by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 19/97) - The Yellowknife airways will have a return visitor this summer. Royal Airlines is back.

"And in the future, Royal plans to come in with more destinations and new capacity," says Jim Gabby, marketing and promotions manager for Royal Airlines.

The air carrier will be offering low-cost trips from Yellowknife beginning June 23 until Sept. 2, depending on the route.

Royal flights originating in Yellowknife are destined for Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. For example, a return trip to Edmonton is $319 (excluding taxes and fees) during the summer.

The advent of the "open skies" treaty between Canada and the United States, which came into effect two years ago to deregulate air carriers, means Royal is free to travel where it wants in North America, Gabby says.

"Some areas that were underserved and over-priced were opened up for competition."

Though it is too soon to know how the major established carriers, Canadian North and NWT Air, will respond, last summer both matched most of Royal's fares. The company is after the "visit friends and relatives (VFR) market," Gabby explains.

"We're extremely pleased with the reception of the community of Yellowknife and surrounding area and this is a measure of our confidence in the North," he says.

Four years ago, the carrier, a publicly-traded company on the Montreal and Toronto stock exchanges, started a hefty domestic program. It now serves 26 cities in Canada.

Royal also serves the Caribbean, Europe and United States. It's been in business for six years, and this will be its second summer in the NWT.

Gabby says the airline deals strictly with tour operators and travel agencies, so it doesn't deal directly with consumers.

This year, the airline is assisting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Canada.

For every passenger who travels on their airline, Royal contributes one dollar toward the foundation. Their spokeswoman is singer Celine Dion.