Air Canada adds triangle route between Regina, Montreal, Saskatoon

A new flight is coming to the beleaguered airports ofSaskatoon and Regina.

James Bogusz, president and CEO of the Regina Airport Authority, has confirmedthat Air Canada will introduce a route between Regina and Montreal as part of its summer service plan.

It's the first time there will be a flight between the two locations in the history of the Regina Airport, Bogusz said.

The nonstop route from Regina and Montreal will make a stop in Saskatoon on its way back,making it a triangle route between the three cities.

"We're hopeful this is a start of better things to come in the future," said Bogusz.

In an interview with CBC on Friday, Bogusz said they've been attempting to market a flight between Regina and Montreal to Air Canada for at least two-and-a-half years.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a dramatic shake-up of the industry, Bogusz said that it appears Air Canada is open to taking a little more risk by trying something new.

"We think it's going to be a winner for them. Obviously, it has to be a winner once there's more, you know, passengers traveling generally. But we think it's going to be a great opportunity for summer service," he said.

The new flight will begin on June 25 and operate until Sept. 6.

Bogusz said heis thrilled with the new flight and added that he thinksit'll be the start of a "snowball effect" for the authority, which typically contributes more than $800 million into the local economy.

"Our air service has been so devastated and we've had so few flights for so many months, you know, our contribution to the economy has become much less substantial," Bogusz said.

The Regina and Saskatoon airports have been hard hit by the pandemic and its effect on air travel.

Bothrecently lost their designations as international airports after changes by Transport Canada. Although both airports have applied to be reinstated, theirfuture statusremains undetermined.

Air traffic controllers in Regina were laid off last month amid a servicereview at the airport, which was looking at whetherit was necessary to keep the control tower.

Boguszsaid at the timethat the layoffs were a good indication that NAV Canada, the company that runs the tower, had intentions to close the control tower.