By Grant Warkentin
Passengers on the first WestJet flight from Calgary to Campbell River got a special welcome today.
As they disembarked from the Dash-8 aircraft, passengers were greeted by Mr. Tyee himself, along with Mayor Kermit Dahl, members of council, and other dignitaries.
“To all arriving passengers, welcome to Campbell River! We hope you enjoy everything our community has to offer, and come back often,” Dahl said. “And to WestJet, we are excited to grow this partnership together for many years to come. Thank you, and congratulations to everyone involved in making this day a reality.”
Dahl said the city has been working for seven years to attract a large passenger carrier with international connections to the airport. He said improving the airport has been a top priority for him since he entered local politics.
“It’s more than a new route on a map. It’s a significant investment in our community and a strong vote of confidence in Campbell River’s future,” he said.
Dahl said the airport is an important part of the city’s economy, and the new connection will help improve business and tourism access, and travel options for locals. He pointed out that last year was Campbell River’s biggest ever for tourism, which is only expected to grow in coming years.
The Campbell River to Calgary connection offers daily flights four days per week, and will expand to daily flights during the summer season, June 22 to September 6.
The connector allows travellers to fly direct to Calgary, WestJet’s main hub, and continue on to destinations around the world. It also makes it easier for travellers to visit Campbell River from almost anywhere in the world.
When the new flights were announced by WestJet in February, Chris White-DeVries, WestJet’s senior manager of airport affairs and public strategy, said improvements made to the airport in recent years helped convince WestJet to commit to the new partnership.
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