By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Direct Nanaimo to Toronto flights coming in June

Dec 1, 2017 | 8:21 AM

NANAIMO — Next summer, it’ll be easier to travel to the heart of Canada. 

Air Canada announced Friday, Dec. 1 they’re starting several seasonal flights from Toronto to the West Coast, including Nanaimo, from late June to early October. The flight from Nanaimo will leave four times a week — Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday — at 12:15 p.m.

Angela Mah, Air Canada spokesperson, said the numbers showed Nanaimo could handle more than their daily, year-round flights to Vancouver. 

“It says a lot about Nanaimo and Vancouver Island that we’ve seen a lot of demand, particularly during the summer, into this area…and we saw the opportunity to put in additional flights.” 

Mah said if the numbers support it, Air Canada will look at offering the flights over a more extended period.

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Nanaimo mayor Bill McKay said he’s “thrilled” by the decision and is looking forward to how this will impact tourism in Nanaimo and the greater mid-Island area. 

“It’s really going to bolster accessibility to central Vancouver Island as we grow and become more of a business hub and visiting families-and-relatives market.”

Though Nanaimo City Council doesn’t have a say in Air Canada decisions, McKay said there’s still a lot of work to do. 

“We have to promote this thing, word of mouth, social media. We have to make sure people in central Vancouver Island actually (use) this new service. I’m really excited about it.” 

Air fares are quite dynamic, but looking ahead a flight leaving Friday, June 22 and returning on Wednesday, June 27 costs a little more than $500. The Nanaimo route will be serviced by a 136-seat Airbus A319, the first regularly scheduled jet aircraft service to the airport.

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