Sunwing gears up for first flights from BUF

In anticipation of Sunwing's first flight from Buffalo Niagara International Airport set to take off for Cancun, Mexico tomorrow (Jan. 17), the airline and tour operator hosted a special event to celebrate the milestone.

According to Sunwing Travel Group's Lawrence Elliott, group vice-president, business & corporate affairs, the response to the new service has been positive thus far from travellers on both sides of the border. It is estimated that nearly 2 million Canadians flew from BUF in 2014, a number Sunwing expects to see increase with the service. To leverage all opportunities, they are also marketing the option to the western New York market via their U.S. arm, Vacation Express, though Elliott estimates that the Canada-U.S. passenger ratio at this point is approximately 2:1.

Service to Cancun extends to May 9, as do flights to Punta Cana International Airport from the gateway which begin Feb. 14. Interestingly, this is the first international service to be offered from BUF.

"We are always looking for new opportunities," Elliott said, acknowledging partners at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, who pitched Sunwing executives with the idea. "I had never flown out of Buffalo until I drove down in the summer; it's an incredible facility."

He noted the ease of crossing the U.S. border, plus the efficient check-in process at the airport. Not to mention, the price is right for those within the targeted 2.5 hour catchment area, as savings that come with flying from U.S. cities will be passed along to guests, plus parking at BUF starts from just $45 per week. 

Sunwing currently flies out of 35 Canadian cities and as Vacation Express expands south of the border, Elliott said they plan to have service from 14 U.S. gateways by next year. But, flights from other Canadian border cities such as Seattle, Washington or Burlington, Vermont are not on the radar at this time, he admitted, simply because it doesn't fit in with the growth strategy for that marketplace.

Regardless, the fleet continues to expand, now with 37 Boeing 737-800s, two of which are brand new as of this past fall. By next winter, Sunwing will have 43 aircraft with its name on them.

Elliott encouraged travel partners to pass on the importance of booking early to clients, while also highlighting its expanding Blue Diamond Hotels portfolio of Royalton, Memories and Chic brands, in addition to the newly announced Starfish Resorts.

For more information on Sunwing product, visit Sunwing.ca.