By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Direct flights between Nanaimo and Toronto returning in June

Feb 4, 2019 | 9:28 PM

NANAIMO — Non-stop flights between Nanaimo and Toronto have been cleared for takeoff once again.

Air Canada confirmed seasonal direct service will return starting in June following a successful trial of the route last summer.

Spokesperson Angela Mah said Air Canada Rouge will also add an additional flight between June and September, meaning there will be five per week compared to four in 2018.

The confirmation comes after Mah told NanaimoNewsNOW in August that the service was part of Air Canada’s plans for 2019, despite some canceled late season flights.

The direct link garnered rave reviews from many travelers last summer.

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Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce CEO Kim Smythe said there was some initial concern the route wouldn’t meet expectations and be viable long term.

“I checked in with Air Canada about a month into the service and they were reporting loads of 85 per cent. The regional vice-president was very excited with how it was all working out,” Smythe said.

He said the connection was a hit for both leisure and business travelers, adding the commitment to a second year is good for Nanaimo’s brand.

“When a corporation like Air Canada makes a very expensive investment into a trial and that trial turns out to surpass their expectations, I think for businesses in Toronto looking back at Nanaimo it makes them think ‘Hmm, what’s going on out there? Let’s sniff it out.’”

Nanaimo Airport meanwhile continued its multi-year trend of increasing passenger numbers. YCD surpassed Comox Airport as the second-busiest on Vancouver Island, behind Victoria, in 2018.

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