A Quebec based airline that began flying between Halifax & Sydney last fall is now ending those flights. Pascan Aviation launched the route in October, but the airline announced in a news release that service will stop on July 20.
“Despite the hard work of our team and the warm support from the airport staff and local partners, passenger numbers haven’t reached the level we need to keep the route going,” Airline said.
Pascan, based in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, thanked the local community, the McCurdy Sydney Airport team and travelers who booked with them. The Quebec based airline confirmed that anyone who purchased the tickets for flights after July 20 will eligible to receive a full refund.
When Pascan introduced the route last October, it was met with excitement from local politicians, business owners and tourism leaders. It had been nearly two years since a carrier had offered direct flights between Halifax and Sydney.
In a statement, Sydney Airport Authority CEO Myles Tuttle said the airport team will continue working with airlines to improve regional service.
“We’re disappointed that Pascan is pulling out of the market,” he said, “but we understand that the route didn’t see the usage it needed to stay.”
Currently, Air Canada runs daily direct flights from McCurdy Sydney Airport to Toronto and Montreal, while WestJet flies non-stop to Calgary twice a week. Tuttle thanked Pascan for its efforts and added that travel demand on other routes is rising.
“We’re seeing steady growth in passenger traffic from Sydney year over year, which shows strong interest in travel within our community,” he said.