Busting the Grand Forks myth

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This article was published 14/03/2011 (5623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BARRY Rempel is on a mission, in case you’re wishin’ Grand Forks can cure your lonely condition.

The president and CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority would like to bust the myth it’s always cheaper to travel out of the North Dakota city than it is from James Richardson International.

“If people hear something often enough, it becomes a truism,” Rempel said. “Travellers need to think twice. Our carriers attempt to provide as competitive a product as they can.”

Rempel said he doesn’t have any exact figures, but anecdotal evidence suggests competition from airports south of the border has reduced airport traffic in Winnipeg by many thousands of people. This is particularly the case for destinations such as Las Vegas and Phoenix, which are serviced by a discount carrier, Allegiant Air, with direct flights.

The allure of Grand Forks has become so strong some Winnipeggers are looking to book trips without even considering flying out of their hometown. Tony Young, owner of Atlantic Escapes Travel, said he had a client come in last week to book five tickets to Las Vegas from Grand Forks and didn’t want to compare prices out of Winnipeg. Young checked out fares from both cities just in case, including baggage fees and transfer fees, and the Winnipeg option ended up being $8.25 more per person.

“You’re not going to drive to Grand Forks to save $8.25,” he said.

Young also compared the cost of direct flights to Phoenix, where Grand Forks turned out to be $59 cheaper. After factoring in gasoline, parking costs — not to mention time — Young said he can’t see it being cheaper out of Grand Forks.

Young said travellers are often attracted by low posted one-way fares but they need to check the fine print of their flight arrangements or they could end up paying more than they should. For example, many American airlines charge à la carte for services such as baggage-handling, transfers to hotels and non-alcoholic drinks.

“With WestJet, transfers are included and one checked bag is free. They won’t charge you for a bottle of water, either,” he said.

Rempel lays the blame for the situation on Ottawa, which has imposed a tax-heavy burden on Canadian airport authorities. “There are clearly things that we need to do to convince the federal government that they’re taking way too much money out of Canadians’ pockets when they’re flying,” he said.

Rempel said the fewer people who take off and land in Winnipeg, the harder it is for the WAA to attract new carriers. That could mean travellers will be left with fewer destination choices, he said.

Patrick Dame, executive director of the Grand Forks Regional Airport Authority, said it doesn’t track the home addresses of its outgoing passengers, so he doesn’t know how many are Canadian. And while it advertises in Winnipeg, he said Grand Forks’ airport is too small to compete directly with Richardson International. Grand Forks airport does, however, want to let people in the southern part of the province know Grand Forks is an option.

“We’re within a two-and-a-half-hour drive of the heart of Winnipeg,” he said.

Last year, the Grand Forks airport saw a record 117,855 people pass through its security area on the way out of town, up from the previous high of 100,569. During the same 12 months, nearly 3.7 million people passed through Richardson International, slightly fewer than the 2009 record.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca

 

How it breaks down

Here’s what you’d pay to go to Las Vegas in the first week of May for four days (includes one checked bag, two small carry-on bags and transfers to the resort):

Winnipeg C$716.11

Grand Forks US$707.86

Here’s the price of a week-long trip to Phoenix in the middle of April:

Winnipeg C$1,209.76

Grand Forks US$1,149.37