Chilliwack – What happened to Cascadia Air and flights in and out of Chilliwack?
In July 2022, FVN reported that: The BC airline, which has operated out of the airport since last year (2021), offers the first scheduled air service from Chilliwack in more than a decade.It includes daily flights to Abbotsford, Pitt Meadows, Vancouver, Campbell River, Tofino, Penticton, and at the end of the month, launching the route into Vernon – connecting communities across the province at a low-cost fare. Cascadia Airways currently offers seven flights per day out of Chilliwack, with each aircraft seating up to six passengers.
The resurgence was in response to the need of Chilliwack Airport to have flights as it became a air hub during the November 2021 Floods.
A number of media outlets reported that the company wentAWOL.
FVN and chillTVtried to contact the airline and the phone line “does not receive messages” and the social media is sluggish when you try to log on. The website does not show any arrivals or departures on their schedule for any destination, whether it was Vancouver (South terminal) Pitt Meadows, Vernon or Chilliwack.
There are published reports on social media that frustrated customers are trying to get a refund.
As of January 6 2023, there were no scheduled commercial flights in and out of YCW Chilliwack Airport.
On January 11, management put out a statement:
This past year has been a difficult economic year for our small commuter airline. We have been negatively affected by higher overall costs that have made it unsustainable to continue our operations for the time being. This was not an easy decision to make as we value the employees, customers and communities we have served since our airline began operations during the height of the pandemic.
We recognize that this decision is going to have a significant impact on those we serve. The traumatic weather events (fires and floods) during the past few years, have demonstrated the need for a service such as ours. We are endeavoring to find a way to resume providing our services in the future.
Cascadia Air is a small commuter airline with less than a dozen employees servicing various tourism and Lower Mainland destinations. Our current focus is to address the viability of the company and we will be communicating with our employees, customers, and suppliers that are impacted.
Over the next few weeks we will be reaching out to our customers and any entitled refunds will be issued as soon as possible. We thank you for your patience and support. We will provide updates regularly and as new information becomes available.
