|
November 9, 2009
Travellers looking to cross the pond between Fredericton and London in 2010 will need to find an alternative to the direct flight that had been offered the last two years by Canadian Affair and Air Transat.
Negotiations between Canadian Affair and the Fredericton International Airport Authority Inc. did not find a resolution for providing the service in 2010.
“It is disappointing news to not see this flight next year,” said David Innes, President & CEO for the Fredericton International Airport Authority Inc.
“Finding the right aircraft for the market grew into a bigger challenge than expected.”
A 249-seat Air Transat Airbus 310 had been used for the weekly service to London-Gatwick and was shared with Halifax in both directions. The flight ran six months of the year from spring through mid-October.
In 2008, the flight brought over 2,100 people to the region. This year, traffic on the service was down by almost 8%, apparently impacted by the recession. The stall in traffic growth prevented the transition to a direct non-stop flight, which had been the plan.
“It’s a real disappointment especially after the traffic was well over projections in year one” said Innes.
The direct connection to the U.K. provided an important link to tourism in New Brunswick. Additional tourism revenue generated from U.K. visitors using the service was estimated at $1.6 million.
“We will be watching for improving economic conditions” said Innes. “We realize the importance of having this connection to the U.K.”
The U.K. can still be accessed from Fredericton via Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa or Halifax.
For more information, please contact:
Melodie Beal
Public Relations & Marketing Manager
Fredericton International Airport Authority Inc.
Phone: (506) 460-0926
Email: bealm@frederictonairport.ca |
