Second daily WestJet flight nears takeoff
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/12/2015 (3920 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Westman travellers will soon have another daily flight to and from Calgary, thanks to WestJet Encore’s expanded air service.
As of Jan. 16, a flight will depart Brandon at 6 a.m., and arrive in Calgary at 7:28 a.m. local time. The existing flight will remain; it leaves Brandon at 1:20 p.m. and arrives in Calgary at 2:37 p.m.
Calgary-Brandon flights depart at 9:45 a.m. to arrive in the Wheat City at 12:45 p.m. A new return flight will depart Calgary at 7:50 p.m., arriving in Brandon at 10:50 p.m.
“Those are really good flight times — what it does for both the business and the leisure traveller, is it gives you lots of time to make connections in Calgary,” said WestJet spokesman Robert Palmer. “You’re going to get all the U.S. stuff, you’re going to get the sun destinations and things like that. If you have a business meeting in Calgary, it obviously gets you there in plenty of time.”
On the way home, the later flight to Brandon will also give travellers plenty of time to get to Calgary and make that connection.
WestJet Encore began offering daily air service between Brandon and Calgary in Brandon in 2013, using smaller 78-seat turboprops. While WestJet won’t divulge specific numbers, spokesman Robert Palmer says the daily flight continues to sell well enough to warrant the second flight.
“The reality is that people have been using this daily flight and so hence, we have sufficient demand in our mind, for a second one,” Palmer said.
Travellers in Brandon and Westman have enjoyed using the Brandon flight option, rather than having to drive to Winnipeg’s airport.
“We’re well aware of the fact that people have gone to Winnipeg for many, many years. It’s certainly a drive that people have made, in some pretty horrible winter conditions — I know I’ve done it myself, I’ve waved to the halfway tree several times,” Palmer said.
Brandon Municipal Airport is under construction now, as officials prepare to expand the terminal and add some much-needed amenities. While it can be a bit of a headache for people in the cramped space, Palmer said it’s “short-term pain for long-term gain.”
“It’s always good when airports are reinvesting in their facilities, so it’s something we like to see,” Palmer said.
When asked if there’s any talk about WestJet adding an eastbound route from Brandon, Palmer said there’s nothing to share at this point, so we will have to “wait and see.”
» jaustin@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @jillianaustin