Press
February 2009, Saanich peninsula finally has a scheduled air service to downtown Vancouver.
Saanich peninsula, Vancouver Island, 20 February 2009: Commuters, visitors and shoppers travelling from Vancouver Islands Saanich peninsula, no longer have to rely on BC ferries. The new air service will allow them to soar over the long line ups, increasing fares and slow boats to Vancouver. Arrive in the centre of downtown Vancouver in 30 minutes, a fraction of the time it takes on the water.
Starting in May 2009, The Patricia Bay seaplane facility will have a daily scheduled seaplane service to the heart of downtown Vancouver. The base is ideally situated to service the Saanich peninsula, positioned just behind Victoria international airport (YYJ) and easily accessible off HW17. Commuters and day trippers can now make it to Vancouver in the morning, in just 30 minutes, and return late in the afternoon. This new service is being offered by Saltspring Air, the carrier successfully runs similar services from Maple Bay and Saltspring Island to Vancouver and YVR, servicing the growing trend of commuters that work in the big city but choose to live in a different environment.
With a one way fare running around $125, this is a real alternative to crowded slower ferries, and with the inherent problems of taking a car into Vancouver; you could say it is even greener as the airline operates a carbon neutral program to offset its carbon footprint.
Melvin Roe, Sidney by the Sea resident, stated “It’s just as quick to get to Vancouver now as it is to Victoria, in the past Vancouver has been a couple of hours on the ferry then another hour in the car by the time you get downtown and park.”
Philip Reece, marketing director for Saltspring Air told us “We have been looking at this service for a while, we know lots of people on the peninsula drive down to Victoria Harbour to catch a seaplane, then have to fly back up the route they have just taken before reaching Vancouver. Now we can offer passengers a quicker route at a lower cost without the hassles of parking in Victoria.”
The service starts in March and will carry passengers and light freight every day of the week.
About Saltspring Air The islanders' airline – The Saltspring Air team has created, in just over 5 years, a thriving business with a fleet of four planes, 6 pilots, 10 dispatchers and support crew. Saltspring Air operates from its head office in Grace Point Square, Ganges, Salt Spring Island, with arrival and departure facilities in Vancouver, YVR, Maple Bay and now Patricia Bay.
Contact: Philip Reece, Saltspring Air –Tel 250 537 9880,
A small community, and a small seaplane service but we are big in heart.
