Passengers will once again be able to fly direct between Nanaimo and Edmonton beginning in June.
Air travel between the Vancouver Island and Alberta cities was halted in 2016 due to economic conditions, but in a press release, WestJet said twice-a-week service, with flights on Friday and Sunday, would begin June 25.
Nanaimo-Edmonton service is one of 11 new domestic routes servicing Western Canada, WestJet said. In addition, service between Saskatoon and Victoria (on Thursdays and Sundays), Winnipeg and Victoria (on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays) begins June 24.
Flights between Ottawa and Victoria and Toronto and Comox (Saturdays) will begin June 26.
The Western Canadian announcement comes after WestJet said, earlier this week, that service between Atlantic Canada and Quebec City would resume.
“As we look to the coming months with cautious optimism, we know our restart agenda will be pivotal to Canada’s economic recovery,” said Ed Sims, WestJet president and CEO, in a written statement. “Stimulating air travel benefits all Canadians and supports those hardest hit; with one in every 10 Canadian jobs tied to travel and tourism, the ripple effect benefits our whole country.”
It's back! We are excited to hear that @WestJet is bringing back direct service from #YCD to @FlyEIA.https://t.co/qz6MJuYH6M https://t.co/r8NsHjYZMv
— Nanaimo Airport YCD (@FlyYCD) March 27, 2021
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