Westjet Link has officially landed in Lethbridge.
The airline said the added competition will be noticeable to travellers.
“When the dust settles on this service in the next few months, what will be proven out is that we will have lowered airfares between 30 and 50 per cent and we will have stimulated market travel by as much as 90 per cent,” said Robert Palmer with WestJet.
The City of Lethbridge is on board with WestJet’s goal to bring more people into the communities of southern Alberta.
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“We have greater passenger service now, more competition from Lethbridge; its wonderful for economic development and it’s wonderful for tourism,” said mayor Chris Spearman.
With another major airline joining the competition, Nobleford CAO Kirk Hofman feels the added flight options will help their already budding economy take flight.
“We’ve managed to attract Ag growth industries in Nobleford, which holds a number of companies, and they do a lot of international business. Their senior management and board, they don’t live in Nobleford, they don’t live in the area, they fly in to our community and this WestJet connection is going to really help.”
WestJet didn’t have a plane small enough to service Lethbridge, so they’ve partnered with another carrier, Pacific Coastal Airlines.
“What this capacity purchase agreement with Pacific Coastal allows us to do is have access to their Saab 340 B aircraft which has 34 seats,” added Palmer, “which is much more appropriate for a city and a trading region this size.”
Three flights a day during the week and two on Saturdays will kick-start the service, then it will be up to travellers to see if the frequency needs to change.
“People have to use the airport for it to be successful. Don’t drive to Calgary, don’t drive to Great Falls, fly from Lethbridge at every possible opportunity,” said Spearman.
The hope is the additional carrier will help southwestern Alberta’s economy soar to new heights.
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