WestJet Airlines begins a daily flight from Saint John to Toronto on Monday, in Saint John Airport's latest attempt to compete with other airports.

The first flight will carry 142 passengers, including airport president and CEO John Buchanan.

"All the airports are basically growing their business," Buchanan said. "They're growing the availability of seat capacity. I think one of the big challenges is to make sure the flights are used."

He says the new service will increase business at the facility.

"It increases the capacity of the airport," he said. "It increases the number of seats available, so we won't have so many people driving to Moncton or Fredericton or Halifax [airports]. Certainly the next important thing is the fares are going to come down because of the competitive nature of the marketplace we have now."

Mayor Norm McFarlane, who will also be on the inaugural flight, says he's confident passengers will use the new service.

"The load factor has been very good. It's already been booked for the next month so I'm confident we'll be able to keep [the flight]," McFarlane said. "We need competition."

WestJet will offer the daily return flight between Saint John and Toronto until November.

Buchanan says the service could be extended if it proves successful.

The airport authority's next goal, Buchanan says, is to secure a flight to the northeastern United States.