“Your
publication has so far been one
of the best sources of information on
this topic that I've come
across."
Philip.T.
Slattery, US Embassy - London.
These kind
words about Air Highways of the World, the "Journal of
Open Skies," echo the reaction we've enjoyed from readers
of Africa
Travel Magazine
and BC
Scene Magazine,
our other travel/business publications, With close to
500,000 Air Highway Supermaps now in circulation, and
combined hits in the 4 million per year range, we are
making progress. Our Air & Marine Tourism Conference
speakers and other supporters are featured in this site's
personalities
section. One of them, Dave Frank of Vancouver, wrote the
Open Skies article below and another on Air
Cargo.
During Air
Highways "North American Road Shows," in 2002, we will
visit many airports, starting with those listed on the
left. Thanks to Airport Managers, mayors, community and
government officials at all levels, plus our sponsors and
thousands of readers, we look to continued new avenues of
discovery on the world's Air Highways.
Jerry W. Bird, Editor
Open
Skies Report
by Dave
Frank
What
an amazing difference a market-driven trans border air
agreement can make, and in such a short period of time.
It seems like everyday there is a new advertisement, a
new service and an entirely new carrier. This is
occurring right across Canada and the United States.
Looking at the trans border market as a whole, it is
almost impossible to keep track of. However, the changes
are just beginning. After 20 years of little progress in
trying to replace the archaic Canada-USA. air agreement
(some would say 30 years), this agreement, with
its removal of all scheduled service restrictions on
every potential trans border flight (with some temporary
phase-in for Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver), has
really opened things up. It also caught many carriers
flat-footed since most had given up hope that there would
ever be a new agreement.
While Air Canada and Northwest
Airlines are aggressively building new trans border
services, carriers like Canadian Airlines International
(CAIL) were caught with a lack of aircraft. To correct
for this, Canadian has been very busy converting charter
flights to scheduled flights and strengthening its
relationship with American Airlines. Delta Airlines
insisted on obtaining service from Toronto to its
super-hub at Atlanta, which spent all its political
capital, hence a delay until year two of the phase-in for
its initial service developments. Others, like United,
are taking a bit of a wait-and-see attitude (perhaps to
consolidate their growing relationship with Air Canada
and Lufthansa).
Nevertheless, almost every
Canadian city has already obtained more new trans border
aircraft than they may be able to absorb.For example,
American Airlines brought Winnipeg a 40 percent increase
in trans border service. Montreal could not support
Valujet. Can trans border airports keep these planes
filled? Vancouver is facing a near doubling of trans
border capacity. Can every travel agent, hotel, shop and
business in Greater Vancouver really double its trans
border business over the next six months? One would
certainly like to ensure that all these new services are
Those that put the long hours in and quickly come up to
speed will see continued growth in air services and
economic development over the next several years.
Those that take a laissez-faire approach will see some
new services fail. Nothing sets air service development
back more than a dropped service. The aggressive
communities will be working closely with all the trans
border carriers (old and new) to help fill aircraft. As
examples, in Ottawa the convention center has worked hard
to increase trans border traffic by 53%. In Regina and
Saskatoon they need to push Northwest Airline's nonstop
to the Minneapolis/St. Paul hub. The bottom line is
clear, use it or lose it. At first, agents and consumers
will be fascinated by the specials. One of the most
spectacular was Reno Air's introductory triple 7 fare
from Vancouver to Reno. Seventy-seven dollars to get
there, seven dollars to get back. Canadian dollars, that
is! Alaska Airlines, still selling San Diego to
Vancouver, return, for under $200 Canadian.
These specials will not sustain
new services. Carriers and communities need to combine
business with pleasure. Expose consumers to the product
with the specials, but at the end of the day, it is the
business traveller up front in the aircraft that is
paying the bills and cargo traffic that adds "that little
bit extra". This message has to be received right across
Canada. The nation has the seventh largest economy in the
world and by far its largest trading partner is the
United States. This new air agreement allows the trans
border economy to finally enter the jet age. The
communities on both sides of the border who develop this
new trans border air highway will reap the benefits that
come from enhanced air services. Those that do not will
be left behind.
A new air treaty triggers a
spectacular expansion of trans-border air services and
adds to the advantages of a Canadian business location.
Canada-based businesses selling to the North American
market are benefiting from a dramatic increase in
Canada-U.S. linkages resulting from the "Open Skies"
agreement between the two countries". Statistics released
by Transport Canada show a total of 169 new Canada-U.S.
services either in operation, announced or planned since
the accord was signed in February 1995.
More to Explore
Open
Skies Page 2: Business is Booming
Open
Skies Page 3: Dave Frank on
Air
Cargo
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