Long-awaited Kamloops to Edmonton flight lands this weekend

KAMLOOPS – Last April WestJet announced it would start offering a direct flight between Kamloops and Edmonton and after 10 long months, this weekend will finally mark the inaugural flight.

The first flight of WestJet Encore from Edmonton will land at 3:45 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 and the company will be celebrating with a welcoming ceremony at the airport before the flight makes the inaugural trip back to Edmonton.

City council had asked Air Canada about the possibility of a direct flight to Edmonton last March and a few weeks later WestJet announced it would be starting direct non-stop flights early in the new year.

At the time Ferio Pugliese, President of WestJet Encore, said the expansion would provide better access for many travellers.

"Daily service to Kamloops provides easy access to the many business and leisure opportunities thriving in this vibrant community, while also providing friendly, affordable air travel options to guests in the area and non-stop access to the broader WestJet network,” he said.

WestJet also runs two direct flights from Calgary to Kamloops every day while Air Canada offers a total of nine daily flights to and from Vancouver and Calgary. Central Mountain Air runs a flight to and from Prince George every evening as well.

Edmonton was seen as a natural extension of service because of the number of workers that commute to northern Alberta to work in the oil fields.

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