New Brunswick airport prepares for arrival of new airline
The Saint John Airport is preparing for the arrival of a brand new airline, with WestJet’s 'ultra low-fare’ carrier landing at the airport in two weeks' time.
That new carrier combined with Flair, which is already operating flights out of YSJ, is expected to bring a surge in passenger traffic to the terminal soon.
"In the past, typically Air Canada and other carriers were flying relatively small aircrafts, 50 to 75 seats," says president and CEO of the Saint John Airport Alexander Ross. "But Flair and Swoop are going to be flying 200-seat passenger aircrafts."
The expected increase in passengers means a need for more space, which is why renovations are taking place at the airport.
That work includes an expansion of the departure area which will allow about 300 people to fit inside, compared to about 140 currently.
"We’re moving the glass panels that separate it from the rest of the terminal," says Ross.
"We’re going to be moving that back about 14 or 15 feet on both the north and the west side, and that’s going to create about 50 per cent more space in that area for seating."
Meantime, at the Fredericton International Airport, Porter Airlines will be launching a new, non-stop service to downtown Toronto in May.
As the airport projects even more capacity – or seats available – this summer than they saw before the pandemic in 2019, with a nine per cent increase.
"The increased capacity really speaks to the airlines’ confidence in the market," says Kate O’Rourke, the manager of public relations and marketing for the airport.
"So what it means is they’re expecting a really strong summer for travel, so they’re moving their aircrafts around to accommodate that."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Scottie Scheffler arrested at PGA Championship for traffic violation, returns to course hours later
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship, with stunning images showing him handcuffed as he was taken to jail for not following police orders during a pedestrian fatality investigation.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires are dampening against cool, rainy weather, but there's plenty left to contain
An opportune system of cool, wet weather Friday is dampening the spread of wildfires across Western Canada, but there's still plenty of work for responders and residents alike.
Jessica Biel hopes to normalize the conversation around menstruation with a new children's book
Jessica Biel is the author of a new children’s book focused on destigmatizing and normalizing the conversation around menstruation.
5 secrets to moving better and preventing avoidable injury
Countless people seek emergency care for back pain, muscle strains and similar injuries resulting from 'moving wrong' during mundane, everyday tasks such as bending over to tie shoes, lifting objects or doing household chores.