Harbour Air Seaplanes to resume service between Vancouver and Victoria on April 27

Harbour Air Seaplanes are set to take flight again in between Vancouver and Victoria starting on April 27 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company is still asking everyone to avoid non-essential travel, but are reopening to help the communities they serve.

“These flights continue to support essential travel and front-line workers,” said the company in a Facebook post. “While the situation remains dynamic, with new information received each day, if you do not need to travel, please stay home.”

“We know that ‘returning to operations’ is not a ‘return to normal.”

In light of COVID-19, Harbour Air continues to suspended various flights and reduce operations across the province, and introduced new cleaning and social distancing protocols. These include requiring all staff and passengers to wear masks and gloves, and to complete a health declaration form and to take their temperature before boarding.

The travel company has also grounded all smaller aircraft and reduced the available seating up to only 40 per cent of its full capacity.

The seaplane service was not expected to resume until May 4, after the suspension of all passenger flights on March 27.

But monitoring the situation closely, Harbour Air resumed flights in between Nanaimo, Sechelt, and Vancouver after alternate transportation options shut down access to various B.C. communities. The company says they wanted to help essential travellers who now had limited options.

“To ensure we do not leave anyone stranded, we continue to offer private flights, freight and government support services as required,” said Harbour Air in a statement on their website.

The freight services will continue to run in order to support the supply chain process and the deliveries of food, materials and products to neighbours, businesses and facilities in need.

Harbour Air Seaplanes is one of many Island flight companies that grounded its aircraft due to COVID-19, including Alteo River Air Service and Gulf Island Sea Planes.

During a normal season, Harbour Air flies passengers between Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast and Whistler.

Here is the full list on conditions Harbour Air will be enforcing during the pandemic.

• Flights will be completed utilizing our larger DeHavilland Otter aircraft and available seating will be reduced to 40%, which will allow for on board distancing.
• All ground and flight crew will have their temperature checked upon arriving and departing at the workplace.
• Passengers will be required to complete a health declaration form before travel and have their temperature checked using a no-touch thermometer.
• Passengers will be provided with gloves and masks, required to be worn for the entire flight.
• The front line team will also deny boarding to any passenger whom they believe may be unfit to travel.
• The company will continue to follow the stringent cleaning and sanitation protocols in place and provide ample access to hand sanitizer in all terminals as well as pre and post flight.

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