The past few weeks have been full of new beginnings at Hamilton Airport.
Porter Airlines has officially launched service out of the airport, passenger terminal enhancements have now been completed, and a new CEO and Executive Managing Director were announced.
The first-ever Porter Airlines flights out of Hamilton took off on June 3 to Halifax and Vancouver.
Daily flights to Vancouver are currently departing at 8:20 a.m. while flights to Halifax leave at 8:55 p.m.
There are also returning flights from each destination.
Halifax flight times will change at the end of June.
Meanwhile, an additional flight to and from Vancouver will be added starting on June 28 and daily flights connecting Hamilton to Calgary and Edmonton began on June 11.
A press release from Hamilton Airport notes that flights are operated on Porter’s 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, which means that there are no middle seats on any of their flights.
Economy air travel reportedly features “free, fast WiFi, and complimentary beer, wine, and premium Canadian snacks for everyone.”
The start of service by Porter Airlines also aligns with the “substantial completion of significant enhancements to the passenger terminal” at the airport.
Completed enhancements include an expanded exterior frontage, updated landscaping and a new marquis YHM sign.
Inside the terminal, there are upgrades to check-in, baggage claim, and the departure gate areas as well as the integration of architectural elements, new digital signage, and lighting upgrades.
Future enhancements, including passenger jet bridges, are still in the works.
Andrew Pierce, Vice President of Network Planning and Reporting at Porter Airlines, said in a press release, “Our emphasis on providing genuine service for everyone who travels with us is an important distinction for Hamiltonians that for too long haven’t received the elevated experience they deserve.”
“We believe the community will appreciate the ability to fly closer to home and we see significant opportunities to expand our network across North America from YHM. The new terminal renovations are impressive, and they will have a great impact on the overall travel experience.”
Tradeport International Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vantage Group which manages Hamilton Airport, also recently announced the appointment of a new CEO and Executive Managing Director.
Peter Tong, who has held leadership positions at Vantage Group since 2018 and reportedly spearheaded the terminal enhancement project at the airport, will now serve as CEO of Hamilton Airport.
Ed Ratuski, who has been a key member of Vantage Group for 17 years and held positions at Hermes Airport in Cyprus, LaGuardia Terminal B and JFK Terminal 7 In New York, and Executive Managing Director of Kamloops Airport in British Columbia, will now be the Executive Managing Director at Hamilton Airport.
Ron Foxcroft, Chair of the TradePort Board of Directors, also extended his appreciation to the airport’s outgoing Executive Managing Director Cole Horncastle and announced that he will be transitioning to a new role as Director of Global Advisory Services with Vantage Group.
In other news at the airport, Air Canada recently extended their agreement with The Landline Company to continue providing luxury motorcoach land-air connections between Toronto’s Pearson Airport, Hamilton Airport, and Region of Waterloo Airport.
The service launched as a pilot program one year ago.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
