WestJet cancelling some hot direct flights out of Sask.

With the hot holiday season soon to start, vacationers in Saskatchewan could need a bit longer to get where they’re going.

Between Nov. 4 and Jan. 5, WestJet is cancelling some of its direct flights because of the continued grounding of Boeing MAX airplanes.

The once-weekly flight to Orlando from Regina and the three weekly flights to Phoenix from Regina and Saskatoon are being suspended for that time.

The direct flight to Cancun from Regina is being cancelled for November, and then it will fly once a week in December. The flight to Puerto Vallarta from Regina is the other way around — it will fly once a week in November, then not at all in December.

In an email, a WestJet spokesperson said the company is trying to substitute a different aircraft for some flights which people have already booked, but if that’s not possible, the customers will be notified of any itinerary changes.

The MAX planes were grounded in March, and WestJet said it has been able to maintain 98 per cent of its total planned departures since then.

James Bogusz, the CEO of the Regina Airport Authority, said the grounding of the MAX planes has already had an impact on Regina flyers. This summer, the airport saw a reduction in flights to Vancouver and Toronto.

Bogusz said the total effects of the grounding are still emerging.

“It’s something that is happening in real time, and airlines can cancel or change flights as required to suit their schedule and to suit their aircraft availability,” he said.

The reduction in flights will have an impact on the airport’s revenues, but Bogusz didn’t seem very worried. He said the bigger impact is going to be on people trying to get to one of these other cities.

Flyers will still be able to get to their destinations, but it will be less convenient as they’ll have to make a connection in another city first like Calgary or Toronto. Bogusz said he’s happy to report the Regina airport still has lots of those flights.