Direct flights to Phoenix and Orlando are coming back to the Regina International Airport in January.
GOOD NEWS! Direct flights to Phoenix and Orlando are back starting January 5th. @WestJet has updated their list of places affected by the 737 MAX groundings and #YQR is off the list – meaning full service resumes from Jan 5th-Feb 4th. For more updates: https://t.co/sEsw4qxjvX pic.twitter.com/NPVtdWobfV
— Regina Airport (@FlyYQR) November 25, 2019
Westjet had cancelled several flights to warmer spots in September because of the grounding of Boeing 737 Max airplanes, which were banned after two fatal crashes in five months.
Airport President and CEO James Bogusz says this is huge news, especially since they heard many complaints from customers. “Especially with Phoenix. Three times a week is what the schedule would have normally had into the late fall and early winter, so for those folks who were looking to go down south and avoid some of the cold weather it was a bit of a blow. It basically made it less convenient.”
“And if you have a young family and you want to go to a place like Disneyworld for example that connection into Florida with Orlando was unbelievable,” adds Bogusz. “We are so happy they are going to restored in the new year.”
He says this is hopefully not the end of airlines bringing in more flights and the airport is continuously working on bringing in more options. “We are hoping our efforts will pay dividend. At the end of the day, this is a decision for the airlines, not by the airport. We will continue marketing to them, helping with incentives and as you know, most recently the City of Regina has joined that effort in helping the airport with a tax exemption to be used specifically toward re-acquiring non-stop service to a United States hub.”
Full service to Phoenix and Orlando will run from January 5th to February 4th.
