select few
written by bcracer , May 08, 2008 (05:45:03 AM)

This is what happens when a very select few get there way.
I think direct flights are a wonderful idea. To Edmonton or Kamloops would prabably have been a better idea.
Now the rest of us will end up paying for them!
NICE!

Reuniting families...
written by tombstone81 , May 08, 2008 (07:00:00 AM)

BCracer...I guess we will just have to look at this as a $400,000 compassionate investment to help reunite a select few families...like the people interviewed on the innaugural flight from Tennessee or wherever who hadn't seen their daughter in 11 years. (And yes, my tongue is firmly in cheek here). Like they couldn't have found another way to visit PG in the past decade until direct service from Seattle started?

Personally I'd rather negotiate a few less potholes while driving our gawdforsaken local streets than dole out that kind of cash to watch a handful of the city's elite fly to Emerald City.

Oh well, IPG has another sixty-grand to burn through now promoting PG to Washington's north-west. Maybe they can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear yet...although I wouldn't count on it (news flash, people, Seattle has wilderness in it's backyard too--Cascade range anyone?). Horizon's CEO has already apparently authorized a price drop from 179 to 139 to 99...I guess his next move is to "guarantee a moose or a bear sighting or your money back"!!

Hopefully today's wonderful news story of the day is our mayor announcing his retirement. In honour of his service legacy we can erect a statue of a Chinese container holding a mothballed Q-400 turboprop jet...set on a Nechako River island with no bridge access.

Been There, Flew That
written by Pylot Project , May 24, 2008 (11:46:16 PM)

Sorry to flog a dead story, but I have some new thoughts regarding this service.

I recently had a business trip to the USA and took advantage of the direct flight from Seattle as part of my itinerary home. I have to say that the Horizon crew provided outstanding service. Plus the items available to the consumer while onboard were far superior to what is offered by both Air Canada Jazz and WestJet. The jet itself was not a "mothballed" model. It was the newer version of the Bombardier Q400, not the old Dehavilland Q400, and thus it was modern and comfortable.

But that said, it was a disappointment to only see 17 customers on board (including myself). This is the Memorial Day long weekend in the USA, and I would have expected more than this. That is only 23 percent of capacity. I could not see how many were waiting for the return flight.

My suggestion to Horizon would be to use the Bombardier Q200 that they also have in their fleet. It has seating capacity half of the Q400. This would make more sense until the numbers increase enough to warrant a larger aircraft. It's a bit slower but it would only add about 15 minutes of flying time.

...
written by MustBMe , May 25, 2008 (05:49:15 AM)

What a surprise that Horizon Air didnt want to produce any numbers. For competitive reasons? I dont think they have any competition for this type of flight so that argument flys out the window along with the taxpayers $400k. I am still trying to figure out even IF the plane reachs its 74% projection and we arent on the hook for the bribe, how is a shuttle service between Seattle and PG a benefit to the average PG citizen?