Mike McNaney, VP Corporate Affairs for West Jet – photo 25News

Prince George, B.C.-  For Mike McNaney,  Vice President of Corporate Affairs for WestJet,  there is something air travellers can do to help bring down the cost of  flights.

“Contact your MP” said McNaney to a  Prince George Chamber of Commerce lunch gathering.

It’s all about  changing Federal policies and funding.

McNaney says  with billions invested in capital,  plus operational, maintenance, taxes and landing fees,  WestJet’s average profit per  passenger is $14 dollars.  That doesn’t give an airline a lot of wriggle room  if the flights aren’t full or the cost of fuel  jumps.

McNaney  explained that U.S. carriers  are able to  offer discount or lower  priced  flights because  so much  of the  industry south of the border is subsidized  “We are competing  against the U.S. Treasury.”  He  says  with American  government funding readily available for  airports, runway expansions along with favourable  fuel taxes  and landing fees  with a policy that caps Airport improvement fees at just $4 dollars,  it is no surprise that  American carriers can offer  low cost  flights.  In fact,  he says Southwest Airlines has had the right to offer  it’s low cost service in Canada for  the past two decades, “And has made the conscious decision not to fly here.  It says a lot about the state of our  (Canadian) industry and  the cost to do business here.”

McNaney  says the  Federal Government has been listening to the  challenges  faced by  Canadian Airports and airlines ” The current government has been carrying out  a wide range of consultations on transport policy in general, not just aviation.  We have  certainly participated in those consultations, as has the  local airport, I am hopeful the messages are being heard, and I am hopeful that the  economic generation  and spin off that this industry   brings to Canada,  I  am hopeful that recognition of that is occurring.”   He says a lowering of costs in operating  would  increase opportunities for  services,  “If you lower  operating costs overall, there is an opportunity then for   more flights, more service,  because more can be provided at an economically profitable  perspective.”

But if the playing field is   levelled in order to entice  low cost  American carriers to  offer service in Canada,  would that not  put extra pressure on  Canadian  operators like WestJet?  “If we actually get to a point in  terms of public policy where  those other carriers that don’t fly here actually are  serving  here,  that means we   are establishing the right to an  equal playing field in Canada that  is going to benefit everybody.  So yes you will get  more competition,  that’s fine, we’re  going to have an overall lower operating cost in Canada, that will benefit  every operator,  the carriers, the airports, but will ultimately  benefit the consumer and that will lead to more flights and more service.”

McNaney  explained  why WestJet cancelled its direct flight between Prince George and Calgary  as being a decision based on the “softness of the market”  but says WestJet is keeping an eye on the kind of activity that may  be  forthcoming with the recent approval of the  PacificNorthwest LNG project  and  the opportunities that  may present themselves  should that project move forward.