by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 10/97) - Yellowknife businesses may see a boost in Christmas sales in the next two weeks.

Air Tindi has set up shopping charters along with regular flights, bringing in residents from the Dogrib communities to do Christmas shopping -- shopping they usually do through catalogues.

"With the mail strike on, there was not enough time to order," said John Seagrave, Air Tindi's manager for scheduled flights.

Seagrave, a former Hudson Bay Company manager, said the biggest competition for him when he was a manager was catalogue mail orders.

With mail ordering thrown out of whack this year -- the strike may be over, but there is precious little time left for mail orders -- people can fly directly to Yellowknife and shop. "They can come in and shop and support the North," said Seagrave.

Using a Dash 7, Air Tindi can fly in about 50 people on a charter, all sharing the cost of the trip.

Shoppers who want to come to the city have a number of flights from which to choose.

Seagrave said some people may want to fly in on the early morning flight and leave at the end of the day.

Others may choose to fly in on Friday, stay for the weekend and leave on Monday.

Three charters have been booked over the next couple of weeks.

All passengers travelling on Air Tindi will be given 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of free cargo.

Passengers are also treated with a little Christmas cheer on their flights as attendants play festive music and hand out promotional packages for Yellowknife businesses offering holiday savings to shoppers.

Once passengers leave their flight, they are rushed into a shuttle bus destined for downtown.

Finding a shuttle bus was the most difficult part of the shopping venture, said Seagrave.

Air Tindi approached the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and asked for the sponsorship of a bus but were turned down.

"It was not in their budget," said Seagrave.

"We just couldn't do it," said Cheryl Best," executive director of the chamber.

Best said if they did it for Air Tindi, they would have to do it for other airlines.

"We just couldn't provide that service to that one merchant business," she said. "We certainly applaud Air Tindi for this initiative."

Seagrave turned to downtown merchant Gordon Humphries, owner of Eldonn Jewellery. Humphries said he would find a shuttle even if it meant paying for it out of his own pocket.

In the end, Arctic Frontier Carriers donated a metro bus. Last Friday, they transported their first batch of shoppers to the downtown core.

They also plan to provide a shuttle bus for future trips at a discount.