Kamloops Airport is welcoming another direct flight and a new airline.
Beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 17, Pacific Coastal Airlines will be offering a direct flight to and from Victoria, six days per week (not on Saturdays).
The one-hour flights will depart Victoria International Airport for Kamloops each day at 3:40 p.m., with flights leaving Kamloops for Victoria each day at 5:05 p.m. Pacific Coastal will use Beechcraft 1900 aircraft, which seat 19 passengers.
The service will be available on a seasonal basis, providing travellers with access between the two cities between Oct. 17 and April 26, 2024. The flights will not operate between May and the end of September, but the airline intends to expand to year-round service if there is enough demand.
“As the exclusive airline offering non-stop flights between Victoria and Kamloops, we aim to improve customers’ travel experience by avoiding the hassle of layovers or time-consuming connections,” Pacific Coast vice-president of customer and commercial Johnathan Richardson said in a release.
Kamloops will become Pacific Coastal’s fourth destination served with non-stop flights from Victoria, joining Vancouver, Kelowna and Prince George.
Kamloops Airport manager Ed Ratuski told Kamloops This Week a direct flight to Victoria has been sought for some time, noting Kamloops is the only major city in B.C.’s Interior without a direct flight to the provincial capital.
“Non-stop Kamloops to Victoria air service has long been on our radar,” Ratuski said in the release. “Beyond the obvious efficiency and convenience for business travel to the provincial capital, this service is an excellent option for visiting friends and relatives that often face unpredictable road conditions and ferry service interruptions to Vancouver Island. This new non-stop service also enhances opportunities for tourism and trade development at both ends of the route.”
Passengers can now book their flights on the Pacific Coastal website or by calling 1-800-663-2872. The airline is offering passengers a 20 per cent discount on bookings using the promo code VC2KL to celebrate the launch of the new flight. The website is advertising one-way flights from $189.
Pacific Coastal is a privately owned regional airline operating from Vancouver International Airport’s South Terminal that flies to 18 airports in British Columbia.
Michael Potestio, Kamloops This Week
