Canada’s Pacific Coastal eyes US transborder link

Canadian regional carrier Pacific Coastal Airlines (8P, Vancouver Int’l) plans to launch transborder services to the United States under the WestJet Link brand, according to a regulatory filing with the US Department of Transportation (DOT).

Initial trans-border operations would consist of two daily flights between Calgary and Spokane Int’l, a city in eastern Washington state, and between Vancouver Int’l and Spokane, carrying passengers, property, and mail using S340Bs under the WestJet Link brand, in accordance with a capacity purchase agreement with WestJet (WS, Calgary).

To this end, the privately-owned British Columbian operator has applied to the DOT for a US foreign air carrier permit for scheduled and charter flights ferrying people, property, and mail.

It wants to fly scheduled flights from points behind Canada via Canada and intermediate points to point/s in the US and beyond, while charter flights would operate from any point/s in Canada and any point/s in the US and any station/s in a third country or countries. Except with respect to cargo charters, passenger charters would be part of a continuous operation, with or without a change of aircraft, that would include service to Canada for the purpose of carrying local traffic between Canada and the US, the application reads.

The airline has further requested exemption authority for a period of two years to enable it to provide the services while it awaits the issuance of a foreign air carrier permit. It also requests authorisation to operate the transborder service on behalf of WestJet under the WestJet Link name.

Pacific Coastal Airlines already operates regional feeder services in Canada as WestJet Link using a fleet of six Saab 340Bs to 16 airports around British Columbia. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, its fleet consists of three Saab 340Bs, three S340B(Plus)s, as well as three S340As.

Founded in 1987 and based at Vancouver International Airport, Pacific Coastal Airlines already holds a license from the Canadian Transportation Agency to operate scheduled international services. The company is 50% owned by Powell Air Ltd., and 50% by 509352 BC Limited.