Foreign carriers may soon arrive at John Wayne Airport

Major foreign carriers like Air Canada and non-mainland ones like Hawaiian Air Lines may end up giving residents of Orange County many more travel options than ever before, if they are able to see through plans to begin flying from John Wayne Airport. Currently, this regional hub only offers domestic flights, but both Air Canada and Hawaiian Airlines have expressed interest in operating routes from this airport. It is not yet certain when these may be launched as the two carriers must first obtain landing slots and gates at the Orange County hub. Both carriers may just have a chance of accomplishing this, as some space is reported to have become available following the bankruptcy of Aloha Airlines, as well as flight cuts on the part of some of America’s largest airlines.

The biggest potential problem for Air Canada may be that discount giant Southwest has also expressed interest in these same landing spots at the John Wayne Airport, as has Virgin America and Canada’s WestJet. In general, demand for landing slots at the hub have been quite high, and in most cases they were well above the available supply. Yet the current economic slump and record high fuel prices are forcing many carriers to reconsider their previously planned expansions, while others are also trimming down their network of destinations. Yet Air Canada is reportedly at the very top of the list of airlines when it comes to occupying vacant landing slots but when pressed, a spokesperson for the carrier simply noted that it was considering the possibilities, without actually confirming any intentions.

www.aircanada.com