Bearskin (JV) pulls out of YKF/YOW

[Grey_Wolf]

http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/bearskin-ai ... -1.1744906

CTV Kitchener
Published Tuesday, March 25, 2014 11:25AM EDT
Last Updated Tuesday, March 25, 2014 5:15PM EDT

Bearskin Airlines will no longer fly out of the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

The airline announced Tuesday that it is ending its service between Waterloo Region and Ottawa effective April 1, after seven years at the local airport.

It’s part of a broader move that sees Bearskin pulling out of the Ottawa International Airport – which it has used as a hub for flights to a number of destinations in northern Ontario.

Bearskin officials say the routes simply were not financially viable – even though planes flying between Waterloo Region and Ottawa were often quite full.

“The demand for service was certainly there, however our cost to deliver service has consistently been higher than our ability to cover the revenue,” the company’s sales and marketing director tells CTV News.

Airport general manager Chris Wood says he knew Bearskin was having trouble competing with other airlines flying into and out of Ottawa, but was still surprised to hear the service will be discontinued entirely.

With Bearskin gone, Wood says he’s already talked to other airlines to gauge interest in taking over the route.

“We’re going to do everything we can to try and replace this service,” he says.

Passengers who had booked flights with Bearskin for April 1 or beyond can obtain a refund by calling the airline at 807-474-2624 or their travel agency.

[DHC-1 Jockey]

I wonder what's going to happen to the pilots based there. I left the Bear just as they were opening the base in YKF and I was really tempted to stay and go Captain at the new base. I'm glad I decided to move on.

[cdnpilot77]

I wonder what's going to happen to the pilots based there. I left the Bear just as they were opening the base in YKF and I was really tempted to stay and go Captain at the new base. I'm glad I decided to move on.

Rumour round the camp fire is a layoff of as many as 15pilots. I hope it's false.

Ps. Aren't you moving on to ATC anyways?

[DHC-1 Jockey]

Ps. Aren't you moving on to ATC anyways?

"Trying to move on" to ATC is the key. I haven't left the flying side of things yet. It was a tough decision to leave the Bear, and who knows, if the YKF-YOW run continued forever with mostly single day pairings and being home every night, it would have been a great spot to stay as a career and I might not be trying to make the move I am now. However, now it seems things are shrinking at The Bear. First the Saab 340 experiment failed, then they pulled out of Montreal, and now discontinuing service to Ottawa and Kitchener. I also see on their route map that they no longer fly to Flin Flon and the Pas, and the Hamilton-Kapuskasing flight is also gone.

Rumour round the camp fire is a layoff of as many as 15pilots. I hope it's false.

That's terrible news for the people at the Bear if it's true, especially for the ones who were recently awarded the YKF base after trying to get there for years. Best of luck to all those affected.

[AllClutch]

I wouldn't sweat it at Bearskin just yet.
I heard they are gearing up to take another run at Northern Ontario, taking back all the flying that they ceded to Wasaya, runs that they can actually turn a good margin on with those old metros.

[fish4life]

It makes sense it's a tough go at it to go metro vs Q400 out east why not run against airlines up north ?

[Hot Fuel]

I hear they have some obstacles to over come before they can start running the metros on gravel in the north, a performance issue prohibiting their ability to operate them under 704 regs, my understanding is they have to operate them under 703 regs thus limiting the traffic loads to 9 passengers.

[Aviatorcaptain]

I hear they have some obstacles to over come before they can start running the metros on gravel in the north, a performance issue prohibiting their ability to operate them under 704 regs, my understanding is they have to operate them under 703 regs thus limiting the traffic loads to 9 passengers.

Just heard from a friend today who is still employed there at this time but may only have one flight left before layoffs come. Sounded like they were given the option of taking 2-3 month leave of absence or leaving altogether and by the sound of things a few guys were using this as an opportunity to get out of their bond and move on to something more stable.

[Maynard]

Metro, balanced field in summer on 3500', not an obstacle, impossible...

[sstaurus]

Wasaya must be 703 up there as well, can you even get WAT charts for anything up there if you wanted to?

[Grey_Wolf]

Wasaya runs the Caravans and Pilatus as a 703; Their Beech 1900's as 704; and Dash 8-100 & Hawkers as 705.

As for the WAT charts, Wasaya has contracted a provider to give them these charts. Revisions are monthly.

Charts are kept in the planes library for daily use.

[fish4life]

Haven't seen any metro 23 charts but I'd think they would have better performance on the warm days

[Hot Fuel]

Word around YOW today was that a meeting was scheduled to happen in YXL tonight, it was suggested that the topic was going to be the announcement of the closure of that base as well.

[AEROMONKEY]

lots of rumours here in yqt....apparently there was an email to all employees that wasn't good....dont know specifics...but the guys i spoke to seem concerned about their employment.

[TheFrankestFrank]

Not 703.

This:

724.46

[Valkyrie_XB70]

I'm not sure about YXL or YQT guys but I do know all YKF and YWG maintenance guys were laid off 14 people in total) already.

[thecaptain]

All YXL MTCE staff and office workers have been given notice according to a source of mine. Seems they will also be reducing the staffing levels at the counter too. Possibly down to just 2. Sad

[i-vtec]

Sounds like the writing is on the wall for them after all these years. Guys can't get out quick enough. Seems like all this is happening since Brad Martin took over as President and the fact that EIC walk around with axes. They trim whatever they can to make the financial quarter work no matter the outcome.

[Krimson]

Does this have anything to do with the recent accident?

[opinionated]

Really makes me wonder what they are up to - I've heard rumours of over-booked flights, connecting flights not waiting for each other, and also heard rumour the planes still go to YOW at the end of their easterly run at the end of the day, which makes no sense to me. I know several people that work for BS and everyone's on edge.

Guess this is what happens when a larger company takes over. A lot of P'd off people!