A new Air Canada motorcoach service connecting Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport to Toronto Pearson Airport will begin operating on June 15.
The one-year pilot project was approved by city council on Monday as part of a partnership with Tourism Sarnia-Lambton, Landline Company, and Air Canada.
Community representatives and stakeholders met at Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport on Friday morning to celebrate the official announcement.
Landline Company Vice President Nick Johnson said for those who want to utilize the service, the bus fare would be included in the plane ticket at no extra cost, as long as they book directly through Air Canada.
"The bus portion is relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things, so this is a way for Air Canada to build feed into their network, to maybe take people who were going to drive to Detroit and take another airline instead. This is an incentive for that passenger to choose Air Canada instead and buy a ticket to Vancouver, Tokyo, or London."
Landline Company began working with Air Canada to launch the bus service in Ontario in 2024. Since then, Air Canada has seen an increase in customers.
"There are many customers online who have testified that they will now fly Air Canada because of this product. So we've definitely seen some improvements as far as yield," said Air Canada Manager of Regional Markets and Airlines Bernard Tavernier.
As of this summer, Landline will operate 26 daily departures to and from Pearson Airport across six Ontario communities.
"It's a huge moment. We're going to be hiring 30 or 40 new employees so we'll have a total of 80 or 90 folks in the region. Bus drivers hired right here from the community, customer check-in agents for the Sarnia airport hired right here in the community, so it's going to be a huge push to recruit and hire the right folks," said Johnson. "Also, we've purchased additional vehicles to support this big expansion across Ontario."
Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport Manager Mike Roberts said it's "huge for business." They haven't worked out the details yet, but they hope to have their own staff member working in the terminal to help with customer service and to keep the facility clean.
"We manage the entire airport and that includes taking care of the runways, plowing snow, cutting grass, the daily inspection process, taking care of the navigational aides and the airfield," Roberts said. "Air Canada was here for 35 years, it's sort of a legacy connection of Air Canada, so we're thrilled to have them back in this capacity."
Scottsdale Aviation Operator Clare Webb said he's excited about the bus service, especially on a morning like Friday, when snow squalls would have delayed a flight from Sarnia to Toronto.
"This will be a much more reliable, relaxing service," Webb said. "The more that the service is used, the less it's going to cost the city, and could cost the city nothing."
Director of Economic Development Kelly Provost confirmed during Monday's council meeting that if the service is profitable, the Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG) would be returned. The city is working with Tourism Sarnia-Lambton to reach an agreement that would see the $375,000 MRG split between the two.
The big question is, will this lead to flights being restored at Sarnia's airport?
"We'll look to see how well this does over the next year, maybe two years and see where it goes. If the demand is busting through the seams, then it's something for us to discuss on the marketing side. So definitely not a no," said Tavernier.
The bus itself offers single and double leather seats, with tray tables and power outlets. Wi-Fi will also be available onboard.
Travellers will be able to park at Sarnia's airport for free, check in with Air Canada staff, and have their bags tagged. When they arrive at Pearson Airport, customers will go directly to the self-serve bag drop-off and through security.
The motorcoach service will offer two daily round trips out of Sarnia, in the early morning and early afternoon.
Johnson said there will be an opportunity to earn Aeroplan points with the multi-modal ground-to-air service. The amount depends on the overall trip.
Passengers with an existing Air Canada reservation from Pearson Airport can add the bus service at no extra cost by calling Air Canada Reservations, as long as they do so by April 30.
