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Edmonton International Airport has seen the enemy, and it's pesky Cowtown.

A campaign devised by the Edmonton airport aims to slash the number of trips taken by Edmontonians who decide it's worth driving three hours south to catch flights at Calgary International Airport.

Airports in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal are being hard hit as Canadians increasingly choose to drive to U.S. air terminals to fly to American and overseas destinations. But for the Edmonton airport, the leakage of customers is to its long-time Alberta rival.

Edmonton wants to boost its traffic to gain the array of economic spinoffs that arise from having more passengers, ranging from collecting airport improvement fees on departures to the selling of food and souvenirs by retail outlets.

The Edmonton airport first unveiled its cheeky marketing and advertising promotion during a public rally last March, and highlighted the slogan "Stop the Calgary Habit" in Edmonton's print, radio, TV and social media. Billboards in the Alberta capital implored local residents to wean themselves off the rival airport.

This fall, Edmonton officials unabashedly relaunched the campaign, which includes photos of a "Stop the Calgary Habit" banner partly draped over a green highway sign that tells motorists it's 288 kilometres to that Alberta city that starts with the letter C.

Traci Bednard, vice-president of passenger experience at the Edmonton terminal, which brands itself EIA, said she is heartened that from March through August, Edmontonians took an estimated 19,000 fewer driving trips to or from the Calgary airport, compared with industry data for tickets and addresses of travellers a year earlier.

"The reality is that the single thing that this community could do to transform its air service is gain back the loyalty of Edmontonians," Ms. Bednard said in an interview.

Calgary's airport is the major hub for Prairie residents headed for U.S. and foreign destinations, though Edmonton has made big strides in recent years with new non-stop routes (WestJet Airlines Ltd. began seasonal non-stop service between Edmonton and Maui last March, for example). Still, Calgary remains the busiest Alberta airport, handling 12.2 million passengers in 2009 - double the 6.1 million travellers who used the Edmonton terminal.

EIA reckons that Edmontonians account for 750,000 trips annually at the Calgary airport, so while 19,000 fewer flights may seem small, it's seen as a step in the right direction.

"We're repatriating people who were driving to Calgary," said Peter McCart, EIA's marketing vice-president.

Calgary airport spokeswoman Jody Moseley said Edmonton residents will determine for themselves which flight schedules are a suitable fit. "We offer the best airlines with the best schedules to the most destinations, and Calgary is the choice for so many people when they're travelling in Alberta," Ms. Moseley said.

EIA's Ms. Bednard plays down the notion of any Calgarians who might be irked by ribbing from their northern neighbour, which has embarked on a $750-million terminal expansion in anticipation of traffic growth into and out of Edmonton.

"We needed to be direct with Edmontonians about the benefits of their loyalty to their community. That's why we use humour. We have been very careful to make sure we don't say anything bad about Calgary in their market," Ms. Bednard added.

Despite the publicity, it seems that someone forgot to send the memo on community spirit to Alberta-based Red Arrow Motorcoach. On Nov. 1, Red Arrow started bus service to Calgary's airport from Edmonton, effectively thumbing its nose at the Edmonton terminal's efforts to persuade local travellers to support their hometown.

Every weekday at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., Red Arrow leaves its downtown Edmonton stop, delivering travellers to Calgary International Airport after a bus ride lasting three hours and 15 minutes. A bus also leaves Edmonton at 10 a.m. on weekends.

"We wouldn't have done it if the demand wasn't there. We're seeing demand," said John Stepovy, Red Arrow's Edmonton-based general manager.

Rick Erickson, a Calgary-based aviation consultant who conducts an economic impact study for the Calgary airport once every three years, said the Edmonton campaign neglects to point out the often expensive cab fares in the capital city.

A taxi ride from north Edmonton to EIA, which is in the county of Leduc to the south, costs $72, while the fee from downtown Edmonton is $48, plus tip. Red Arrow's one-way charge for the Edmonton-Calgary route is $70.35.

"There is a friendly rivalry between the two cities," Mr. Erickson said. "You do what you need to do, but at the end of the day, the bottom line is Calgary's airport is way out in front. That's the way it is and that's the way it's going to be."

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