Starting on March 3, Northwestern Air will begin offering regular flights between Abbotsford, Kelowna, and Red Deer, Alta.
The airline is based in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, with offices in Yellowknife and Red Deer.
“The Fraser Valley, Okanagan Valley and Alberta work in collaboration quite frequently,” said Dave Holmberg, chair of the Abbotsford Airport Authority. “This new air service is long overdue and will be another great direct option available for YXX (Abbotsford Airport) guests.”
The family-owned corporation was founded in 1965 as an aircraft leasing company operating in Alberta and B.C.. In 1965, it became involved in fire suppression activities and in 1985, moved to Fort Smith to begin operations as a scheduled and charter service.
Operations include weekly charters to the diamond mines in the Arctic, government charters to northern communities and the Arctic islands, and local charters to remote areas for tourism and fishing.
The service will operate five days a week, and bookings can be made online. More information can be found at nwal.ca or by contacting the Abbotsford International Airport at 604-851-1001.