Good news for Palermo's Canadian owners as more nonstop flights added

The Canadian homeowners at Palermo Palm Springs — an ever-growing number of our population — will have another nonstop service to the Palm Springs airport. WestJet is adding a nonstop flight from Winnipeg and will also add a second nonstop from Calgary during the peak season. Here's the report from the newspaper: "WestJet will begin additional service to Palm Springs International Airport from Winnipeg, Canada, as part of its 2011-2012 flight schedule. The flights by the Calgary-based airline will operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays through the season on Boeing Next-Generation 737-700 aircraft. Expansion to Winnipeg will be WestJet's fifth nonstop route in and out of Palm Springs. WestJet already serves the Palm Springs market from Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto. Hugh Dunleavy, WestJet executive vice president of strategy and planning, said in a statement the winter schedule reflects growth in key areas within WestJet's transborder and international networks. In the Palm Springs market alone, WestJet has seen the number of passengers it carries triple from 57,945 passengers in 2006 to 176,222 in 2010. In the first six months of 2011, the count was 120,505, Palm Springs airport statistics show. Canada is an important element of the Coachella Valley's resident and visitor base. Service from Winnipeg, with fares starting at $219, will begin Dec. 15. Service from Toronto will resume Jan. 11 and operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flights to WestJet's hub in Calgary already taking place year-round will be increased to two daily round-trips during the peak tourist season, city officials said. Nonstop flights also will fly daily from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Edmonton, Alberta." Miss Penny Lane says: She remembers when Palermo used to be known as Little Chicago because of all the owners from the Windy City but now maybe Little Canada is more apt, eh.