KELOWNA – There’s yet another new service arriving at Kelowna’s international airport
A Boeing 737 jet made its first landing in Kelowna Thursday signaling the start of a new seasonal service between Whitehorse and Kelowna through Air North.
The company has been providing jet service between northern communities, Alberta and Vancouver for just more than 12 years.
Now as the latest addition to YLW’s service it may not seem like a high demand route, but there is more connecting the communities than just airplanes explains Allen Moore Air North’s Director of Commercial Development, “You’ve got the Westbank First Nations on this side, we’ve got the Vuntut Gwitchin in the Yukon. And that’s what is important. You’ve got a lot of students down at UBCO and obviously a lot of expat Yukoners.”
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“We’re very proud of the relationship we have with our first nations and it’s just wonderful to have a partnership with Kelowna,” says Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis.”
The Yukon first nation owns 49% of the shares of Air North and so is excited to see their investment grow but to also strengthen ties with a fellow First Nations community.
“We’re very successful in the Yukon when it comes to first nation development,” explains Bonnee Bingham, councilor with the Fist Nation, “So I think this will open up some opportunity to collaborate and partner.”
The twice weekly flight will connect Whitehorse and Kelowna residents via Vancouver on Thursday’s and Sunday’s this summer.
And Moore says there is plenty to do in Whitehorse for any Okanagan residents wondering whether a trip to the last frontier is worth it.
“We’ve got a lot of outdoor sports the summer sport is absolutely incredible and you can play gold until midnight.”
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