News - Stephenville International Airport

Stephenville Airport Corporation asked for the public's support last Friday when nearly 200 people from the Bay St. George community filed into the Port au Port room at Holiday Inn.

The big numbers turned up for an update on the airport and to learn more about a possible new airline service to Halifax.

Airport manager Larry Smith and Atlantic Escapes travel agency owner Tony Young were on hand, along with the CEO of Montreal-based StarLink Airlines.

Mr. Young told those in attendance the service is in its proposal stage.

"This is a consideration. Nothing has been signed. This is not a 'for sure' thing," he said.

"That's why we're here. We're here today to see what we can work out for the airport and for the airline."

He said if StarLink Airlines decides to offer the service, it would mean two flights per day - one in the morning, one in the evening - to Halifax, Monday to Friday. Its base of operations would be in Stephenville and airfares, Mr. Young said, would be comparable to those offered by other airlines operating out of Deer Lake.

Mr. Young said he has worked on a marketing plan, adding that ineffective marketing has been a barrier of similar airline services in the past.

Mr. Paquet added some of the marketing would happen in the Halifax area.

"Halifax airport already committed $30,000 to marketing to fly to Stephenville," said Mr. Paquet.

Young, looking to grow

StarLink Airlines, based out of Quebec, has been in the aviation business for around 25 years, operating first on the business side of the aviation world.

Mr. Smith said it has operated passenger service on small jets for six years, mainly providing service from Montreal to more rural areas of Quebec.

It also plans to launch a new route in Nova Scotia within the next three weeks.

Mr. Smith said ideally the airline would like to base the planes for the Halifax run at the airport here, meaning mechanics, flight attendants and other service personnel would be based out of Stephenville.

The men took several questions from the assembly during the meeting. One gentleman asked what the airline would do if Air Canada, which operates flights to Halifax from Deer Lake, began to undercut them in price.

"It's happening right now in Quebec," replied Mr. Paquet.

"We're fighting them with one thing. - the quality of our service - and it works."

Mr. Smith spoke up and also replied to assembly members' concerns that Air Canada may choose to return and offer service from Stephenville Airport.

"As for that other airline,' well, my memory is long, and hell will freeze over before I let them back in here," he said to a wave of applause from the audience.

He also reminded the assembly of the other issues the airport faces, such as fuel capacity.

"StarLink won't be the end all be all," he cautioned.

Responding to another audience member question, Mr. Smith said negotiations with American company KAZ Aviation, who have expressed interest in making Stephenville part of its network of small airports, are ongoing.

Airport chair Danny McCann thanked the gentleman for their presentation and thanked the public for their pledges of support.

"We'll do everything in our power here in the corporation to make this system work. It's obvious that the interest is here by the attendance in this room," he said. "And what we need from you is your support at the end of the day."