Scheduled passenger service between the Red Deer Airport and Abbotsford International Airport will commence on March 3.
Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. announced late last year that it had received Transport Canada approval to extend its existing Red Deer-Kelowna, B.C. route to Abbotsford, B.C. It released details on Friday, including the anticipated start-up, frequency and fares for the service.
The first flight to Abbotsford will take place on Sunday, March 3. Thereafter, the service will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The departure time from Red Deer on Sundays will be 2 p.m. Mountain Time, with the flight arriving in Kelowna at 2:15 p.m. Pacific Time and then landing in Abbotsford at 3:30 p.m. PT. The plane will leave Abbotsford on its return journey at 4 p.m. PT, arriving in Kelowna at 4:45 p.m. PT and at the Red Deer Airport at 7:30 p.m. MT.
Weekday flights will leave Red Deer at 7 a.m. MT, and land in Kelowna at 7:15 a.m. PT and in Abbotsford at 8:30 a.m. PT. The return flight from Abbotsford will begin at 9 a.m. PT, with arrivals in Kelowna at 9:45 a.m. PT and in Red Deer at 12:30 a.m. MT.
The cost to fly one-way between Red Deer and Kelowna will be $270.90, with four seats on each flight available for $228.90. The westbound fare between Red Deer and Abbotsford will be $342.30, with four seats discounted to $289.90; and $331 in the opposite direction, with four seats priced at $270. These fares include all fees and taxes.
Flights between Kelowna and Abbotsford will range from $211.68 to $245.28.
Northwestern, which is based in Fort Smith, N.W.T, currently offers Friday and Sunday service between the Red Deer Airport and Kelowna, and twice-weekly flights between Red Deer and Fort McMurray. A route from Red Deer to Grande Prairie, Dawson Creek, B.C., and Fort St. John, B.C. is planned for the future.
Northwestern will station two Jetstream 32 airplanes and crews in Red Deer.