Air service committee works to keep vital air link for businesses
Asia is crucial to many business travelers in the Vancouver/Portland Metro area, and the only way to get there from Portland International Airport, commonly known as PDX, is through one daily flight to Japan run by Northwest Airlines. That flight remains because of the efforts of the International Air Service Committee, formed in the fall of 2001 by Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard and former Portland Mayor Vera Katz in an effort to re-introduce service to Asia after Delta Airlines cut its service across the Pacific from PDX that same year. The 30-member committee meets quarterly, and will convene Dec. 14 at the Hilton Vancouver.
"When Delta left, Portland International Airport was international in name only," said city of Vancouver Business Development Manager Gerald Baugh.
Having international air service in a market region not only brings hefty revenue from travelers passing through, but it makes or breaks deals when it comes to attracting and keeping major firms.
"(Civil engineering firm) Bilfinger Berger moved to (Vancouver) just because of Lufthansa flights to Europe from PDX," said Baugh. "Still, we are the smallest market in North America that has flights to Asia."
Companies such as Vancouver-based optics technology firm nLight Photonics travel frequently to Asia, relying on that market for a large chunk of their business.
"For us it’s a key connection," said nLight President and CEO Scott Keeney. Delegates from his company make the trip to Japan six times each year. Without the Northwest flight, Keeney said he and his people would have to go to Vancouver, British Columbia, to catch a flight. The Canadian option is the best because other airports such as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which offers 30 weekly flights to Asia, are so crowded that it makes more sense in terms of time value to take a short flight from PDX up to Canada and hop a plane to Asia.
Committee officials were concerned to learn that representatives from Vancouver International Airport were in town recently offering the Canadian port as an option for business travel to Asia.
So, what does Canada have to offer? More flights, for one. The airport offers 117 weekly flights to nine cities in Asia alone, through multiple carriers. This is possible because Canada has a much more liberal air service market than the United States.
"The U.S. Government grants (airlines) the right to fly internationally," said PDX International Air Service Marketing Director Suzanne Miller, also a committee member. The government granting process is one reason getting the Northwest flight was no small feat for the committee.
"We really worked hard with our community to restore our nonstop carrier to Asia," she said.
Miller feels the Canadian marketing effort is a reaction to the imminent change in passport restrictions, which will take effect January of 2007. The new restrictions will require air travelers to Canada to carry a passport and go through the customs clearance process.
A pilot project offered in Canada called NEXUS Air is designed to speed frequent "low risk" travelers through the customs process using iris recognition technology to verify members of the program. Membership in NEXUS Air is not free; registration costs around $50 American. Vancouver International Airport Sales and Marketing Associate Danna Siverts said the NEXUS program makes the airport a logical choice.
"When a major aircraft like a 747 offloads after an international flight, you’re looking at an hour or more of standing in line (to clear customs)," Siverts said. "With NEXUS Air, you just go right through to your connecting flight."
Siverts said the program also works with United States Immigration, adding convenience to incoming travelers as well.
Portland International recently was voted the number one airport in the nation for business travel by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
"We’re very tickled," Miller said.
The award cited recent renovations, free wireless internet throughout the facility, a good mix of local retail and the fact that it is one of a few airports that has light rail connecting it to the surrounding community.
"They’re looking at Portland as competition," said Miller. "And that’s great."
Oh, Canada.
