A new private charter service has begun taking oil and gas construction workers to northern B.C. through the Comox Valley Airport.
The Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) announced the addition of a private charter service operated by Flair Air late last week.
The new service moves oil and gas construction workers to and from Fort Nelson, B.C. in a Boeing 737-400 aircraft.
The inaugural flight took place May 3, and the airline will operate up to 104 YQQ inbound and outbound flights over the next year.
“We are very pleased to be operating our air charter service out of Comox,” stated Chris Lapointe, director of business development for the Kelowna-based airline. “I know our client is very interested in attracting workforce personnel from Vancouver Island to assist with the construction of their North Eastern B.C. projects, and they are confident these direct charter flights will help attract qualified personnel.”
The Fort Nelson-bound flight originates in Kelowna with stops in Vancouver and Comox to pick up workers travelling to worksites in Fort Nelson on Tuesdays.
The return flight picks up workers from Fort Nelson and then stops in Comox to drop off Vancouver Island-bound passengers.
Remaining Vancouver- and Kelowna-bound passengers are then processed using YQQ’s security screening facilities in Comox.
“The Comox Valley Airport is an excellent facility for this type of program due to its central Vancouver Island location and easy access terminal,” said Lapointe. “The direct charter flights save Island-based workers a lot of time and money.
"Workers would typically have to travel at their own expense on commercial flights through Vancouver or Calgary, adding one or two extra travel days and many dollars of added expense to the process.”
Flair Air estimates it will move up to 100 passengers in and out of Comox each week and then process an additional 60 in-transit passengers through YQQ’s security screening facility.
This translates into more than 8,000 potential passengers annually for the Comox Valley Airport.
“YQQ provides a convenient location for this new private charter service,” said Comox Valley Airport CEO Shirley de Silva. “We are pleased to be working with Flair Air to provide transportation options for Vancouver Island-based oil and gas workers, and we look forward to a successful partnership with this charter airline operation.”
YQQ staff and contractors will provide fuelling and baggage handling services for Flair Air as required. Local WestJet staffers have been contracted by the airline to provide check-in services.
Bookings for the flights are handled through a private arrangement with Flair Air and its partner companies in Fort Nelson.
To learn more about Flair Air, visit www.flairair.ca.
For more information on the Comox Valley Airport, visit www.comoxairport.com.
— Comox Valley Airport