Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

So many choices for little old P.G.

While this week has been full of pranks and tricks, this column is no joke.

While this week has been full of pranks and tricks, this column is no joke.

After years of pleading to airlines, the Prince George Airport Authority, and anyone else who would listen for a flight from Prince George that would take us east without heading south first, we will soon have not one but two airline carriers to choose from.

Central Mountain Air has been operating a Prince George - Calgary flight since June of 2013. The CMA route favours the Calgary business person by flying out of Calgary in the morning and leaving Prince George in the evening. But starting in just a few weeks (April 27) WestJet Airlines will step up to the plate by offering access between Calgary and Prince George; only this time, WestJet will favour the Prince George flyer. Not only will PGers be able to leave first thing in the morning for meetings in Calgary but travelers connecting to other flights from Calgary will save significant time over the course of their travels heading east.

New York for example, will be 2 hours closer to Prince George via Calgary instead of Vancouver. Halifax will be a hefty 6 hours less travel time via Calgary. And of course, the ultimate bonus for business people traveling to Calgary is that the direct flight will save them 3 hours, making the painful Vancouver connector a distant memory. It will be quite possible for business meetings to occur in Calgary within one day due to a convenient morning fly in, evening fly out schedule.

Although, I had optimistically hoped that, with the CMA direct flight to Calgary already established, we might see a Prince George - Edmonton flight offered instead, this WestJet offering is still great news. In particular, I love that it caters to the smaller city centre. I also believe that, as much as it is an amazing schedule for business flyers, it will be a popular addition for families and holiday-travellers that are looking to capitalize on the discounts and deals that WestJet offers from its headquarters in Calgary.

Another bonus is that the new WestJet flight will not be served by Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircrafts but actual jets instead. This means faster cruising speeds and the comfort of high altitude jet engine travel.

After all is said and done, really the biggest benefit is consumer choice. Residents of Prince George and the region can choose when they want to leave or return to town. We also have the choice between carriers and the type of plane we wish to travel on.

So many choices for little old PG; all of them without relying on the Big Smoke down south to get us where we need to go. Until next week, stay in the black and keep coming back.