A major airline could be flying through the South Okanagan as early as next year.
WestJet has announced plans to launch a regional airline for smaller cities and flight paths could include a direct flight from Penticton to Calgary.
Currently the only airline offering direct flights from Penticton is Air Jazz and that flight goes to Vancouver.
The possibility of a direct flight to Calgary could open up Penticton and the South Okanagan to the rest of the country.
Get breaking National news
“It would decrease the commute to get to an actual airport. There are cost savings for travel and the distribution of goods and services and products. It means more people discovering this area,” said David Arsenault, Penticton’s Economic Development Officer.
However, the city has been in this position before.
A few years ago, Pacific Coastal offered direct flights from Penticton to Calgary but even with a surge of travelers going through the airport, it pulled its service after just one year.
Analysts say flaws in the service model had it doomed from the beginning but Arsenault says WestJet has the right infrastructure in place.
“They have a proven entity. They have the hubs like Calgary, Vancouver and Kelowna so all the infrastructure is in place,” Arsenault said.
WestJet would not provide a comment about Penticton’s prospects as employees have yet to vote on the plan.
A vote is expected in early February.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.