Spring Fly Gander.Ai
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spring 2011 newsletter of the gander international airport authority A RUNWAYRUNWAY SUCCESSSUCCESS air canada Airport says investment is a “game changer” for Gander to toronto Air Canada launches daily seasonal non-stop flights between Gander and Toronto this June. “We are pleased to offer our customers direct non-stop Gander–Toronto service, to complement our existing Gander services to Halifax, St. John’s and Goose Bay,” said Marcel Forget, Air Canada’s Vice President, Network Planning. “With this latest schedule enhancement for the summer travel season, business and leisure travellers will enjoy direct service between Gander and Toronto with convenient connections throughout Canada and the United States, as well as the choice of more non-stop flights between more places in Newfoundland and Labrador than ever before.” “The new flight will provide direct access to Air Canada’s major hub,” explained Gary Vey, President and CEO of the Gander International Airport Authority. “For local residents and industry, it means better connectivity to Air Canada’s expansive global network.” Beginning June 19th, Air Canada flight AC1171 will depart Gander at 5:20 am and arrive in Toronto at 6:59. Flights will be operated by Air Canada using 93-seat Embraer 190 aircraft offering a choice of Airport operations director Executive Class and Economy service, free personal audio-video Brian Hicks stands at the entertainment at every seat and a wide choice of music, movies and threshold of runway 03/21, which will soon undergo a TV programming. significant rehabilitation. Gander International Airport President and CEO Gary new opportunities going forward.” Vey called it a “red letter day” for Gander International Many larger airports, among them Halifax, St. John’s, Airport. Moncton and Charlottetown, were also recipients of funding. Mr. Vey said government’s investment will be Mr. Vey was on hand at a press conference in St. John’s repaid many times over. as the federal and provincial governments committed $3.3 million each toward the airport’s $10 million An independent economic impact study undertake by runway rehabilitation project. The announcement was InterVISTAS Consulting determined that the airport part of a flurry of government announcements in directly sustains 1,200 jobs in the province, with $107 Atlantic Canadian airports over the last number of million in gross domestic product, $312 million in months. economic output and $70 million in wages. That value essentially doubles when you take into account The schedule is designed to offer convenient connections from the For Mr. Vey, it brought closure to 10 years of downstream and spin-off benefits. Ongoing economic airline’s main Toronto hub, Mr. Vey noted. hand-wringing, heartaches and headaches. activity at the airport contributes $32 million annually in tax revenue, “When you can get into Toronto at 7 am, you have the biggest bank of “Our airport has had including $20.6 connecting departures in the country available to you. This new its share of challenges million to the federal service provides the best connectivity, especially for long-haul over the last number government and domestic destinations like Western Canada,” he said. of years. Our primary $10.7 million to the runway stood like a provincial Gander Mayor Claude Elliott, who champions air service by two-mile monster that government. spearheading the Central Newfoundland Mayor’s Committee on Air needed to be slain. We Access, was delighted with the news. had made real Brian Hicks, the progress over the last airport’s Director of “The new Toronto flight is great news for the region and especially decade, but still Safety and Airside beneficial to local workers who commute to jobs in western Canada struggled to generate Operations, said the by improving connection options and reducing overall travel time,” the profit from our operations to meet the needs of our runway work is expected to begin in the 2012 season. Mayor Elliott said. “This further demonstrates the viability of the capital works program,” he said. “In our pursuit of this, Central market and bodes well for growth.” we have undertaken some severe restructuring of our “Given the timing of the announcement, it’s impractical workforce, tried to squeeze a penny from wherever for us to undertake the work this summer season. This This summer, Air Canada will offer up to seven daily flights to/from possible and done everything within our power to close gives us time to ensure we can plan appropriately and Gander, including two daily flights to Halifax, one to Goose Bay, three to St. John’s and one to Toronto. The Gander and Area Chamber of the gap.” do it right. With a lot of the contractors committed to Commerce saluted Air Canada for its continued investment in serving work in the wake of Hurricane Igor this