Skip the long drive by flying out to your B.C. destination this summer

Thanks to CW

7 July 2021

Central Mountain Air is running non-stop flights from Vancouver to Vancouver Island, the Cariboo region, the Okanagan Valley, and Central B.C.

Kelowna, B.C.Central Mountain Air

Really want to make a great escape from the city but NOT looking forward to that long car ride in the hot summer heat? Opt to hop on a plane to your getaway spot instead!

Now that non-essential travel within B.C. is encouraged again, Vancouverites can book inter-provincial non-stop flights with Central Mountain Air for a quick and affordable way to get around the province this year.

Departing from the South Terminal at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), passengers can fly direct from Vancouver to Campbell River, Quesnel, Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George. 

Then, from Prince George, you can also fly further up Northern B.C. with routes to Fort. St. John, Fort Nelson, and Terrace.  

Campbell River, B.C. Photo: Central Mountain Air.

Here’s a quick primer of the cities that Central Mountain Air currently flies to from Vancouver.  

• On the east coast of Vancouver Island, the oceanside community of Campbell River and the Discovery Islands are renowned for its spectacular mountains, west coast woodlands, Elk Falls Provincial Park and Suspension Bridge, whale watching, and salmon fishing at Discovery Pier.
   
• Located along a pivotal mining trail of the Cariboo Gold Rush, Quesnel is home to B.C. heritage spots such as the Alexander Mackenzie hiking trail and the original 1867 Hudson’s Bay Company Trading Post in Riverfront Park.
   
• The sunny canyon city of Kamloops in B.C.’s Interior is a four-season playground with long summers for hiking, biking, and water adventures. Go kayaking on one of Kamloops’ 100+ lakes and embark on outdoor adventures at Sun Peaks Resort.
   
• Located on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake, Kelowna is the Okanagan Valley’s largest city and is known for local vineyards and wineries, sandy beaches, surrounding provincial parks, and bustling downtown area — making it the perfect destination for urban and rural experiences.
   
• The largest city in Northern B.C, Prince George is full of opportunities for outdoor recreation, from mountain biking through pristine rainforests to fishing in the endless network of streams, lakes, and rivers. It’s also the basecamp for venturing into Northeastern B.C. and Northwestern B.C. towards Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, and Terrace.  

Fly with CMA! Photo: Central Mountain Air.

Connecting B.C. communities with ease and convenience since 1987, the independent Western Canadian airline is giving local B.C. residents a chance to go back to travelling and exploring their backyard. 

And, to further ensure that you can book your flight with confidence, Central Mountain Air has extended their COVID-19 flexible booking and cancellation policy until July 31st for travel through to November 7th, so you can have peace of mind knowing you can make changes to your flight reservation if you need to. ⁠

For more info, visit flycma.com/schedule.

Central Mountain Air Releases Summer Flight Schedule

(SMITHERS, BC May 11, 2021) Central Mountain Air responds to the need to provide air service to communities by adding 78 flights per week. 

Grande Prairie, High Level and Quesnel added to network.

Flights per weeks
8 – Edmonton YEG | Fort St John YXJ
8 – Edmonton YEG | Grande Prairie YQU
4 – Edmonton YEG | High Level YOJ
4 – Edmonton YEG | Prince George YXS
5 – Edmonton YEG | Fort Nelson YYE
5 – Edmonton YEG | Terrace YXT
5 – Kamloops YKA | Prince George YXS
5 – Kamloops YKA | Fort Nelson YYE
6 – Kamloops YKA | Fort St John YXJ
6 – Kamloops YKA | Terrace YXT
5 – Kelowna YLW | Prince George YXS
5 – Kelowna YLW | Fort Nelson YYE
6 – Kelowna YLW | Fort St John YXJ
6 – Kelowna YLW | Terrace YXT
4 – Prince George YXS | Fort Nelson YYE
5 – Prince George YXS | Fort St John YXJ
5 – Prince George YXS | Terrace YXT
4 – Prince George YXS | Grande Prairie YQU
4 – Quesnel YQZ | Castlegar YCG
6 – Vancouver YVR | Castlegar YCG
3 – Vancouver YVR | Kamloops YKA
3 – Vancouver YVR | Kelowna YLW
5 – Vancouver YVR | Quesnel YQZ
6 – Vancouver YVR | Prince George YXS
6 – Vancouver YVR | Edmonton YEG
6 – Vancouver YVR | Fort Nelson YYE
7 – Vancouver YVR | Fort St John YXJ
7 – Vancouver YVR | Terrace YXT

Central Mountain Air (CMA) announced today that it will increase its scheduled service by 78 flights per week beginning June 28th, 2021, and continuing through to November 6, 2021. Many of these flights will service connections that were originally suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CMA is also expanding the available days of the week on their existing schedule, with an emphasis on new Friday and Sunday flight options.

