Welcome to Lethbridge, WestJet

On November 24, 2017, Canadian airline WestJet announced the debut of its "WestJet Link" arm. Through a capacity-purchase agreement with British Columbia's Pacific Coastal Airlines, service will be launched to five communities in Alberta and British Columbia, using 34-seat Saab 340B regional aircraft. Intended to integrate these smaller communities into WestJet's broader network, this feeder service will increase traveller choice while simultaneously bringing competition to existing carriers. To the population of Lethbridge, Alberta, a community that has been vying for WestJet flights for multiple years, the Calgary "Link" service comes as a welcome announcement.

In the context of the broader North American commercial aviation sector, the thrice-daily flights to Lethbridge from Calgary are somewhat unremarkable. However, the changes WestJet service will bring to Lethbridge's air market are noteworthy. Currently, Lethbridge has six daily flights to Calgary on Air Canada Express, using 18-seat Beechcraft 1900D turboprops, for a total capacity of 108 seats each way (weekday figures used). With the launch of WestJet Link service, the weekday capacity on the Calgary route doubles to 210 available seats each way. Second, the range of destinations a Lethbridge-based traveller can now connect to increases. While numerous routes overlap, Air Canada and WestJet both offer a broad range of flights from Calgary and each carrier offers destinations not served by the other (e.g. WestJet's flights to Abbotsford, Hamilton, and Kitchener-Waterloo). Finally, competition between Air Canada and WestJet on the route may benefit travellers with lower ticket prices; Air Canada has pre-emptively lowered their fares to match the introductory pricing offered by WestJet.

To the airport itself, several positive impacts will exist. WestJet Link service will boost the revenues of contracted businesses, such as fuellers and ground handlers. Additional revenue will be generated through Airport Improvement Fees and landing fees to boost the airport's financial viability, and to fund future infrastructure costs. If service is successful and passenger numbers begin to increase, the adequacy of the airport's 1979 terminal may need to be considered; currently, an Airport Master Plan is being prepared to address such matters.

It is important to note that an announcement of service does not guarantee that the route will be viable in the long-term. Passenger numbers at the Lethbridge Airport have been in an overall decline since the 1990s (source), partly due to the ease of driving north to the Calgary International Airport and south to the Great Falls Airport. Capturing this passenger "leakage" is key for WestJet, and sufficient bookings must be made to guarantee the continued financial viability of the route. Regardless of what the future holds, the commencement of WestJet Link service on March 7, 2018 will mark a new chapter in the history of Lethbridge Airport.