We asked industry |observer John Gradek about flying from home.

Q

Will flying become more expensive?

A

Likely yes, but not forever, industry observer John Gradek said. “This is a commodity business. If there’s lots of demand out there, prices will go up ... If people think it’s too expensive ... you’ll see prices come back down.”

Q

How long until smaller airports get their service back?

A

The smaller, the longer, Gradek said. “Airlines are going to be coming back with less airplanes. That’s a given fact. Air Canada is mothballing about 30 per cent of their fleet.”

Q

What will flight frequency look like?

A

In the short-term, at least, expect less. “I look at Windsor, and Sault (Ste. Marie), and even Thunder Bay. The level of service they received by both Air Canada and Westjet was ... pretty impressive. They’re going to have to operate at a lesser frequency,” Gradek said.

Q

Any upsides?

A

With big airlines cutting back, more planes will be available for new, smaller carriers. “If you have the entrepreneur in aviation who wants to have some room to grow, this is the time,” Gradek said.