Sask. premier pitches more U.S. flights in meeting with airline

Premier Brad Wall says he recently met with an unnamed airline to promote more direct flights connecting Saskatchewan with the United States.

Two major airlines have dropped flights to and from Saskatchewan cities since 2015.

Delta Air Lines announced in May it was suspending its Regina to Minneapolis daily routes starting Aug. 1, ending its only direct daily flight from the city.

United Airlines cancelled its direct flights from Regina and Saskatoon to Chicago in 2014. The airline also cancelled direct flights between Saskatchewan's two largest cities and Denver in 2015.

Wall told reporters on Thursday he met with an airline during a recent visit to Toronto, but did not say which one.

"We're encouraging more direct flights to the United States, with that airline and with others, if not through direct meetings then through other points of contact," he said.

Wall said the government was pitching the "comparative strength" of the province's economy in the future, as well as personal anecdotes about full flights.

Although the low Canadian dollar is considered a factor in the airlines' decisions to pull flights, Wall said he knew airlines had noticed high passenger loads on connecting flights.

"Now, I think they are doing an analysis," he said.

"Are they up to the extent that might justify some more direct flights, or are they only taking up some of the slack of others leaving the market?"

Delta will continue offering direct flights between Saskatoon and Minneapolis after Aug. 1.