Discussions

WestJet is again scaling back the number of flights it makes into the Brandon airport.  
 
The airline has reduced weekly flights from 10 to seven in the Wheat City, removing three early-morning flights due to the way WestJet uses their aircraft in the summer months versus the winter months, company spokesperson Lauren Stewart said.  
 
"We apologize to the guests in the community who may be disappointed at this change," she said in an email Friday morning, adding that the airline made similar reductions at the end of April of last year.  
 
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/westjet-flights-brandon-airport-1.4112965

Surprised at all...spend all that money at the Brandon airport and look what happens. Maybe if is time to start looking at more Airlines coming to Brandon....here's a thought maybe consider Newleaf Travel as another option.

Nothing to make a mountain out of. Westjet did the exact samething last year and will probably do the same next year.

flight scheduling is very common. I'm also guessing the bookings weren't very high for that flight during the summer. If they can use that aircraft on another route that has more demand, they will.

IMO, Brandon should be a connecting city in between destinations.  
 
Calgary to Brandon and Toronto and vice versa. Tons of ppl were upset when Westjet gave up on the Toronto flight. But if Brandon is a connecting flight to these cities, I would think there would be more people on the flight and that would keep Westjet happy and so does Brandon.

If WJ makes Calgary or Edmonton flights connect via Brandon, the passengers will just fly AC.

itself has no say in how the airline schedules it's flights. It's up to Westjet to decide on how it routes it's aircraft.

but don't people fly in the summer months too?

still the daily afternoon flights that happens everyday.

Trevor B said "still the daily afternoon flights that happens everyday. "

but it must be disappointing to have flights cancelled before they even start like what has happened in the past.

Gone..... this is not the first time that west jet has been flying to Brandon, and prior to that their was perimeter airlines, than bearskin airlines, than west jet than nothing, and than west jet again. They all have something in common, 1 flight to Calgary, 2 flights to Calgary, airport upgrades, than cut flights to Calgary, than more cuts, than gone, than a really upgraded airport for hobby flight and crop dusters, been that way forever and here we go again.

its not the first time they have done this, they did it last summer as well then added the flights again before winter and the plan is to do the same this year.

The Brandon airport continues to be a let down. Every company talks about the great plans they have, then when they roll out they are not exactly what they said they would be and they just get worse over time. The $78 flights did not last long and to fly from Brandon to Toronto was short lived as well...... I feel like you just can't count on the Brandon airport as they keep changing what they offer.

the airport that controls the fares and schedules, but Westjet.

Lol it was WestJet's decision, not the airports. WestJet is a business, not a charity. If they can make more money using their airplane flying out of a different city, they will go ahead and do that.

I was disappointed about Westjet cancelling the Toronto flights. I had booked for Christmas and had to rebook from Winnipeg instead. However, I was going to Halifax and the connections were terrible, 6+ hours. If that was the case for many people connecting to other flights I can see how that would have had people driving to Winnipeg instead. If they had adjusted the flight times to allow better connecting options maybe it would have done better? Just my thoughts.

I am curious as to how many here saying it is the airport have actually sat at the airport during a week and watched how full the flights were? Are these planes full constantly? We want we want.....yet we will only support a couple times. It is something like the Blood Donor clinic closing. All of a sudden politicians, union reps, people all come out of the woodwork to show support, then poof. Back to no support. If these planes are full there would be no way Westjet would be cutting flights. Brandon people need to fly more, plain and simple. People wanted Toronto flights, wasn't enough interest.

My entire childhood up at the airport, I have seen my fair share of 2 or 3 people get on a plane that can hold 70 plus, oh and than the plane flew anyway.

WestJet afternoon flights are about 90% fu?l each flight and each day. The early flight in the morning and arrived late the night before was about 60%. The issue really is that in the summer people travelling goes down people drive or do summer vacations at cabins or in campers. The flights will be back in the fall.