Flying between Kelowna and Fort McMurray just got easier

KELOWNA — The lure of full-time work at premium pay has enticed roughly 5,000 people from the Okanagan to pack up and head to Fort McMurray.

Those workers are bringing home an estimated tens of millions of dollars every year.

But out of town employment does come at a cost, including long distance travel.

Now, Kelowna International Airport has announced Encore, WestJet’s regional airline, will soon be offering direct flights between Kelowna and Fort McMurray.

“The big thing is you have a basin of workers going into the oil patch,” says WestJet Encore President, Ferio Pugliese, “we know that’s a sizable market, one that’s growing, and it offers us an opportunity to connect with that.”

While this is the first domestic flight offering direct service between the cities, five charter flights (paid for by oil companies) already fly into the airport every week, but airport officials say they don’t come anywhere near meeting the demand.

“We know that there’s a lot more employees finding their own way. Some of them are even choosing to drive to Fort Mac for those shift turnarounds” says Kelowna Airport Media Relations, Jenelle Hynes.

The new flight will be offered once a day on a 78 seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft leaving Kelowna at 7:30 a.m. and returning back to YLW at 11 p.m.

The non-stop service takes off May 12th.