Pacific Coastal Airlines launched a direct Cranbrook-to-Kelowna service Monday, November 18.

The service will operate Sunday to Friday. It will depart Cranbrook at 3:10 p.m. Mountain Time and arrive in Kelowna at 3:25 p.m. Pacific Time. For the reverse trip, the aircraft leaves Kelowna at 3:25 p.m. Pacific Time, arriving in Cranbrook at 5:15 p.m. Mountain Time.

Before this route was announced, air travellers needed to fly from Cranbrook to Vancouver and then transfer to a flight to Kelowna, making for a longer trip.

“This marks a significant advancement in air access, allowing strategic economic ties between the Thompson Okanagan and Kootenay Rockies regions, to grow to new heights,” said Tristen Chernove, Managing Director of Canadian Rockies International Airport. “Kelowna has remained one of the most requested flight destinations and I’m ecstatic to see this new route get off the ground.”

The new route came about through a partnership between Pacific Coastal Airlines, Canadian Rockies International Airport and Kelowna International Airport.

“We are very excited about adding Kelowna to our list of more than 65 destinations in British Columbia,” said Pacific Coastal Airlines Vice President of Commercial Services Spencer Smith. The addition of this new route is an important part of our strategic development plan and evidence of our ongoing commitment to serving the transportation needs of British Columbia.

Kathy Cooper, Kootenay Rockies Tourism CEO was on the inaugural Cranbrook-to-Kelowna flight.

“We look forward to working with the our tourism partners at the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association on joint efforts to market this new service which we are confident will help bring more visitors to the Kootenay Rockies region,” she said.

The flight also included the Mayors of Kimberley and Cranbrook, other regional delegates and some regular passengers. The group received a warm Kelowna welcome as evidenced in the video link: Global Report & Video.

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