 “CMA has been contacted by both individuals and community leaders to provide service to enable their communities to recover and receive air connectivity after scheduled service reduced over 80% due to COVID-19. I commend these municipalities and airports for their willingness to partner and support their regions to help make this announcement today,” commented Michael Claeren, Central Mountain Air’s Head of Commercial.  

 “These communities are concerned about their future as they face the prospect of being left without or with limited air service, especially at a time when their regional economies have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding hardship.”  

 Although COVID-19 rates are still high, CMA is optimistic that essential travel guidance will be eased as British Columbia, Alberta, and Canada continue on the road to recovery with more vaccines being administered daily. CMA will still offer a flexible booking and cancellation policy for bookings until June 20th, 2021 for travel through to November 7th, 2021. 

 Bob Cummings, CEO added, “CMA will apply the same operational discipline for which it has a reputation to all the new routes and capacity. This will help nurse communities back to full recovery as the pandemic subsides. While many of the affected regional cities have been impacted by this announcement there are more cities and services to come.”

CMA is the independent regional airline leader in British Columbia and Alberta with 29 aircraft and looks forward to more fully utilizing that fleet.  

To celebrate their summer flight schedule launch, CMA is offering 10% off base airfares using promo code SUMMER21.

The promo code is valid for all scheduled flights starting June 01, 2021 with no blackout periods. This deal is only available on bookings through the CMA website and is not available through your travel agent. CMA has extended its Flexible Booking and Cancellation Policy for bookings until June 20, 2021 for travel through to November 7, 2021 to give you peace of mind when making your booking.  

Book from May 11, 2021 until May 25, 2021 @ 11:59PM PST 

For travel between June 01, 2021, and November 6, 2021 

See CMA’s full schedule at flycma.com/schedule

About Central Mountain Air Ltd.  

Established in 1987, CMA is a Western Canadian privately owned and operated company. CMA provides scheduled flights to twelve communities, cargo to ten, and charter flights throughout British Columbia, Alberta, and Western Canada. For more information, and to learn about CMA’s enhanced COVID-19 safety procedures, visit flycma.com. 

Fort Nelson in northeastern B.C. loses flight service for at least 3 months amid COVID slump

From CBC News – link to source story

Central Mountain Air suspends flights between Fort Nelson and Prince George starting Feb. 3

CBC News · Posted: Jan 20, 2021

Central Mountain Air will suspend its route between Prince George and Fort Nelson starting in early February, leaving the small Northern Rockies community with no scheduled flight service for at least three months. (Central Mountain Air)

Central Mountain Air announced Tuesday it is suspending flights between Fort Nelson, B.C., and the northern hub of Prince George, leaving the small northeastern community with no flight services for at least three months. 

The Smithers-based airline said flights between Fort Nelson — a municipality of over 3,000 people — and Prince George will not run from Feb. 3 to May 3, at the earliest. 

Travellers from the Northern Rockies town will need to drive four hours to the nearest airport in Fort St. John, B.C., or continue for a nine-hour drive to Prince George.

Central Mountain Air also suspended flights between Prince George and Kamloops in the souther Interior from Feb. 3 to Apr. 5.

“Devastating declines in travel and extended provincial health advisories against non-essential travel have necessitated a significant scaling back of our scheduled operations for the foreseeable future,” wrote Central Mountain Air CEO Bob Cummings in a statement. 

Cummings said it’s a hard decision to cut back services for remote communities.

“I feel horrible,” he said to CBC News. “The air transportation link for medical treatment, keeping a base level of the economy going for the resource industry, as well as cargo, medical supplies, mail … these are crucial links for these communities.” 

Fort Nelson Mayor Gary Foster says the flight suspension is particularly challenging for people seeking medical services out of town, as well as medical professionals coming to provide services to the small community.

“They would have to spend a day driving [from the airport in Fort St. John or Prince George] to the Northern Rockies and driving a day out,” he said. “Plus they would have a rental car. They would have to pay for the length of time they’re here in Fort Nelson.”

The nearest scheduled airline service for residents of Fort Nelson, B.C., is now a four-hour drive away at Fort St. John. (Simon Charland/CBC)

Last Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the new federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra to make regional airlines a priority along with supporting regional economic development.

Foster says federal and provincial governments should step in to support regional airlines like Central Mountain Air amid the economic woes during the pandemic, but he’s not optimistic other Canadian airlines are able to fill in the gap to provide services to Fort Nelson.

“I think they’re all running for cover and they are worried about just staying afloat until the end of this pandemic,” he said. 

Both Air Canada and WestJet have also slashed services because of plummeting demand due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Starting Saturday, Air Canada will cut all its flights from two other B.C. destinations: Prince Rupert on the North Coast and Kamloops.

With files from Andrew Kurjata and Christine Coulter