Air Canada exec makes direct pitch to councillors over Porter’s jet plan
Urges them to think first of ‘what is best for Toronto’
A senior Air Canada executive is urging Mayor Rob Ford and Toronto city councillors to carefully weigh the public interest when considering Porter Airlines’ request to fly jets from the island airport.
In a five-page letter that was emailed Friday to politicians, Air Canada vicepresident Derek Vanstone argues “the debate is off on the wrong foot.”
He emphasizes the need for broad consultation on what should happen at the airport, calling it a valuable resource for Toronto, while ensuring appropriate spending of infrastructure funds and respecting other users of the waterfront.
“The future of this public facility must be considered in light of what is best for Toronto, not what best drives one airline’s business strategy,” Vanstone writes.
Vanstone adds, in a letter, obtained by the Star, “Porter is certainly allowed to pursue its commercial interests, but the onus on city council is larger.”
Asked to comment on Vanstone’s letter, Porter spokesman Brad Cicero said Air Canada is worried more about Porter as a competitor than it is about the airport.
“Everybody does have access,” Cicero told the Star Friday evening, noting slots are granted by the port authority: if Porter wants more slots, it has to compete. Air Canada has challenged the slot allocation process and lost in court, he said.
Porter hopes Toronto councillors will vote in favour of a review of an existing ban on jets, Cicero said, because it would ensure that necessary information on the expansion plan becomes available.
Last month, Porter Airlines announced it has placed a conditional order for up to 30 Bombardier CS100 jets, which would expand the airline’s reach to cities across North America and into the Caribbean. Jet service would begin in 2016.
But, to accommodate Porter’s expansion plans, the airport’s runway must be extended at both ends into the lake to handle the bigger aircraft. As well, an existing rule that bans jets must be lifted.
Ottawa, the Toronto Port Authority and the city, which signed the tripartite agreement governing island airport operations, would need to sign off on any changes. Both the federal government and the port authority, which operates the airport, have said they want to hear from city council first.
Rob Ford supports the Porter expansion and has agreed to move the plan forward. He brought a surprise motion to executive committee to ask city manager Joe Penachetti to offer advice on the Porter proposal by July. City council will consider that motion next week. Since Porter’s announcement, CEO Robert Deluce has made the rounds to sell his plan to politicians. He has also launched a direct email campaign urging Porter passengers to write their city councillors in support of the expansion. They can sign onto a website and emails will be sent off on their behalf. Air Canada’s Vanstone expresses serious concerns about the plan, including Porter’s willingness to pay for the costs of the city study, estimated upwards of $200,000, to look into noise levels. “Porter’s recent offer to ‘pay’ the costs of the study that city staff will undertake is entirely improper and could constitute a conflict of interest,” Vanstone said. “Accepting this offer would set a dangerous precedent, and it would taint all of the findings.” Air Canada has long complained that the island airport has unfairly benefitted Porter Airlines and Deluce, whose company also controls the terminal. Out of 202 daily takeoff and landing slots, Porter has 172. Air Canada has 30, usually on its Toronto-Montreal route. In a conference call with analysts Friday, Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinsecu said little about the Porter initiative.
“We believe the Toronto island airport is not a private playground, and therefore carriers should have proper access to it,” he said.
In his letter, Vanstone argued that before the airport is expanded — if that’s the vision for the airport — “access must be available to all airlines wishing to fly from the airport.” He noted that it would benefit Air Canada, but other domestic and U.S. carriers would also be interested in operations there.