Air BC

Air BC
Founded 1980
Commenced operations 1980
Ceased operations 2002
Parent company Air Canada
Headquarters Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Air BC was an airline headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.[1] It is now 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

AirBC logo during the late 1980s, before being bought by Air Canada.

Air BC was established in 1980 after the merger (by the Jim Pattison Group) of a number of west coast domestic airlines: Canadian Air Transit, Flight Operation, Gulf Air Aviation, Haida Airlines, Island Airlines, Ominecca Air, Pacific Coast Air Services and West Coast Air Services. A combined fleet emerged, including de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters with some Twin Otters being operated as float planes. In 1983, DHC-7 Dash 7 aircraft were delivered and then in 1986 DHC-8 Dash 8-100 aircraft 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 turboprops as part of their Air Canada Connector code share feeder services. In March 1995, Air Canada purchased the remaining shares. DHC-8 Dash 8-300 aircraft were introduced as well.

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.[2]


By 1999, Air BC had expanded its Air Canada Connector service and was flying BAe 146-200 jet service nonstop between Edmonton and Denver, Colorado.[3]

Fleet

References

  1. "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"
  2. http://www.airtimes.com/cgat/ca/aibc.htm
  3. http://www.departedfligthts.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Denver-Edmonton flight schedules

External links

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