Air carrier kicking the region's tires
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The Pembroke and Area Airport Commission is in talks with an air carrier who has expressed interest in doing business in the region.
While things look promising, it is still too early to pronounce that a new airline for the airport is a done deal, Councillor Allan Wren, chairman of the commission, said.
“We’ve had some preliminary talks and we have one airline that is very interested in this area,” said Wren, who briefed his council colleagues during the planning and economic development services committee meeting. “It’s really exciting news.”
There were two previous scheduled service operators at the airport. Pem-Air operated for 33 years before folding its tents in 2000, and then Go Air Express had an eight-month run from November 2002 to June 2003 before suspending operations. Nevertheless, the commission continues to vigorously seek a carrier.
“We’re courting them all the time,” said Wren, who couldn’t name the prospective airline at this time.
In 2011, the airport commission distributed a survey polling area businesses and organizations to see if there was interest in using scheduled passenger service. The survey results showed there is sufficient demand to support air service on the Pembroke to Toronto route with two to three daily round trips, if connecting flights are available at Toronto-Pearson, or one to two daily round trips if point-to-point service. Wren added the area remains attractive due to the presence of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and CFB Petawawa.
“There is the passenger load there to make this successful,” he said.
In the past, the commission has indicated that a carrier could result in spin-offs for the airport including the addition of another hanger to handle increased business.
Sean Chase is a Daily Observer multimedia journalist