Have you ever wanted to travel to New York City, but despise the hustle and bustle of Pearson International Airport?
A new opportunity flying out of Lake Simcoe Regional Airport could make your travel dreams a reality.
At an event at the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport on Wednesday morning, the County of Simcoe and the City of Barrie announced a new partnership with CWT Vacations/Blowes & Stewart Travel Group Ltd. to announce a new air charter service to New York City that will start in Sept. 2020.
“The initial support we have received from the County of Simcoe and the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport has been exceptional. We look forward to continuing to work together in the future and to continued growth at the airport,” said Scott Stewart, owner/president of Stewart Travel, a franchise of CWT Vacations.
Stewart outlined how this method of travel is different from the model currently used out of larger airports, with the focus on the customer experience being paramount.
“Five years ago, our company had this wonky little dream that our company wanted to be the first travel agency to start chartering our own 737-400 aircraft,” he said. “We wanted to create an air travel experience that was the way it used to be.”
Stewart said customers can expect a different experience when taking the charter flight, where they will be greeted in their vehicles by CWT staff upon arrival, checked in through an iPad with proprietary software, customers will be able to drive up to the hangar and park for free where staff will also help to unload vehicles, check bags and provide boarding passes and wait in a private terminal for their boarding. On the flight, customers will be given free meals service and beverage service including alcohol. Concierge service is also available where staff will help customers book restaurant reservations and tickets for shows if required.
Stewart said there are plans in the works for further flights, but those plans will be finalized once they see how the first flight fills up.
“This is just the start. It’s the kick off. We anticipate that we’ll be announcing further flight dates after this departure,” said Stewart. “We want to be here to prove that passenger travel works.”
Stewart said his company already has similar arrangements through the Peterborough Municipal Airport, where they already run charter flights to destinations such as New York, Charlotte, Montreal, Boston, Chicago and New Orleans.
He added this is also a long-term goal for him in Simcoe County.
Stewart also said CWT Travel will be developing a partnership with a local school as well as hiring locally for the positions that will be created by the venture.
“On any departure day, we will have about 21 staff here on-site,” he said, adding they would be contract positions at first. “As we grow, my goal is to have flights weekly.”
The first charter flight will take off on Sept. 24 2020, returning on Sept. 27, with about 100 seats available. The cost for a seat will be $1,299 plus taxes, and includes a stay in New York at the Hampton Inn Manhattan Square Garden for three nights. Final payment to secure a seat is due June 12, 2020.
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