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Air service returns to Red Deer

Red Deer Regional Airport is back in the scheduled passenger air service business.The airport and Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. announced on Monday that Northwestern will offer direct flights between Red Deer and Kelowna, B.C., commencing Nov. 18.

Red Deer Regional Airport is back in the scheduled passenger air service business.

The airport and Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. announced on Monday that Northwestern will offer direct flights between Red Deer and Kelowna, B.C., commencing Nov. 18. The service will initially be available on Fridays and Sundays, with an 8 a.m. departure and 11:15 a.m. return on Fridays, and a 2 p.m. departure and 5:15 p.m. return on Sundays.

Gordon Bush, Northwestern’s general manager, said the frequency of flights could increase if passenger counts are high enough. He added that the route might also be extended further west in the future.

“We’ve actually been working with the Abbotsford airport authority.”

Bush said Northwestern would even be prepared to assign a second plane to the Red Deer Regional Airport.

“Who knows, in the future it might be quite a big hub.”

The base fare for a one-way trip between Red Deer and Kelowna will be $150 from Nov. 18 until Dec. 28, with taxes and fees inflating the figure to $228.90. After Dec. 28, the base fare will increase to $190, or $270.90 with the other charges added.

Flying the route will be a Jetstream 32, which will carry 16 passengers. The pressurized plane will travel at between 460 to 500 km/h, said Bush, completing the trip in about 75 minutes.

The plane, as well as its captain, first officer and a ground agent, will be based in Red Deer. They’ll be available for charter service when not engaged in scheduled flights, he said.

Although pleasure travellers are expected to account for most of the fares, Northwestern anticipates that business people will also use the service, said Bush.

Northwestern, which is based in Fort Smith, N.W.T., flew out of the Red Deer Regional Airport from December 2006 until July 2010. It offered flights to Saskatchewan and Northern Alberta.

Bush expressed optimism that the carrier will have better success this time around. He said the Springbrook-based airport is now being promoted more effectively and its terminal building is being upgraded.

Airport CEO RJ Steenstra told Red Deer County council in June that airport officials were then talking to Northwestern and Integra Air, with the latter company flying between Lethbridge, Edmonton and Cranbrook, B.C.

hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com

— copyright Red Deer Advocate