Originally Posted by
Soccerra
Westjet is ceasing service to both Medicine Hat (YXH) and Lethbridge (YQL) June 24th. Tons of taxpayer dollars spent at YQL to keep WestJet in town, when the code share ended with CMA that was the beginning of the end.
This is really too bad - but not surprising. Looks like most of the former Westjet Link flights are gone - Dawson Creek and Lloydminster came and went even faster.
I remember when these cities had AC flights (3x daily BEH and then DH1 I believe), but lobbied hard for Westjet. Westjet came, but it was just as AC was getting rid of its smallest props, so as Westjet came, AC left. Now both are left with no service at all. If only they had kept the Link planes with a few daily frequencies, I'm sure these would have been sustainable. Just sad to see two cities that have had consistent service for decades lose all service.
Maybe AC will swoop in with DH4s to YVR? With a big enough subsidy, maybe that's the answer? Look at how they bumped up their YVR-YXE/YQR capacity when they exited the YYC-YXE/YQR market...