Labradorians feel left out of province's new intraprovincal air loop agreement

"Why can't they include Labrador?"

That's the question Happy Valley-Goose Bay resident Lillian Dyson asked when she heard about the province's new air travel loop connecting St. John's, Gander and Deer Lake.

Labradorians are feeling ignored by the provincial government after officials on Tuesday announced an agreement with PAL Airlines to create an intraprovincial air loop. 

The new routes will run seasonally from June 15 to Sept. 20, operating four days per week.

Bernie Bolger, another Labrador resident, has also been left disappointed by the investment. "We got to pay twice as much money [for travel] and we're ignored," said Bolger. 

Bolger said last week it cost him $800 to fly to Labrador City for medical reasons. 

"To fly down to St. John's, it costs us an enormous amount of money. And we're just retired pensioners. You can't afford that," said Bolger. 

Resident Eldred Davis also says that Labradorians have longer distances to travel than on the island. As for the new loop, he said he is surprised the province would want to use aircraft for such relatively short distances.

"I think they should revisit this and make it a little easier for Labrador people who have far bigger bills," he said. 

Tourism Minister Steve Crocker said the new route is seasonal, and will only be in place for about 15 weeks during tourism season. 

The agreement is a revenue guarantee, Crocker said. That means the province might not pay anything, as long as PAL Airlines breaks even. 

PAL Airlines declined CBC's request for an interview. 

Labrador's high flight costs

The Goose Bay Airport Corporation says it feels left out of the province's newest air travel investment strategy. 

Over the last six months, the airport has been asking the government for funding to improve airline rates and travel routes in and out of Labrador 

"This is not intraprovincial travel. This is intra-Newfoundland travel," said chair Dean Clarke. 

Flights aren't cheap. Clarke says it can be $1,300 to round-trip travel from Goose Bay to Labrador City, or $1,400 to St. John's.

Clarke says he couldn't believe it when he heard that the province was going to introduce the new loop, because despite his efforts to negotiate government support to air travel in Labrador, he has heard nothing. 

"We've been suffering here in Labrador for far too long. We've asked for assistance on this route development and [it has] not come about," said Clarke. "Why can't they step up to the plate?"

The province said in a press release that it's continuing to communicate with Labrador airport partners about improving air access.

The statement also said the province will press the federal government to reduce fees that make flight prices higher. 

Clarke says that statement isn't fair, because federal fees are the same for all airports. 

"For the premier, and indeed the province, to even suggest that is ludicrous," said Clarke. 

MHAs respond

NDP MHA for Labrador West Jordan Brown says he isn't surprised by the agreement and the government's focus on tourism.

"We're subsidizing people's vacations on the backs of people that actually need to travel around this province for medical, for school, for other things," said Brown. 

PC MHA for Torngat Mountains Lela Evans said in a statement that she's also frustrated by the agreement with PAL Airlines. 

"To subsidize an 'island-only' intraprovincial air travel loop is outrageous," said Evans in the statement.

She said she recently spoke with a resident who paid $1,427 for travel to St. John's. 

"This is rubbing salt in our wounds," said Evans. 

In a press release, the province says the budget allocates $2 million to a five-year strategy to transform the tourism industry, and "$15 million for tourism marketing and air access."

But Crocker told CBC News this week that money isn't for air access, but rather route development for tourists. 

"I wish there were $15 million for air access development in this year's budget, but unfortunately there's not," he said. 

Crocker says Labrador is not being forgotten about, saying the money was previously earmarked for tourism and not for affordability.

He says tourists travelling to Labrador usually come from Halifax or Montreal, so routes from those cities would need to be involved to increase tourism in Labrador. 

"This is not about excluding anybody. This is about getting the non-resident visitor — that we're trying to target — here," said Crocker. 

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