Penticton Airport gets to work on a new runway

PENTICTON – Aircraft flying into Penticton Airport will have a smoother landing come this fall, once repaving of the airport’s only runway is complete.

The construction is part of Transport Canada's airport improvement project. Major fixes will be made at night, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to avoid as much conflict with flights.

Construction is expected to begin mid-July and be fully complete by the end of October — just in time for the commencement of WestJet’s Eastbound flight service to Calgary out of Penticton. 

Transport Canada hopes most of the major runway work is finished by Aug. 31, so the airport can resume to normal operations. Passengers can refer to Air Canada, the airport’s main airline, for schedule changes. 

The project, funded by Transport Canada, is estimated to cost around $9.5 million. This cost includes construction contracts, consultant fees, survey and material testing, and project contingency, staff said.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.