Low-cost airline Swoop comes to Comox Valley, B.C.
Travellers looking for low-cost air transportation between Vancouver Island and Alberta have a new option as of Thursday.
The first flight of Swoop Airlines between Comox and Edmonton arrived Thursday morning bringing a planeload of travellers into the Comox Valley. It then returned with a full flight of passengers headed to Alberta.
Comox Valley Airport CEO Mike Atkins says the introduction of the service comes after many years of effort.
"We’ve been planning this for a while now," said Atkins. "As you know it’s been a hard two years for the airport, and the entire travel industry, but travel is returning and we’re so glad that Swoop is part of it."
The airline will be flying Boeing 737s twice each week, making the treks on Thursdays and Sundays with a capacity of 189 seats.
"The ultra-low-cost model gets people that couldn’t normally afford to travel to travel, so visiting friends and family or a shopping trip," Atkins said.
The airport CEO says he expects the new route to be a great way to keep families connected between the two provinces.
"The people who are moving here, they’ve got friends and family that they leave behind, so [there's] also inbound friends and family coming to see their family here, grandparents, kids, that’s what we tend to see," he said.
The first Swoop flight to land at the Comox Valley Airport on Vancouver Island is shown. June 9, 2022 (CTV News)
FUTURE EXPANSION
A quick check of the company’s website shows flights available in the coming months from $77 to $227. Flights are slated to increase from twice a week to four days a week beginning in August.
Swoop’s senior manager of airports, Ryan Hubbard, says flight frequency will depend on passenger demand.
"If we can keep filling these planes and start with the frequency that we put out there we’re really open to adding to that, but if we’re not filling then we’re open to bringing them down," he said.
Hubbard says six new aircraft were added to the company’s fleet to allow for their expansion to happen to locations including Comox.
"We’re really looking forward to the support of the community and making sure that people are using the service, and then we’re going to stick around and have a long term partnership here," he said.
The airport’s CEO also has his sights set on the airline expanding its services.
"Swoop is an ultra-low-cost carrier, [it] does often introduce new routes, and we’d love to see them service the Comox Valley and get more flights to sun destinations," said Atkins.
"I think that’s something we all deserve after our tough two years."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.