season and the Central Newfoundland market. The $10 million project, for which the airport authority current fuel prices, it’s actually in our interest to get this will pony up a third of the cost, will focus on moving next year. That way, we can get the best bang “The Chamber believes the new Air Canada Gander-Toronto service rehabilitation of the airport’s primary runway and for our buck and address our airside infrastructure will not only create greater choice and convenient travel options for associated taxiways. It is much more than a simple needs for years to come.” the business community, but at the same time will generate bricks and mortar project, Mr. Vey said. economic benefits and opportunities for Gander and the entire At 10,500 feet long, Runway 03/21 is the longest civilian Central region,” said Chamber 1st Vice President Darrin Murray. “2010 “This investment will ensure the safety and operational aerodrome runway in Atlantic Canada and the tenth saw passenger traffic through Gander at an eight-year high, with Air integrity of Gander International Airport remains longest in the nation. Canada being a key player in this result. We offer thanks to Air Canada sound,” he said. “It really is a game changer for our for its commitment to our airport.” airport. What has changed is this – with this investment as a platform, we can change our agenda from one of working toward sustainability to one of committing all For details or to make reservations, visit Air Canada’s our time and resources to growing our facility. This website at www.aircanada.ca gives us new legs, new promise, new confidence and Page 3 PAGE 4 PAGE 8 dreamy visitor 25 years in give gander at gander airport wendy’s world your vote Message From the CEO Reflecting upon a sometimes trying, always enjoyable and never dull decade On March 1, the airport authority celebrated 10 years since In Gander, we are hypersensitive to the accepting transfer of Gander International Airport from the geopolitical climate. We are a canary in the world economy’s federal government. In an industry like aviation, 10 years is an coal mine. 9-11 was but the first of many unforeseen challenges eternity. The last decade has been filled with headaches and we have weathered … H1N1, the first truly global recession in a heartaches, successes big and small, chapters that closed and generation, costly regulatory creep, escalating insurance costs, new stories waiting to be written. volatile fuel prices, the unforeseen rise of the Canadian dollar, volcanic eruptions and on it goes. All of these things The airport authority’s story is about more than the formation underscored our complete vulnerability. It seemed to me that of a new organization to operate Gander International Airport. the game had completely changed before we even got off the Our story is really about a complete change for YQX. bench. It was a time to refocus. Back in 1994, the federal government began the process of One of the great changes in moving from a government divesting airports to community interests. Gander International operation to a commercial business is the total shift in mindset Airport, under the guidance of a succession of very capable that is required. Change comes slowly, but it comes, and we airport managers and expert staff who knew every inch of the could not afford to be left behind. facility, was by all accounts a well-run ship. Like all airports under Transport Canada’s operation, Gander International And slowly, things did begin to change. Our year-over-year Airport was losing money. In fact, most all airports across performance started to grow. In 2010, the airport posted historic Canada were heavily subsidized at a cost of $1.6 billion to the highs for revenue and net operating income. This will mark our feds annually. It came as no real surprise that government was seventh straight year of profit. Last year saw the introduction of looking to shed these assets. In the country’s major air new direct service to Labrador. This summer, Air Canada will transportion hubs like Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto, the provide direct seasonal service to Toronto. Demand for business community was watching this opportunity with eyes Sunwing’s Caribbean flights was strong. Things are on the way set like crouched tigers about to spring. They knew that up. The recent announcement that both levels of government airports, under their guidance, could generate endless will invest in our capital works program is an enormous boost. commercial opportunities. A lot has happened over the last 10 years. We’ve welcomed Suffice to say, Gander was a little different. Gander was a hundreds of thousands of aircraft and millions of domestic and National Airport System facility, but it was also an airport many international passengers. We’ve provided a safe harbor for deemed overbuilt for a time that had since passed.