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Iqalummiut welcome competition
Residents excited about launch of GoSarvaq

Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, April 25, 2016

IQALUIT
Social media blew up with the launch of GoSarvaq and rival offers from Canadian North and First Air, and quickly the debate became whether to support the new entry in the Nunavut aviation industry or reach for the $399 fruit offered by the market leaders.

"If the people of Iqaluit don't support the new airline, then First Air and Canadian North will continue to hold the monopoly to people's travel again," said resident Karen Sinclair.

She thinks prices will go right back up if GoSarvaq fails.

"People can not afford this any longer," said Sinclair. "I'm flying GoSarvaq at all times from now on even if the others are $100 cheaper. Iqaluit needed this for a long time. GoSarvaq is doing their very best and have my support all the way."

Resident Brian Boyd said more competition is always better.

"Competition's always good," said Boyd. "If people want to keep a service in place, they need to use it, or else they will lose it. It really shouldn't matter what other competitors are doing. It's what's best for the consumer. If we want more competition, then we've got to use competition."

His prime interest is the flight to Halifax, which Canadian North and First Air don't offer but said he would fly with any of the companies on the Ottawa route.

"I think competition's great, so the more we have the better it will be for the pricing and hopefully everything will go good for all three companies," said Boyd.

Iqaluit-Tasiluk MLA George Hickes agreed that competition is good.

"I'm supportive of a competition model that relieves cost pressures of travel for Nunavummiut and has potential to benefit our tourism industry and to add to economic development opportunities in the Eastern Arctic," he stated in an e-mail.

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