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St-Hubert Airport launches new runway in bid to become Montreal’s No. 2

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St-Hubert Airport launches new runway
WATCH: The airport in St-Hubert has launched a brand new $17-million runway in the hopes new business will take off. As Global's Billy Shields reports, officials want low-cost airlines to use the South Shore airport – Aug 30, 2018

Some of the first planes to touch down on the new runway at St-Hubert Airport were two 737s from competing commercial charter companies — industrial-sized planes often used by commercial carriers.

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Although those commercial carriers generally serve customers like firefighters, sports teams and coast guard crews, airport officials hope the new $17-million runway will allow another business to take off.

“We’ll be able to attract larger aircraft, and with a good financial framework, we’re trying to get the low-cost airlines here,” Jane Foyle, the airport’s director-general, told Global News.

The airport is taking aim at low-cost carriers that have so far bypassed Montreal. St-Hubert hopes that adding such carriers will make it the area’s second airport. Executives like Foyle argue that St-Hubert is close and inexpensive for carriers.

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Although officials admit the airport needs a terminal soon, they hope to attract a passenger carrier as soon as summer 2019.

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