Good news for Canadians who love NYC

I was excited to see that WestJet has re-added NYC (Newark) as a destination! Only from western Canada for now but maybe that will change??

http://c3dsp.westjet.com/guest/spare1.jsp

WestJet tries Newark gateway to N.Y.

- Globe and Mail, March 13, 2008

';For the second time in three years, WestJet Airlines Ltd. is heading into the crowded New York area, unveiling plans yesterday to add non-stop flights from Calgary to Newark International Airport in New Jersey starting in June.

WestJet says daily non-stop service from its hub in Calgary to the new U.S. destination will start at an introductory one-way fare of $199, plus taxes and other charges.

One of the biggest challenges with servicing the high-traffic New York region is securing good slot and gate times. WestJet halted service between Toronto and New York after less than a year in July, 2005, after it failed to secure convenient times to fly in and out of LaGuardia Airport.

WestJet will run the flights from Calgary to Newark, N.J., on a seasonal basis, from June 2 until mid-November, at which point it will evaluate whether they still makes sense in the winter, WestJet spokesman Richard Bartrem said. The airline has no immediate plans to introduce flights from Toronto to the New York region.

But Robert Kokonis, president of airline and travel consulting firm AirTrav Inc., said it%26#39;s only a matter of time before WestJet makes a move.

';WestJet is not dumb. They know Toronto-New York is by far the largest transborder route,'; he said. ';WestJet was there before and they did not have the right product, reservation system and corporate inroads.';

Mr. Kokonis said Robert Deluce, president of Toronto-based regional upstart Porter Airlines Inc., will be looking for signs that WestJet will step up its battle against Porter, which is starting its the Toronto-Newark route on March 31.

Air Canada and WestJet are locked in fare wars with Porter in the Eastern Triangle of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

Air Canada said last week that it would offer new daily, non-stop flights between Calgary and Newark, starting on June 16. Air Canada already has daily service from Calgary to New York through John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Good news for Canadians who love NYC

I am flying to NYC in April to meet up with my cousins who are flying from London, England. Guess what....my ticket costs more than theirs!! Living in ottawa puts me at the mercy of the Air Canada!!

Good news for Canadians who love NYC

trishottawa - I hear ya! I%26#39;m in Montreal and it%26#39;s cheaper for me to fly to Europe LOL.

I have to admit, though that I enjoy the drive to NYC (and love the extra money we have to spend when we get there).

I go every April to NYC. Next year I%26#39;m going to take an extra day and fly from Syracuse. That would have cost $400 less than my flight!!

trishottawa: OH Trish, I so feel your pain! My son %26amp; I fly out of Seattle almost every year! This year, Cathay Pacific does have direct flights to NYC for a good price. I absolutely refuse to fly Air Canada, and I%26#39;ve never been able to afford them anyway!!!