VANCOUVER -- Harbour Air will soon resume service out of Vancouver International Airport with more flights to return in the weeks ahead.
Harbour Air resumed some of its flights on May 11 and will add more to its schedule on Monday. On the list are flights between YVR and Victoria and Nanaimo as well as flights between Vancouver and Maple Bay.
The seaplane company temporarily stopped all flights in March to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"We have seen the impact COVID-19 has had on the communities we service," said Chad Wetsch, executive vice-president of Harbour Air, in a news release.
"We didn't want to leave anyone stranded, so we responded quickly, changing how we operate to get people and supplies where they needed to go."
As flights resume, Harbour Air has introduced new safety measures for passengers and employees including changing its flight schedule and reducing available seating, giving gloves and mask to passengers and asking passengers to sign a health declaration form before travel.
"We had to look at every aspect of our business with a new lens, from the time people booked, to the onboard experience and then getting them where they need to go on the other end," Wetsch said.
"We did come across some road blocks along the way in accessing supplies like masks and Plexiglas and ensuring staff could retain benefits. It took our entire team working around the clock to come up with innovative solutions on how to ensure health and safety of everyone while getting people where they need to go."
Harbour Air currently has daily flight service between:
- Vancouver and Victoria
- Vancouver and Nanaimo
- Vancouver and Sechelt
- Nanaimo and Sechelt
- Vancouver and Salt Spring Island
Along with the flights being added on June 1, service between Vancouver and Tofino will resume on June 5. Service between Vancouver and Comox will resume June 29.
