New Yellowknife-Hay River flights: here’s the price comparison

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] A Hay River-based airline will begin scheduled services between the town and Yellowknife on May 22.

Landa Aviation, previously solely a charter operator, posted a schedule to Facebook this week suggesting it will operate scheduled flights twice daily on weekdays and once each way on Saturdays.

On weekdays, flights will depart Hay River for Yellowknife at 7:45am and 4:15pm. Flights in the opposite direction leave Yellowknife at 9am and 6pm.

On Saturdays, flights depart Hay River at 10am and return from Yellowknife at 11:15am.

Speaking to Northern News Services, Landa Aviation representative Tyler King cautioned those times are “not set in stone” though they are not expected to change significantly.

More: Landa Aviation on Facebook

First Air is the only other operator offering scheduled flights between Yellowknife and Hay River. Buffalo Airways has not reinstated its service between the two communities since its Christmas 2015 suspension over safety and documentation, though that suspension was lifted by early 2016.

Kim King, the co-owner of Landa Aviation, said it was launching the service to replace Buffalo’s discontinued flights “with the blessing” of Buffalo Airways boss Joe McBryan.

So, how do prices between First Air and Landa Aviation compare?

Landa’s nine-seater aircraft will offer one-way flights for $350 one-way or $600 return. You can get a book of 10 tickets for $2,500, in other words $250 each. It’s not clear if cheaper fares will be available for youth or Elders.

For May 22, Landa’s projected first day of operations, First Air was offering one-way fares at a shade above $500 when Cabin Radio checked its website on Thursday evening. A return trip came to $1,020.

Other dates produced First Air flights at the cheaper rate of around $380 each way, or $760 return.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]