The long-coveted notion of an air link between Flin Flon and Saskatoon is about to become a reality.
Missinippi Airways will offer thrice-weekly scheduled flights between the two communities starting on March 2.
“There’s been a lot of people over the years asking when we were going to start [this],” said Rick Brenton, general manager of the small, First Nation-owned airline.
“I’m very confident that this is going to be successful over the long run because of the connection between the two communities. It’s just a matter of time. If we advertise it properly, we don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t [succeed].”
Demand
Brenton expects business from people who need to get to Saskatoon to depart for other destinations. He also sees demand from businesspeople and patients who have medical appointments in the city.
Currently, the only non-chartered way to fly from Flin Flon to Saskatoon is to fly to Winnipeg first, he said.
Service between Flin Flon and Saskatoon will initially run Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. More days will be added if demand warrants.
The service will also connect The Pas to Saskatoon. Missinippi’s nine-seat aircraft will leave The Pas at 10:30 am and land in Flin Flon about 15 to 20 minutes later.
From there the plane will make the approximately 50-minute flight to Saskatoon.
Asked how long Missinippi will wait to determine the schedule a success or failure, Brenton said the airline will re-evaluate after three months.
The lack of a scheduled Flin Flon-Saskatoon air link has long been a concern among area air travellers.
At least two small airlines have attempted the service before, apparently with only limited success.
In 2006, the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce discussed the concept of a community-owned-and-operated airline that would offer affordable return flights to Winnipeg and likely Saskatoon. Nothing materialized.
This will mark Missinippi’s first foray into scheduled flights in and out of Flin Flon.
The airline currently offers service between Pukatawagan and
The Pas.
Pukatawagan-based Mathias Colomb Cree Nation owns Missinippi.
