Canadian Rockies International Airport not on WestJet expansion list - yet!

WestJet announced the start of its new regional air service Monday, but Cranbrook was not on that list, at least not yet.

Still no WestJet service for the Canadian Rockies International Airport. The airline announced plans to expand its carrier service Monday and Cranbrook was not on the list of new destinations. Civic officials are still optimistic that WestJet will eventually come to the Kootenays.

Namaimo and Fort St. John were two B.C. cities on the list that was released on Monday.

WestJet is currently taking delivery of the first new 78-seat Q-400 turboprop in June and perhaps in the fall, Cranbrook will be on that list. WestJet's new Encore air service will begin flying between Fort St. John, B.C. and Calgary, and Fort St. John and Vancouver in the summer. WestJet says lower-cost Encore will reduce fares by up to 50 per cent.

Here is the official press release from the City of Cranbrook...

Local passengers using the Canadian Rockies International Airport for their travel needs will have to wait a little longer to find out if WestJet’s new Encore Service will travel to the East Kootenay region.

WestJet announced on Monday that it will add Fort St. John and Nanaimo to its network with additional routes to be added by the end of the year.

“While it would have been great to be one of the first communities to get WestJet’s new regional service, I am very optimistic that we will see WestJet coming to the Canadian Rockies International Airport,” says Mayor Wayne Stetski. “I wish to congratulate Fort St. John and Nanaimo for getting the service to their communities.”

“We continue working with WestJet toward receiving their service here at YXC. While I can’t help but be a little disappointed that we weren’t the first,” says Tristen Chernove, managing director of the Canadian Rockies International Airport, “it’s great news that WestJet Encore is growing the Western network as a priority and we should all remain optimistic. The best thing we can do to keep WestJet interested in our market is to use Pacific Coastal and Air Canada services whenever it makes sense to do so in order to keep growing the business case for WestJet Encore to be here.”

“The best way to encourage WestJet to bring their business to our region is for the people of the East Kootenay to use our local award-winning airport,” Stetski echoes. “Council is working on a new industrial zone around the airport to encourage the development of new aviation-based businesses.”

In 2012, the passenger load through the Canadian Rockies International Airport rose by 2 per cent to about 112,700. Also in 2012, the airport received the William Templeton Award for sustainability and marketing from the BC Aviation Council.