Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Friday, December 19, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - WestJet announced Wednesday that it will be offering seasonal flights to and from Yellowknife as of May.

Its introductory fare - $149 one way to Edmonton, before taxes and surcharges - has competitors dropping their prices in response.

Robert Palmer, manager of public relations for WestJet, said the airline will be offering a single daily flight between Yellowknife and Edmonton from May 3 until October.

On its website Canadian North is now offering a sale for flights one-way to Edmonton at $100 and $150 to Calgary, before taxes.

On Thursday First Air put out a press release in response to the WestJet announcement, stating it will be matching WestJet's fare of $149 to Edmonton.

Air Canada Tango's website shows it too will match WestJet's rate, starting on May 4.

Palmer said WestJet aims to hire locally and hopes to bring more tourists to Yellowknife. There will be about a dozen jobs open and hiring will start "sometime in the next couple of months," said Palmer.

WestJet "will look to keep those fares as low as possible for as long as possible," he said.

"We know it takes time to build awareness around a new route," Palmer said when asked whether Calgary-based WestJet will make Yellowknife a permanent destination. "We want to make sure the demand is there."

Tracy Medve, president of Canadian North, called the move by WestJet "cherry picking."

"People will climb on them because of the price," said Medve. "They're going to be stealing passengers from everybody and that includes us."

She said with WestJet moving into the market there will be four carriers flying to Edmonton and nine flights a day.

"That's not sustainable," she said.

Medve said Canadian North hopes Northerners will remember that her employer offers service to smaller communities in the NWT and Nunavut, which larger airlines do not provide.

Speaking at Wednesday's press conference at the airport, Palmer said WestJet would be looking to support Yellowknife "in whatever way possible."

"That's (support) for Yellowknife and that's not going to happen anywhere else but Yellowknife," said Medve. "All we can do is appeal to Northerners to understand that."

The First Air press release stated "The air travel market between Yellowknife and southern Canada currently has excess passenger capacity and this situation will be made worse with the addition of seasonal service not required by the market."

Despite a worldwide economic downturn, Palmer said WestJet "thinks this is a great time" to expand. "There are opportunities in times like this," he said.

Airport manager Steve Loutitt said the airport is looking forward to working with WestJet "as we do all airlines serving the North."

"We look at the schedule and WestJet's schedule fits quite well," said Loutitt.