By paNOW Staff

United Airlines ending flights to Denver from Regina, Saskatoon

Jan 21, 2015 | 6:31 AM

People in Saskatchewan are going to have fewer ways to fly away on holiday as United Airlines is pulling its service to Denver.
 
As of the end of February, United Airlines will no longer have twice daily flights to Denver from Regina and Saskatoon. The company cited the low Canadian dollar, tough pricing competition, and a robust American economy in its reasons.
 
Jim Hunter, the president and CEO of the Regina Airport Authority, calls the decision disappointing, “particularly when both communities are experiencing record growth, reflecting the province’s outstanding economic performance.”
 
Hunter said Regina and Saskatoon are getting the short end of the stick in the airline’s search for profits because they’re smaller markets. But he also said that this decision doesn’t mean the service can’t be resumed in the future.
 
Both Regina and Saskatoon’s airport authorities said they will join forces to fill the gap left by United Airlines.

Saskatoon Chamber head calls move ‘destructive’

United’s decision comes just months after the airline cancelled its direct flights out of Chicago in August. Saskatoon is now left with only one American transporter hub: a twice-daily service to Minneapolis from Delta Airlines.

“This will be destructive, there’s no two ways about it,” said Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kent Smith-Windsor.

“We’re fortunate to have a bit of a relief valve with Delta Airlines,” he said. “It’s been servicing Saskatoon for the longest of the U.S. carriers … and we’re hopeful to see that potentially expand.”

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Maybury added the United decision is “disappointing”.

“We’ve talked about the loss in hub service to our community. I think that’s disappointing too, and substantial,” he said.

The service cut comes just as a $53 million air terminal building expansion nears completion at Saskatoon’s Diefenbaker International Airport.

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