Saint John, N.B., airport offers new regional routes after COVID-19 disruption

SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Regional air service in New Brunswick will get a boost in September when Saint John Airport adds new weekday flights to Halifax, reviving a route that was cancelled because of the pandemic.

A news release says Quebec-based PASCAN Aviation will offer two daily return flights between Saint John and Halifax from Monday to Friday, as well as one return flight between Bathurst and Saint John every weekday.

The airline will fly 30-passenger SAAB 340B planes on the routes, beginning Sept. 9.

The airport currently has flights to Toronto and Montreal, and for the past year has had service to Orlando.

Saint John Airport president and CEO Alexander Ross called the additional routes "getting back to business," saying 24,000 passengers a year flew between Saint John and Halifax before COVID-19 disrupted flights.

The drive between the two cities takes roughly four hours, while Bathurst is about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Saint John.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press