Air Canada Reduces Flights from Kelowna-Okanagan International Airport

The first summer without COVID-19 restrictions is about to begin, which means travel demand is increasing across Canada.

Air Canada has announced the reduction and cancellation of some direct routes, to reduce traffic to major airports to ensure fewer canceled flights.

“The system as we look at aviation is under considerable stress,” said YLW director Sam Sammadar.

If you want to fly from Kelowna International Airport, you may need to adjust your travel plans.

Direct flights from YLW to Montreal have now been canceled and further reductions are to be expected. Sammadar says flights to Toronto could be affected in the near future.

« Unfortunately, as we have seen travel demand continue to increase, particularly during the summer months, we will see a reduction in seats outside our market. »

The Canada Day long weekend marks the start of a busy travel season for Kelowna International Airport. This means increased wait times, queues and delays. YLW recommends all passengers to arrive early.

“People stopped traveling for two years. Many of them are relearning what travel is and of course it takes longer than before the pandemic,” Sammadar said.

The cuts are frustrating as Kelowna International Airport has seen steady growth over the past few months. Sammadar says that before the cuts, there were more seats available than the airport offered in 2019.

Although Air Canada routes are affected, passengers can still expect plenty of flights from YLW to hubs across the country.

“We have seen huge opportunities with the addition of super low cost carriers to the market,” adds Sammadar.

Kelowna International Airport offers flights with nine different airlines.