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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday December 15, 2007 - 11 more With an astonishing $3 million expansion, John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (hi) is quickly becoming the airport of choice for frequent flyers and vacation travellers alike. The expansion has successfully improved efficiency and customer service, and top-notch carriers WestJet, Globespan and Air Canada's Jazz have taken note, choosing hi for flights across Canada, to Britain and Florida. And the airport's expansion which, among other things, has upgraded the international arrivals area to more than double their original size, means flying to the U.S and Britain is easier and more convenient than ever. Improving the airport has not been just about offering more destinations ­ it's also been about making the whole experience of flying better, too. Not only is there more room, hi has also added a spacious and comfortable lounge. For those coffee aficionados, there are now two Tim Hortons, (one pre-security and one post-security) making it easier to enjoy Hamilton's favourite drink no matter where you are in the airport. Visitors can also take advantage of On The Fly retail, The Escarpment Lounge and Coyote Jack's Road House. For those travelling to international destinations, there is also the convenience of an on-ite Foreign Currency Exchange. The expansion also included the creation of the Hamilton International Duty Free, situated in the newly renovated departure lounge. The shop features hundreds of different items, including product lines traditionally only available at exclusive stores and boutiques. Hamilton International Duty Free offers an enjoyable shopping experience with incredible deals on merchandise for women, men, and children. You'll find high end brand name fragrances and cosmetics like Chanel, Lancome, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden and more. Also available is a selection of Swarovski jewellery and fashion watches. No duty free shopping trip is complete without picking up a bottle or two, and Hamilton International Duty Free offers top-shelf liquors and some of the best Ontario wines. The shop accepts all major credit cards and is open for service for every international and transborder flight. Ron Foxcroft, Chairman of the hi Board of Directors, said the expansion is proof of its continued commitment to its customers. "Our main focus is on customer service and efficiency," Foxcroft says. "Hamilton really is the transportation hub for the province of Ontario. We see a great opportunity here." The airport's commitment also shows in the other services it offers. To make getting to and from the airport a breeze, hi has dozens of options. "We are very excited about a recent announcement by the provincial government," says Richard Koroscil, President and CEO of Hamilton Internation. "They are investing $400 million into public transportation and some of that will see an extension of the bus route from Upper James to the airport." Taxi and limo services are available, as well as car rental companies, including Avis, Hertz and National, to get you out into the city to explore all it has to offer. You can also take advantage of a Door to Door Van Service, which can get you to your home or business quicker than you think. Last spring, the airport added the hi shuttle to its list of transportation services. The hi shuttle provides an important link between the airport, downtown Hamilton hotels and the Hunter Street GO Station. "Our customers have told us that they want more ground transportation options and we are excited to be delivering through the hi shuttle program," says Richard Koroscil, President and C.E.O of Hamilton International, adding that the airport also offers long and short term parking, wireless Internet, bank machines and accessibility services, all to make your experience more enjoyable. "Airports are always in a state of growth," continues Koroscil, adding the most recent expansion won't be the last for Hamilton International. "The airport has another expansion in the works. We've dedicated about $3 million to the project, which will see an expansion of the departure area that will provide more space for outbound traffic." "Our goal has always been to provide our visitors with a better more comfortable experience. An airport should be easy to access, easy to navigate and Hamilton International encompasses that." says Koroscil. "We're a diamond in the rough," adds Foxcroft. "But we won't be a diamond in the rough for long. People are going to know we're here." The Airport's new Transportation and Information Centre provides information on everything from flights to ground transportation to attractions in Hamilton and Southwestern Ontario, all with a smile. "The wonderful representatives that work at the airport are always willing to help wherever it is needed. To date our information centre has assisted more than 93,000 passengers and guests with face to face interaction as well as more than 11,415 telephone calls. This summer alone, the information centre worked just over 960 hours. In those months they served more than 23,450 passengers face to face and answered 5,001 telephone calls," says Koroscil proudly. These hi Ambassadors are a vital component of the airport's dedication to enhancing its customer service. Easily identified by their bright orange shirts, there are presently 15 volunteers that assist in the terminal on a daily basis. Their role is to provide a high standard of customer service to all guests entering Hamilton International Airport.This