Growth of low-cost airlines giving boost to Canada’s biggest secondary airports

Formerly sleepy secondary airports in Canada’s two busiest air markets are in for a new lease on life thanks to the rise of discount airlines and projected growth in travel over coming decade.

Airports in Hamilton, Ont., and Abbotsford, B.C., that have traditionally played second fiddle to Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport, were buzzing last week as low-cost WestJet offshoot Swoop launched service between the two, catering to the country’s most price-sensitive passengers.

“It’s been a crazy week,” says Cathie Puckering, chief executive of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, which got an additional boost when Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA announced plans last week to enter Canada and offer direct service to Dublin next spring.

After an 80 per cent increase in passengers last year, the airport hopes renewed interest from A Swoop Airlines Boeing 737 is on display during their media event earlier this month at John C. Munro International Airport in Hamilton, Ont.

airlines will help spur a return to its heyday in 2003 when it accommodated one million passengers.

Hamilton, which is also Canada’s top domestic cargo airport, flew nearly 600,000 passengers last year, well short of its capacity to handle more than three

million people. Interest waned after WestJet moved its eastern Canadian base of operations to Toronto Pearson following Air Canada’s merger with Canadian Airlines and Globespan Airways ceased operations to Europe.

Established in 1940 as a military flight school, civil flights began in 1964 after military activities ended. Management of the airport changed several times before ownership was transferred in 1996 to the regional municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth, which in turn contracted a private company to operate it for 40 years.

Airlines are attracted to Hamilton due to fees that are 30 to 50 per cent lower than Pearson’s.

Its smaller size cuts the amount of time required for passengers to get to departure gates and allows planes to spend less time on the ground between flights.

“The emerging carriers are looking for partners that share the same philosophy and the same vision in growing the business opportunities,” Puckering said.

Hamilton airport is not only a convenient alternative for people west of Toronto, it has a large catchment area of its own. More than two million people live within an hour’s drive, and there are nine million Canadians and Americans within two hours drive.