By Jeff Bell, Times Colonist–November 26, 2009
After months of worrying extra security measures could leave them grounded during the Olympics, small airlines like Saltspring Air are applauding a change they say will allow them to carry on as usual.
The federal government announced yesterday that Saltspring Island will have its own security area, so it won’t need to fly to Nanaimo for special screening during the Games.
“It has completely turned around,” said Philip Reecho, co-owner and marketing manager of Saltspring Air. “We went from looking at laying off personnel and parking airplanes to flying direct and hoping for a bumper shoulder season.”
The company was concerned after it learned that from Jan. 29 to March 4, it would have to route all its flights through Nanaimo to go through a specific type of security scanner. That would have tripled flight times, said Reece.
Transport Canada said the addition of a security facility in Ganges on Saltspring was made after consultation with the aviation industry. It comes as a relief to Saltspring Air, Reece said. “We’ve got four airplanes and we were going to park three of them.”
Harbour Air Seaplanes — which is much larger, with over 30 aircraft — is still worried about the impact of the extra security. General manager Randy Wright said Harbour Air will make use of the Saltspring security site, but the limited capacity of similar facilities in both Victoria and Coal Harbour means the airline will still be curtailed in its ability to do sightseeing tours out of Coal Harbour and to go back and forth to Vancouver. The sites, contained in trailer-like units, can process about 60 people per hour.
Current security measures for small airlines don’t necessarily include airport-style screening. Planes are contained in locked areas and passengers must have proper identification.
“It will take a lot longer to process the people through,” Wright said. “We did not get a lot of personnel or machines to do this — we’re only getting one per base, and West Coast Air and ourselves will be sharing it.”
He said the company would like to see compensation for its lost business, predicting revenues could drop by 50 per cent. West Coast Air has said it will be seeking compensation.
The Air Transport Association of Canada, which represents 200 companies, pegged the potential losses for B.C. airline operators at $3 million to $5 million last week, prior to the addition of the Saltspring security site. A letter was sent the Prime Minister’s Office outlining the case for compensation.
“Yes, it’s great for the province, the Olympics, but we’re being affected,” Wright said.
