BURST
Harbour Air is set to expand its flight network across B.C. after announcing that it planned to buy Pacific Coastal Airlines.
In a joint statement Tuesday, the two companies said they had “entered into an agreement under which Harbour Air will acquire PCA and form a new regional airline group, keeping both airlines under Canadian ownership.”
Harbour Air operates seaplanes, while Pacific Coastal operates wheeled aircraft. The newly formed group will be based in Vancouver and continue to maintain the two “distinct brands,” with the companies noting that “preserving those brands is an important part of the proposed transaction.”
No sale price has been disclosed.
“The creation of this new group is an exciting step for Harbour Air, its employees and for the communities we both serve,” said Bert van der Stege, CEO of Harbour Air. “We have a long-standing and deep respect for Pacific Coastal Airlines, for their role as a B.C. regional airline, and their employees, who have powered the airline for 40 years.”
The statement noted that the new aviation group would operate a joint fleet of 59 float and wheeled aircraft servicing 25 communities, with up to 300 daily flights. Harbour Air currently serves 13 communities with up to 200 flights a day, while Pacific Coastal serves 19 communities.
“We are joining an airline that has long served B.C. communities and with a shared culture of service,” said PCA president Quentin Smith. “Under new ownership, we will be able to invest in growth, maintain our brand and continue to build a stronger, better airline for the communities that count on both of us.”
The two airlines jointly employ 900 people across B.C. At the time of the announcement, there was no information on whether there would be layoffs after the acquisition, though the companies acknowledged that once the deal was approved, they would be “evaluating opportunities for synergies and how corporate and support functions may come together over time.”
The sale is subject to regulatory approval and no closing date has been shared for the deal. The two companies will continue to function as separate and independent airlines in the meantime.
Travellers with current bookings will not see any immediate changes.