Swoop Expands Summer Schedule and Brings New Routes and More Ultra-Low Fares to British Columbia

Airline introduces Victoria as new destination and adds more routes to Kelowna for peak summer travel

VICTORIA, BC, March 31, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, Swoop, Canada's leading ultra-low-cost airline, announced an expansion to its summer schedule, bringing new routes and more ultra-low fares to British Columbia. The airline's expanded summer operations will bring new service to Victoria and celebrates the return and addition of new routes from Kelowna. 

"Our summer schedule expansion is in response to strong advance sales and in anticipation of demand from Canada's most price-conscious travellers as they look towards the accelerated pace of vaccine rollouts across the country," said Charles Duncan, President of Swoop. "We are thrilled to be offering Canadians even more opportunities to connect with British Columbia's vibrant West Coast and Okanagan region this summer." 

The airline, which had previously postponed planned operations to Victoria in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, will now see an increase of flights and routes in three cities within British Columbia, ensuring that Canadians across the province have access to domestic air travel at an affordable price tag. Today's announcement is the first of several to come for the airline as they intend to bring even more ultra-low-fares coast-to-coast. 

Swoop's new service to Victoria will include flights from Toronto, ON and Edmonton, AB. In addition, beginning June 20, 2021, service to Kelowna will now be available from Hamilton, ON and once again from Winnipeg, MB. Full details of Swoop's expanded service in British Columbia can be found below. 

Planned Network Service: New and Returning Routes   

Route	Frequency	Planned Start Date
Toronto – Victoria	Up to 6x weekly	May 20, 2021
Edmonton – Victoria	Up to 7x weekly	May 20, 2021
Hamilton – Kelowna	Up to 6x weekly	June 20, 2021
Winnipeg – Kelowna	Up to 3x weekly	June 20, 2021

Additional BC Network Service

Route	Frequency
Abbotsford – Edmonton	Up to 21x weekly
Abbotsford – Hamilton	Up to 7x weekly
Abbotsford – Toronto	Up to 7x weekly
Abbotsford – Winnipeg	Up to 7x weekly
Kelowna – Toronto	Up to 7x weekly

"As we continue to plan for recovery, our focus remains on ensuring the safe reopening of air travel within Canada," continued Duncan. "When the time comes for a safe resumption of travel, it will be critical to ensure access to affordable travel exists within our borders and Swoop is strategically positioned to meet that need in British Columbia and across the country."

Additional Quotes

"As the economy begins to reopen, we are pleased that Swoop recognizes Victoria as a destination that travellers will look forward to returning to or discovering the beauty and culture that Victoria and Vancouver Island has to offer for the first time." Said Geoff Dickson, Victoria Airport Authority President and CEO. 

"Swoop's commitment to Greater Victoria is welcome news – both as we recover from the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond" said Paul Nursey, CEO – Destination Greater Victoria. "It goes without saying we are located on an island. Reliable transportation to and from the destination is vital to the success of our visitor economy. There are other benefits to a low-cost carrier like Swoop entering market as well. It means Greater Victoria becomes an option for visitors that might not have considered air travel without ultra-low cost carrier options. Increased competition amongst transportation providers means consumers have more choice for how they experience Greater Victoria."

"We are proud to welcome Hamilton and Winnipeg non-stop to YLW this summer," said Sam Samaddar, Airport Director. "Swoop's additional destinations will allow Canadians more direct options to the Okanagan this summer season."

"Safe, reliable air service with direct, non-stop flights is essential to the recovery of the tourism industry and important contributor to our local and national economy. While we wait for interprovincial travel restrictions to lift, we hope Swoop customers from Hamilton, Winnipeg, Toronto, and surrounding areas will begin to plan their future trip to Kelowna and the Okanagan. We have incredible experiences for leisure and business visitors waiting to be enjoyed across all four seasons, and we're looking forward to welcoming you here, soon."  Lisanne Ballantyne, President & CEO, Tourism Kelowna

To learn more about Swoop's visit  FlySwoop.com  or connect with Swoop on  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

About Swoop   

About Swoop: Established in 2018, Swoop is Canada's leading ultra-low-cost airline, independently operated as part of the WestJet Group of companies, offering scheduled service to destinations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. Swoop offers completely unbundled products and services, creating the unique opportunity for travellers to control their costs and customize their experience by purchasing only the extras they desire.  

Swoop operates a modern fleet of nine Boeing 737-800 aircraft, equipped with in-seat power and Wi-Fi connectivity. Flyswoop.com allows travellers to quickly and easily book flights, manage bookings, check-in, view boarding passes, track flights and access Wi-Fi service in-flight.    

SOURCE Swoop

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