Summer Schedule – More Capacity Than Ever At Deer Lake Airport

May 7, 2003

The Deer Lake Regional Airport Authority is bracing itself for another busy summer season as airlines increase their service and add new routes to and from the province through the Deer Lake Regional Airport. The new schedules and service will increase air access to the area to unprecedented levels.

The increased capacity is a direct result of an expanded schedule previously announced by CanJet Airlines and a new service recently announced by Air Canada.

CanJet Airlines has responded to consumer demand for its successful discount service from Deer Lake to Halifax (Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto) and on June 2 will increase its frequency to four flights per week with the addition of a Sunday service. This service will further increase to seven days a week on June 21. The schedule will allow for one-stop service to Ottawa as well as connecting service to Montreal and Toronto.

Passenger capacity will be further increased with the recent announcement by Air Canada to add a new non-stop direct B/737 jet service from Deer Lake to Toronto commencing June 27. This new non-stop service will be available four times weekly throughout the summer on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

In addition to this new service, Air Canada Jazz has commenced its daily Bae-146 jet service to and from Halifax and will continue with regular Dash-8 service twice daily throughout the busy summer season.

Carl Stratton, Chairman of the Deer Lake Regional Airport Authority, is optimistic the new and expanded service will increase passenger traffic. “This summers’ schedule will provide the highest capacity levels we have witnessed in years and this should translate into increased numbers of travelers”, said Stratton. “The strong summer tourist market in Western Newfoundland will further benefit from the increase in capacity”, added Stratton.

Airport Manager, Jamie Schwartz, is pleased with the increased service. “Despite the volatility within the airline industry, the Deer Lake Regional Airport continues to improve, enhance and expand its services for the traveling public”, said Schwartz. “We continue to buck the trend with passenger traffic growth and increased service”, added Schwartz.

The Deer Lake Regional Airport now offers fifteen regularly scheduled passenger flights each day throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and Eastern and Central Canada with connections worldwide. A total of four different airlines; Air Canada Jazz, Air Labrador, CanJet Airlines and Provincial Airlines, now operate a regular service to and from Deer Lake. The Deer Lake Regional Airport is one of only a few remaining airports in Canada that does not collect or charge an airport improvement or passenger facilitation fee.

For immediate release.