New service to Abbotsford and Victoria from the Comox Valley Airport starts next month

VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC, April 25, 2016 /CNW/ - Island Express Air is pleased to announce a new daily service to Abbotsford and Victoria from the Comox Valley Airport starting May 16. The airline will also offer flights to Boundary Bay (Delta) in the Lower Mainland, with service to Powell River available for an add-on fare.

"We are pleased to offer our passengers the option of flying to Victoria or the Lower Mainland from the Comox Valley Airport," said YQQ CEO Fred Bigelow. "This is a niche market that has been underserved and we are pleased that Island Express Air has seized the opportunity to cater to those passengers who are looking for another way to access these destinations.  We've also had a fair number of requests for service to Powell River and this new service will provide that option for those on the Sunshine Coast who wish to avoid the ferry crossing."

"If you are looking to do business in Victoria or in the Lower Mainland, Island Express Air can have you there and back in the same day. Our flight times have been built with the business traveller in mind but are also well suited to the leisure traveller who wants to avoid taking up half of their day driving or waiting for the ferry," said Gerry Visser, owner of Island Express Air.  "We offer a great product for those who value their time."

Flights from Comox to Abbotsford, Boundary Bay and Victoria start at $209 (including all taxes and fees) per direction when booked online two weeks in advance of the travel date. Prices go up to $232.22 for flights booked up to 24 hours prior to departure time, and return flights are discounted by approximately $10.00. Island Express Air also offers pick-up or drop-off in Powell River for a $52.50 add-on fare including all taxes.

Most Comox flights will have at least one stop in Nanaimo or Victoria. As exact routing can change, passengers are encouraged to allow +/- 20 minutes for published flight times. The recommended check-in time for all flights is 45 minutes prior, with a strict cut-off of 30 minutes prior to the scheduled flight time.

	Weekdays		Weekends
Route	Departing	Arriving	Departing	Arriving
Abbotsford	Abbotsford 7:00 a.m. Comox 8:00 a.m.	Comox 7:50 a.m. Abbotsford 8:50 a.m.	Abbotsford 8:00 a.m. Comox 9:00 a.m.	Comox 8:50 a.m. Abbotsford 9:50 a.m.
Victoria	Victoria 7:20 a.m. Comox 8:00 a.m.	Comox 7:50 a.m. Victoria 8:30 a.m.	Victoria 8:20 a.m. Comox 9:00 a.m.	Comox 8:50 a.m. Victoria 9:30 a.m.
Abbotsford	Abbotsford 4:30 p.m. Comox 5:30 p.m.	Comox 5:20 p.m. Abbotsford 6:25 p.m.	Abbotsford 3:30 p.m. Comox 4:30 p.m.	Comox 4:20 p.m. Abbotsford 5:25 p.m.
Victoria	Victoria 4:50 p.m. Comox 5:30 p.m.	Comox 5:20 p.m. Victoria 6:00 p.m.	Victoria 3:50 p.m. Comox 4:30 p.m.	Comox 4:20 p.m. Victoria 5:00 p.m.

For the lowest fares, passengers are encouraged to book online more than two weeks in advance of travel. Visit www.islandexpressair.com for more information about booking online, or call 1-888-856-6260.

About Island Express Air
Island Express Air began serving Abbotsford, Victoria, and Nanaimo in 2009 with just two aircraft. Six years later, the company now has a fleet of six aircraft ranging from light, four-seat aircraft to an eight-seat, pressurized, all-weather turboprop King Air. All aircraft are equipped with the latest GPS navigation technology and live weather updates to the flight deck. In recent years, with additional aircraft and crews, the company proudly offers higher than 95 per cent on-time reliability. The company provides twice-daily scheduled flights seven days a week between Abbotsford, Victoria, Nanaimo, Boundary Bay, and Comox, as well as affordable charter service across Canada's West Coast and into United States. 

About the Comox Valley Airport
The Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) is an economic driver for Northern Vancouver Island, supporting about 193 direct jobs including airlines, airport management, security, food and beverage, retail and ground transportation.  The airport and tourism business community together generate $367 million in Gross Domestic Product and $701 million in direct economic output for the community. YQQ is operated by the Comox Valley Airport Commission, which was established in 1996 as a non-share capital and not-for-profit organization to operate the civil aviation facilities, including the terminal and apron.  The airfield and its associated systems, including air traffic control, are operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force at 19 Wing Comox on a continuous 24-hour basis.

SOURCE Comox Valley Airport

Media Contacts: Christianne Wile, Comox Valley Airport, Phone: [phone] ext. 253, [email protected]; Gerry Visser, Island Express Air, Phone: [phone], [email protected]