Are We Kidding Ourselves on Winter Travel? One Man's Opinion

Monday, April 30, 2007 03:45 AM

If we keep using Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver it won’t be long before travel companies will not even give this area a glance when it comes to originating winter travel junkets out of here.

The Vice President of Transat Holidays says PG isn’t on the radar for this year although he is working hard to see us get there to have the flights from PG to Puerto Vallarta

Prince George came close to being dropped last year and the flights have improved, but Transat says we need better than 83% capacity which is what we have been running at.

It would be s shame to lose any travel out of this region, given that we are trying to make this a larger more progressive airport and there is a good case to be made.

On the other hand if we keep thinking that somehow we can save a buck by flying into Vancouver and then heading off on our vacation that may be the nail in the coffin.

Added to that has been the practice of some travel agents booking the flights out of Kelowna, Edmonton or Vancouver.

The logic leaves one wondering even if you had to pay say another $200 dollars to fly out of here., you save a day both ways, you save the gas or airline ticket getting to these cities and we have our own customs, well, as long as we use it.

Kelowna would be happy to see us falter, that would mean more business for them and surely if Comox can continue to increase their traffic from that airport there must be a good case to be made for PG.

All we really need to do is think logically, think locally!

I’m Meisner and that’s one man's opinion.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Monday, April 30, 2007 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: jonnypg on April 30 2007 4:43 AM

cost of fuel as gone up! probably why.

Posted by: spanky on April 30 2007 9:29 AM

It is called choice. There is only one option when flying out of PG. Drive/fly to Vancouver and you can go anywhere in the world. You can't expect to cram one crappy destination down peoples throats and expect them to love it. This thing is dead and it has nothing to do with any of the rerasons that you state.

Posted by: tiemens1 on April 30 2007 9:44 AM

I agree with Spanky. I go to Mexico every year but not to the west coast. If I could fly directly out of Prince George to Cancun I would jump at the chance and would be happy to pay a premium for the convenience.

Posted by: owl on April 30 2007 9:48 AM

Bingo Spanky.

I was ready to post the following when I refreshed and saw yours. I man not sure, but I doubt that Puerto Vallarta is the most popular destination these days.

----------------------------
I think it is mainly about options.

One bus per day from the Spruceland Shopping Centre to the Hart Shopping Centre..... one bus per day back.

I suspect there would not be too many people who would take the bus since not everyone wants to get to the Hart Shopping Centre. Many more would want to get on and off in various parts of the Hart.

The same with Mexico. Not everyone from here wants to go there in the first place. For those who do, not everyone wants to go to Puerto Vallarta. Not only that, but not everyone wants to go there directly and come back directly. There are those who want to tie it in with shopping in Vancouver or visiting friends or family in Vancouver and possibly even other cities.

Increase the population base in PG and the likelihood of more people who fit into a very narrow pattern of travel will increase. I doubt too many people will change travel patterns in order to accommodate a marginal operation. After all, it is our dime, it is our vacation and we will find the pattern which best suits us. If a service does not fit, so be it.

This is not about inter-city rivalry between Kelowna and here, it is about choosing the best available service to meet the customer�s needs. I am sure if there were more people in PG who felt this service met their needs, that the use would go up.

Posted by: owl on April 30 2007 9:53 AM

"Added to that has been the practice of some travel agents booking the flights out of Kelowna, Edmonton or Vancouver."

??????? I wonder if that has anything to do with the best available routing based on customer's needs? If this is being rammed down customers' throats, I would go somewhere else for my travel business.

Posted by: owl on April 30 2007 10:00 AM

Then there is think locally .......

Exactly how much benefit is there to the local economy by flying with a direct flight versus flying from here to Vancouver first? It is still one passenger, one flight. There are no additional passenger movements through the airport.

If we drive to the first airport in another city, we will add more mileage to the car, thus requiring a mechanical check-up sooner than if we flew, plus likely to gas up here before we get too far down the road. That money goes directly to the local economy. It is a small amount per person, but so is the portion of the ticket price per person which stays here.

Posted by: anniemartin on April 30 2007 10:44 AM

As usual we are not thinking much more progressively - Why depend on one Mexico destination? Why isn't the management developing the local markets and growing it? What about direct reasonably priced routes to and from Ft. St. John, Whitehorse, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, Kamloops, Abbotsford - are there not enough people combined in these areas that need to be moved?

How hard was it for West Jet to develop it's routes? They seemed to have done well? The North IS expanding with the Port in Pr. Rupert and in P.G., mining, forestry and the oil and gas industry - these companies are not necessarily located completely in the North - how do you think they would like to travel???

Prince George has ZERO choice for flights at a reasonable price thus most people are going to choose what suites them. Just like the bus, the train and the highways - Northern travel will cost you much more for minimal service.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on April 30 2007 4:36 PM

Puerto Vallarta is one of the most overrated Mexican destinations.Been there done that.several times too many.Save your money.
But!..as has been mentioned,Cancun would be a winner.Or Hawaii/Maui?
Still,driving/flying to Vancouver makes a lot more sense.I'll stick with that until they come up with something better out of Prince George.Which they won't.

Posted by: lunarguy on April 30 2007 4:57 PM

I like my fellow PG'ers but last thing I want on vacation is running into them. Given we all took the same flight to Mexico,that is what happened to me last year. Next year I will fly out of Vancouver and go where ever :)

Posted by: Runner46 on April 30 2007 9:29 PM

There are more of the target market in Kelowna and mid island......Obviously even 83% is not good enough except at Univeristy.

Posted by: owl on May 1 2007 1:52 AM

Never been to Puerto Vallarta. But have been to Benidorm in Spain. I suspect that from what I hear the two are quite similar. Never want to go back to Benidorm. Never want to try Puerto Vallarta.

Can't we get a direct flight from here to somewhere really nice and almost undiscovered that no one else flies to? That way people in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, etc. would have to fly to PG to connect with a direct flight .......

Wait .... I think that is thinking outside the box a bit to far .... better get back into the box ...

;-)