Thunder Bay doesn't have Delta serivce, use too with Northwest because Bearskin was flying into MSP. but when the merger happened Delta stopped service.
As for Regina, the management team that is in Winnipeg also runs Regina and they get only two flights a day but according to my friend she said again Delta wasn't making any money so they have been pulling one of Regina's flights on certain days of the week so poor Regina has only a one way trip.

kattiff · #**1976** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 2:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt18325

So, I got a response from the WAA for some questions I asked. There's going to be another retailer behind the MLCC, so that explains the ugly wall. They're going to make it look better soon, they say.

On Minneapolis service, WAA says that 5 - 6 flights a day will continue as they are for the foreseeable future (the 6th flight only operates at the busiest times of the year) as Delta is very happy with their load factors (since they're 100% on many flights, I would hope so).

On new destinations, the WAA expects to have some news on new trans border routes in the coming months.

Omg that is so awesome! Well I hope the new transborder routes are good ones. I heard a rumour wayyy long ago that when the United merger happen they were suppose to maybe get a flight to Houston. I guess they have to keep Gate 4 always a transborder gate if there is new routes coming in the months to come. ah exciting

kattiff · #**1977** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 3:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Is it true that Delta has been reducing the size of their aircraft on the Winnipeg - MSP route? Is is that they increased the frequency instead? I read somewhere that there was at difference time over the last few years, A319s, CR7s, and CR9s serving the route.

Yea my freind has said it use to be A319s and A320s and DC9's and then it went to 900's then 700's and now 200's. she has literally seen Winnipeg get smaller and smaller. She has even said Delta wont give a bigger plane when its like hunting season or anything. They only give bigger aircraft well well in advance. Even during a bad situation when a plane breaks in Winnipeg and Winnipeg asks for a replacement aircraft to come up Delta says sorry there are no planes avaliable to give. She said Delta is very hard to work with for Winnipeg. this is what my friend is telling me lol

rrskylar · #**1978** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 3:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Unknown Poster

First timer poster here.

So many people tell me to fly out of North Dakota to Vegas. I've been to Vegas twice and flew WestJet from Winnipeg both times. When pricing it out (and including parking my car for a week in ND) and taking into consideration convenience and quality, WestJet was cheap enough.

When you also consider WJ runs a direct flight now, why would you go with that discount airline (though I heard they were going to operate out of WPG also).

Parking at Grand Forks airport is cheap, with flights to Vegas, Phoenix and Orlando for a fraction of what Canadian airlines charge a short 2.5 hour drive to Grand Forks is a small price to pay.

jmt18325 · #**1979** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 3:19 PM**

It's far more than a small price. Not only does it not end up saving you much money (sometimes you can get really good deals), but it also takes away from this city. Some day, Americans might actually have to pay the cost of flying. Hell, even Canadians don't at this point.

Part of the price difference, BTW, is caused by US taxes involved when you cross the US border by air, something that can't be avoided. There is also the NAV Canada Fee, the higher landing fees, and the AIF. None of those have anything to do with the price, and none of those are things that the taxpayer should be subsidizing.

Besides that, I'm not driving an extra 2.5 hours each way just to save what can often be very few dollars....although you do get really good deals far in advance there, sometimes half the price. Otherwise, the difference isn't as dramatic.

jmt18325 · #**1980** Posted **Mar 21, 2012, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by casper

This link gives you real-time data on all traffic in/out of Winnipeg

http://flightaware.com/live/airport/CYWG

That's cool. I was watching that. The page I posted about Denver - Winnipeg was actually missing flights for some reason. I checked on United's website, and there is 3 daily flights to Winnipeg most days, except for Saturday when there's 2.