Air BC
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Founded | 1980 | ||||||
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Ceased operations | 2002Air Nova, Air Ontario and Canadian Regional Airlines to form Air Canada Jazz) | (merged with||||||
Hubs | Vancouver International Airport | ||||||
Alliance | Star Alliance (affiliate; 1997–2002) | ||||||
Parent company | Air Canada | ||||||
Headquarters | Richmond, British Columbia, Canada |
Air BC[1] was a Canadian regional airline headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.[2] It later became part of Air Canada Jazz. This regional airline primarily flew turboprop aircraft but also operated jets as well as an Air Canada Connector carrier on behalf of Air Canada via a code share feeder agreement.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Air_BC_BN-2A.jpg/220px-Air_BC_BN-2A.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Air_BC_Dash_7.jpg/220px-Air_BC_Dash_7.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Air_BC_146-200.jpg/220px-Air_BC_146-200.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/18/AirBC_late80s_logo.gif)
Air BC was established in 1980 after the merger (by the Jim Pattison Group) of a number of west coast domestic airlines: Calumet Air Service, Canadian Air Transit, Flight Operation, Gulf Air Aviation, Haida Airlines, Island Airlines, Omineca Air Services, Pacific Coast Air Services and West Coast Air Services. A combined fleet emerged, including STOL capable de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters with some Twin Otters being operated as float planes. In 1983, STOL capable DHC-7 Dash 7 turboprop aircraft were delivered and then in 1986 DHC-8 Dash 8-100 turboprops were acquired.
In 1987, Air Canada purchased 85% of Air BC, and Air BC became an Air Canada regional partner operating as Air Canada Connector. Air BC entered the jet age in 1988 with British Aerospace BAe 146-200 aircraft which was the only jetliner type ever operated by the air carrier. In 1994, the airline was operating British Aerospace Jetstream 31 propjets as part of their Air Canada Connector code share feeder services. Stretched DHC-8 Dash 8-300 turboprop aircraft were introduced as well. In March 1995, Air Canada purchased the remaining shares of Air BC.
In January 2001, a newly merged carrier called Air Canada Regional Inc was established. A wholly owned subsidiary of Air Canada, this company combined the individual strengths of five regional airlines – Air BC, Air Nova, Air Ontario, Air Alliance and Canadian Regional Airlines. Consolidation of these five companies was completed in 2002 and was marked by the launch of a new name and brand: Air Canada Jazz.
Destinations
Air BC served the following destinations in the fall of 1991 in Canada and the U.S. according to the Air BC – Air Canada Connector November 3, 1991, system timetable route map;[3] by 1999, Air BC had expanded its Air Canada Connector service and was flying BAe 146-200 jet service nonstop between Edmonton and Denver.[4]
- Calgary — Calgary International Airport
- Edmonton — Edmonton International Airport
- Fort McMurray — Fort McMurray International Airport
- Grande Prairie — Grande Prairie Airport
- Lethbridge — Lethbridge Airport
- Lloydminster — Lloydminster Airport
- Medicine Hat — Medicine Hat Airport
- Abbotsford — Abbotsford International Airport
- Campbell River — Campbell River Airport
- Castlegar — West Kootenay Regional Airport
- Comox — Comox Valley Airport
- Cranbrook — Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport
- Dawson Creek — Dawson Creek Airport
- Kamloops — Kamloops Airport
- Kelowna — Kelowna International Airport
- Nanaimo — Nanaimo Airport
- Penticton — Penticton Regional Airport
- Powell River — Powell River Airport
- Prince George — Prince George Airport
- Prince Rupert — Prince Rupert Airport
- Quesnel — Quesnel Airport
- Sandspit — Sandspit Airport
- Terrace — Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat
- Vancouver — Vancouver International Airport
- Victoria — Victoria International Airport
- Williams Lake — Williams Lake Airport
- Regina — Regina International Airport
- Saskatoon — Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport
- Denver, CO — Denver International Airport
- Las Vegas, NV — McCarran International Airport
- Portland, OR — Portland International Airport
- Seattle, WA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
Fleet
Some aircraft flown by Air BC included:[1]
- British Aerospace BAe 146-200 – only jet aircraft type operated by Air BC
- British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31
- Britten Norman BN-2A Islander
- de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
- de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7
- de Havilland Canada DHC-8-100 Dash 8 (series 100 standard version)
- de Havilland Canada DHC-8-300 Dash 8 (series 300 stretched version)
See also
References
- ^ a b Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: History Search Result for "Air BC"
- ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30, 1985. 34." Retrieved on June 17, 2009. "Head Office: 4680 Cowley Crescent, Richmond, British Columbia V7B 1C1, Canada"
- ^ "Air BC".
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Denver-Edmonton flight schedules
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Air Canada
- Defunct airlines of Canada
- Canadian companies established in 1980
- Canadian companies disestablished in 2002
- Airlines established in 1980
- Airlines disestablished in 2002
- Companies based in Richmond, British Columbia
- 1980 establishments in British Columbia
- 2002 disestablishments in British Columbia
- Former Star Alliance affiliate members
- Defunct companies of British Columbia