Ups and downs of Brandon air service

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/09/2013 (4668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

• June 1981 to February 1989 — The Brandon airport is the site of regular jet service supplied by Pacific Western Airlines. The company, which flies about 35,000 passengers per year from here to Toronto and Calgary, then becomes part of Canadian Airlines.

• February 1989 to February 2001 — Smaller, turboprop service continues under companies such as Bearskin Airlines.

• February to April 1999, and March to May of 2001: — Calgary-based WestJet runs two trial periods out of the Brandon airport. There’s optimism WestJet will continue service here. The city spends $3 million to renovate McGill Field, receiving a $2.6-million federal grant to pave 1,500 metres of runway.

• September 2001 — Terrorists crash two jets into the World Trade Center towers, sending the airline industry into turmoil. WestJet expands into eastern Canada and the United States.

• 2004 — The city enters talks with WestJet and ZIP, a Calgary-based Air Canada-owned discount carrier.

• April 2004 — Mayor Dave Burgess said the resumption of jet service is weeks away, but refuses to reveal the prospective provider. However, the mayor now says the company backed off from its plans due to market forces. Also this month, ZIP announces it won’t be landing in Brandon.

• January 2005 — An Air Canada spokeswoman says the airline hasn’t ruled out the idea that its subsidiary, Air Canada Jazz, could serve the Wheat City. Mayor Dave Burgess says the city is still in discussions with a number of carriers, including Air Canada.

• January 2008 — More than 2,000 residents from the Westman region sign a petition to bring regular air service to Brandon. The petition asks the Government of Canada to provide upgrades to Brandon Municipal Airport, particularly an Instrument Landing System.

• Aug. 25, 2010 — The new Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the Brandon Municipal Airport successfully completes its first official test run. The installation of the $1.6-million system will provide precision guidance for aircraft approaching the runway using a combination of radio signals and high-intensity lights on the ground. Rod Sage, Brandon’s general manager of operations, says the technology will be "absolutely critical" if Brandon is ever going to catch the eye of a commercial air carrier.

• Jan. 16, 2012 — WestJet announces it is considering the launch of a new short-haul regional airline as early as 2013.

• Jan. 27 — YouTube video urging WestJet to come to Brandon is uploaded.

• Feb. 8 — WestJet employees voted overwhelmingly — 91 per cent — in favour of the launch of a regional airline. That same day, the City of Brandon launched a petition to attract WestJet to the city.• March 5-9 — WestJet executives look at the Bombardier Q400 and ATR72-600, both turboprop airplanes that could carry about 70 to 75 people.

• March 29 — The petition to get WestJet air service to Brandon reaches 10,000 online with 45 per cent of the signatures coming from within the city, 34 per cent in the province, 19 per cent from within the country and two per cent abroad.• April 1 — Mayor Shari Decter Hirst and the city pull an April’s Fools Day joke and proclaim that "Brandon Lands Passenger Air Service." The joke catches the attention of WestJet executives who are pleased with the "enthusiasm" of the community.

• April 11 — Brandon launches an "air service" survey to ask where the people of Westman would like to fly.

• April 12 — The city unveils conceptual plans for an approximate $1.5-million renovation project to the Brandon airport should the city secure regional air service from a national airline.

• June 28 — Brandon makes its first pitch to WestJet in Calgary. Wooing WestJet was "a little like speed dating or ‘Dragon’s Den,’" Decter Hirst said about the 25-minute presentation. The pitch involved identification tags with phrases linked to Brandon, postcards with Brandon landscape and streetscape scenes, fake boarding passes to Brandon in a WestJet envelope and a mockup of a WestJet airline magazine.

• Aug. 11 — WestJet officials contact Brandon city officials to seek clarification about the bid to secure air service. "We are having technical conversation and the dialogue continues," which is a good thing, city manager Scott Hildebrand said.

• Oct. 12 — WestJet names its new regional service WestJet Encore.

• Nov. 3 — WestJet remains noncommittal about new air service in Manitoba, but Winnipeg airport executive Barry Rempel said, "I’m certain Winnipeg will see some benefits from the launch of that service."

• Nov. 19 — WestJet announces regional service will spur passenger demand by offering fares at up to half the amount charged on those routes by monopoly operators, chief executive Gregg Saratesky said.

• Jan. 7, 2013 — Decter Hirst confirms the city is still in contact with WestJet about securing regional air service and are awaiting WestJet’s announcement. "We don’t know right now if Brandon is included in that announcement or not," Decter Hirst said.

• Jan. 21 — WestJet is expected to announce WestJet Encore’s initial schedule in Canada.

• Feb. 11 — In a pushed-back announcement, WestJet finally releases the first two destinations … and Brandon’s not on the list. Encore will begin service to Fort St. John, B.C., and Nanaimo, B.C., on June 24. "Brandon wasn’t expecting to be first out of the door," says Sandy Trudel, the city’s director of economic development. "Obviously you always hope, but we weren’t expecting it."

• Feb. 14 — The city tweets out a cutesy Valentine: "Fear not; we will wait for you." WestJet’s response: "That’s a whole lotta love. Thanks!"

• March 15 — Trudel says that when she flies WestJet, she lets employees know she’s from Brandon: "I shake their hand — whether it’s the pilot, the agent at the desk or the stewardess — and let them know the demand in Brandon for air service."

• April 22 — Brandon Flying Club says it is in talks to bring charter service to the city through Air Canada Jazz.

• May 13 — With at least a half-dozen tweets, a press release and a short video, the city teases an afternoon announcement at the airport.

• May 13 — It’s official! They’re coming!

• Sept. 3 — First flights to and from Calgary scheduled.