Image courtesy of Cascadia Air (Facebook)

By Liam Verster

Cascadia Air

B.C.-based airline looking to establish daily Vernon-Vancouver flights

May 6, 2022 | 5:15 PM

Cascadia Air is seeking support to set up daily flights between Vernon Regional Airport and Vancouver International Airport.

Cascadia is a B.C.-based airline that already operates flights from Vancouver to Penticton, Campbell River and Tofino, and also provides charter flights.

Speaking with Vernon Matters, Cascadia’s Chief Operating Officer, Jeremy Barrett, said they hope to start by bringing in daily flights between Vancouver and Vernon, with the possibility of expanding operations and offering charter flights in the future.

The company is seeking approval from Vernon City Council to run their service out of the regional airport. Council will discuss the request at Monday’s Regular Meeting, and if approved a letter will be written to Transport Canada to support the issuing of an Air Operating Certificate.

If all goes to plan, Barrett told Vernon Matters they would bring their services to Vernon, which would have some tourism benefits, adding that work is already underway to create some partnerships with local resorts.

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“We keep getting told that one of the most challenging aspects of their business is getting people to and from their resorts, especially if they have to fly through Kamloops or Kelowna,” said Barrett.

“Even if they get to the airport, then they have to be able to get from those airports up to Vernon, so by putting a service right into Vernon and then possibly a shuttle system or bus or something like that would make it much easier for their businesses.”

City administration stated in a memorandum to council that having Cascadia operate at the Vernon Regional Airport would have an economic benefit through increased fuel sales and landing fees.

Barrett assured Vernon Matters that Cascadia would not be bringing big planes into the airport.

“Right now we’re running two different kinds of airplanes, we’ve got a Navajo Chieftain which can hold a maximum of eight people, but we’ve currently got them configured for five or six, just because during COVID, we took some seats out to give everybody a little bit more space,” said the COO.

“We just also purchased a King Air 90 which is a pressurized turbo-prop. It holds five people also, but it’s a little bit different because it has a little bit more speed and can climb a little bit higher and it’s pressurized.”

He added that either of those planes would be suitable for making the under one hour trip to and from Vancouver.

There would also be no requirement to build or enhance infrastructure to support Cascadia’s operations with planes that size.

Barrett said, if the request is approved, he hopes to have an Air Operations Certificate and start offering their services in Vernon sometime in June.

He added the flights would likely have similar pricing to the Penticton-Vancouver flights, which are about $220 one way, though the exact pricing for operations out of Vernon still need to be figured out.