Flyers spoilt for choice as airlines eye Canada

Published on 27/03/2007 17:56

PASSENGERS will benefit from a choice of three airlines flying over 25 flights a week to Canada from Scotland this summer.

The explosion in services by low fares airlines follows the withdrawal of Air Canada's daily summer service to Toronto.

The fierce competition will be good news for customers, as the large number of flights will lead to lower prices.

Scots airline FlyGlobespan launches a new daily service from Glasgow to Toronto in May, with fares from just 99 one way.

Tom Dalrymple, the firm's chairman, admits the competition will be tough. He says: "The Globespan group has 30 years of experience in the Canadian travel market.

"The experience the parent company has operating there will be vital in ensuring FlyGlobespan delivers in what is a highly competitive sector.

"I am very pleased we will be flying daily into Toronto's Hamilton International - an airport growing in popularity because of its convenient location between Niagara Falls and downtown Toronto."

Apart from the Toronto link, FlyGlobespan will also operate two services a week to Vancouver and one service a week to Calgary from Glasgow. Zoom Airlines - set up by travel tycoons Hugh and John Boyle - will offer the widest choice of destinations in Canada from Scotland this summer.

The schedule from Glasgow offers three flights a week to Toronto, two to Vancouver and one each to Calgary, Ottawa and Halifax.

The airline aims to offer attractive prices and flexibility of durations and destinations to make it easier for those who want to travel on holiday, on business or to visit friends in Canada.

John Boyle, the firm's director, says: "We pride ourselves in revolutionising the low fares concept to Canada when we introduced low-cost scheduled flights four years ago.

"One of the key contributing factors to our success is the one-way fares policy we operate, allowing passengers to fly into one destination and return from another.

"We are delighted to be expanding our summer schedule to cater for the exceptional level of demand from Scots passengers."

In the near future, Zoom plans to expand its operations to offer services to other destinations outside Canada, after receiving a 5.7 million investment package from Bank of Scotland, which has acquired a 7.5 per cent stake in the airline. Canadian Affair has also increased its schedule from Glasgow, with six flights to Toronto and one each to Vancouver and Calgary operated by its air partners Air Transat, Thomas Cook Airlines and My Travel Airways.

Edinburgh will offer two flights a week to Toronto - one with FlyGlobespan and one with Canadian Affair.

A spokesman for airport operators BAA Scotland welcomed the boost in Canadian flights and expected to see a big increase in passenger numbers.

"Canada, like the US, has a strong emotional link with Scotland and remains an incredibly popular destination.

"This is despite a relatively small drop in passenger numbers in 2006 which can be attributed to Air Canada pulling out of flights to Glasgow. The market remains strong, however, with great potential for growth.

"Over the winter months traffic has increased by 20 per cent and the provision of extra capacity this summer, including new flights to Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, should see passenger numbers growing.

"With FlyGlobespan, Canadian Affair and Zoom now serving Canada, the competition will be strong, and that means low prices for customers."