COVID protocols in place as YPR prepares for return of Air service to Prince Rupert

Scheduled air service resumes in Prince Rupert on June 22nd as
Air Canada relaunches the Prince Rupert-Vancouver route

The departure and arrival announcements will soon once again be heard on Digby Island as the Prince Rupert Airport puts the finishing touches on their protocols for travellers in and out of the city.

As we outlined on May 7th, the relaunch date for the airport is June 22nd and YPR recently made note of the return of service through a post on their Facebook page.

A message for Prince Rupert air travellers from the Airport Authority
(click to enlarge)

Following up on those notes, the North Coast Review contacted Airport Manager Rick Leach to get a sense of what travellers can expect when they prepare to take to the skies later this month.

When it comes to the Terminal itself, Mr. Leach outlines the range of measures to be put in place both on Digby Island, as well as for the YPR Shuttle Terminal in Downtown Prince Rupert, the Airport Buses and the Airport Ferry.

The Airport will be promoting safe protocols (social distancing, wearing masks, hand washing) throughout the terminal with signage aids. Hand sanitizer station will be installed. These protocols will also align with First Bus, Digby Ferry, and the City Depot procedures.

For the Sixth Avenue Shuttle Terminal the compact nature of the facility will require that travellers take proper measures as well.

Passengers will need to abide by protocols of distancing and face mask wearing when entering the Depot, hand sanitizer station will be installed.

That transit from downtown to Digby Island may not be quite as challenging as first thought however, with Mr. Leach noting how Air Canada, which is the sole air service in and out of the city, has reduced capacity for their flights, which would make for reduced numbers of those in transit.

Currently Air Canada is selling the window seats only, as has been their practice throughout the system for Regional aircraft types. 

There is No indication as to when this practice may change. 

Air Canada will be advising customers, when they book, about their COVID-19 protocols for on board travel. 

 They have also installed their Air Canada CleanCare+ program to instill consumer confidence in travel.

Airlines in general are rolling out a soft launch to slowly ramp up schedules to better understand the demand for travel, and adjust accordingly. 

 More on the Air Canada Clean Care program can be reviewed here.

The importance of a return to air travel for the region was also a theme for the Airport Manager who observes as to how the volume of passengers through the airport provide for the financial heft for its operations.

It will be important that YPR can recover to pre Covid-19 booking levels to maintain a vibrant, robust commercial schedule that will facilitate the community and businesses alike. 

The Airport is financially viable through the fees that users pay, allowing it to not be a burden to the City.

As the COVID19 pandemic began to place its footprint across the country, small and medium sized airport authorities, aviation councils and  associations began the process of seeking federal or provincial assistance towards recovery from the seismic shift that air travel has seen over the last three months and that which is forecast into the next few as the restart plans evolve.

However, as the Mr Leach notes, so far there has been no firm commitment received from either level of government.

Aviation councils and associations have been lobbying both governments to consider the blight of small airports that have limited options to recover financially. We are still waiting to hear about any considerations.

Scheduled Air service in and out of Prince Rupert was suspended on March 26th as Air Canada centralized its Northwest Operations out of Terrace, at the time Smithers and Sandspit flights were also suspended.

Like Prince Rupert, those services are set to resume later this month

For updates on items of interest from YPR see their website or Facebook page.

For a look at some of the past notes on aviation across the Northwest see our archive page here.