includes assisting passengers wherever it is needed, destinations, air carrier partnerships and services than ever before. Expansion makes Hamilton International first choice for travel including giving directions within the terminal area as well as vehicle directions to different areas in the region, helping guests and passengers with payment of their parking, meeting and greeting each arriving flight into Hamilton International, assisting passengers with special needs, passengers who are apprehensive about travelling and passengers who are lost and confused. "Our volunteers have provided more than 1,360 hours of their time since this program started in October 2006," says Koroscil. Future initiatives for the airport include a 1,000 square meter addition to the existing boarding lounge facilities which will double it in size. The expansion will provide additional passenger seating as well as expanded retail facilities and a larger duty free store, an expanded kids zone scheduled to be in service by June 2008, and a $500,000 high speed, high capacity snow blower which will increase hi's capabilities for rapidly removing snow from airfield surfaces by this January. While hi has truly improved its services and facilities to rival airports like Pearson and Buffalo International, what's most important for local flyers to appreciate is that flying in and out of Hamilton International is easy and convenient. Even more impressive is that Hamilton International can now get you to those destinations that previously were unattainable. WestJet's flights to Florida alone are enough for you to choose Hamilton International, as are Globespan's flights to Britain. So, for convenience, service and flights across Canada, to the U.S and Britain, choosing Hamilton International is the best choice. And with promises of more great things to come, choosing to fly from hi just got easier. "Why fight the lineups at the border to fly out of Buffalo? Why deal with the confusion and waiting at Toronto when you can fly conveniently and hassle free out of Hamilton?" Koroscil says. Flying to Florida from Hamilton just got easier with WestJet's new non-stop flights Beginning February 15, WestJet will fly from Hamilton International to three great Florida locations: Orlando, Tampa Bay and Fort Lauderdale. It will offer flights to Orlando three times a week and flights to Tampa Bay and Fort Lauderdale twice a week, and also offers great low fares and 50 per cent off parking when you book these flights. In addition to its new Florida flights, WestJet will continue to offer multiple weekly flights including non-stop service to Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Halifax and Moncton as well as connections to 16 other destinations. To book your flight today see your travel agent or visit www. westjet.com Schedule: With 7 flights per week, now you can fly to Britain from the convenience of Hamilton thanks to Globespan One of Britain's fastest growing airlines, Globespan is touching down again at Hamilton International. In May, Globespan, a webbased, low cost airline, began providing three flights a day from the convenience of Hamilton International to London, Manchester and Glasgow. After a successful summer Globespan is returning to Hamilton international for a second summer,, offering seven flights a week g g to great European destinations, including London, Manchester, Bristol, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh. These great flights start as low as $179.99 one way. Visit www.flyglobespan.ca. . Going to Ottawa or Montreal? Air Canada's Jazz will take you there from Hamilton Through Jazz, Air Canada offers daily and weekend service to Ottawa and Montreal, from the convenience of Hamilton International. Once in Montreal, you can connect to anywhere in the world Air Canada flies. Flights to Montreal are offered three times a day, Monday to Friday and once a day on the weekend. Montreal is the connecting hub to Eastern Canada, the United States and Europe. Flights to Ottawa are offered twice a day Monday to Friday and once a day on the weekend. For more information visit www.aircanada.com. Schedule: Montreal ­ 3 times per day Monday to Friday; 1 per day Saturday and Sunday (Montreal is a connecting hub to eastern Canada, The United States and Europe) Ottawa ­ 2 times per day Monday to Friday; 1 per day Saturday and Sunday New non-stop routes to Florida starting February 15 · 3 flights per week to Orlando · 2 Flights per week to Tampa Bay · 2 Flights per week to Fort Lauderdale Canadian Destinations Halifax: winter 5 times per week, daily summer Moncton: winter 5 times per wk, daily summer Winnipeg: winter 6 times per week, daily summer Calgary: winter twice per day, summer 3 times per day Edmonton: winter once per day Now more than ever, the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is easier to get to. Coming from the GTA. Getting to the airport is easy and stress free with a drive that all highway. Why fly anywhere else when you can fly hi and fly easy? From Burlington, Oakville, Missisauga,Toronto · Take the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) West to Highway 403 West (Hamilton/Brantford) or · Take 401 West to Highway 403 West (Hamilton/Brantford) or · Take Highway 407 West (toll road) to Highway 403 West (Hamilton/Brantford) · At the Brant Street overpass, stay in right lane and exit onto 403 West · Continue along 403 West past downtown Hamilton, ascending the escarpment · Exit 403 onto Highway 6 South (new as of November 2004) · Left onto Airport Terminal Road For more information on how much easier it is to get to the airport, visit www.flyhi.ca.