by Mark Sproxton
Northern News Services
NNSL (OCT 02/96) - Travellers to and from Yellowknife can expect discount flights again next summer.
NWT Air and Royal Airlines, a discount charter airline based in Montreal, will again offer cheap fares to and from Yellowknife.
"I think it is something that will be with us from now on," said Mark Winders, president and chief operating officer of NWT Air.
And after a successful first year of flying in and out of Yellowknife, Royal's Jim Gabay said they, too, will be back, and offering cut-rate fares.
"We're not sure on what days and what frequency, but you'll see our planes in Yellowknife again next summer," he said. "We were extremely pleased by the way we were received in the NWT."
Canadian North, meanwhile, will "wait and see what pans out," said Mike King, marketing manager.
This summer, Royal offered discount fares from Yellowknife to Edmonton, Vancouver, Whitehorse and Toronto. Its addition to the Northern marketplace echoed the introduction of low-fare airlines in southern Canada.
Royal's addition saw Canadian North and NWT Air match the reduced fares for the summer months. The two airlines continue to offer some reduced-fare flights.
Because of the routing Royal flights used, Gabay said it's hard to determine exactly how many passengers travelled out of Yellowknife.
But of the 22 Royal flights that passed through Yellowknife from June 21 to Sept. 3, he said the allotted seats were full.
The travel market in the NWT increased slightly in the summer, but "traffic was not up significantly" at NWT Air, Winders said.
He said it will take a couple of summers to determine whether or not the lower fares enticed more people to fly.
"The (theory) is it will stimulate traffic that otherwise would not have flown," Winders said. "That question has yet to be answered.
"Time will tell if it's beneficial for the Northern airlines. It's certainly beneficial for the consumer."
Having Royal return anytime other than in the summer is unlikely, Gabay said.