Swoop makes first flight from Toronto to Kelowna

Oct 26, 2020 | 10:47 AM Pete McIntyre

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) celebrated the arrival of ultra-low-cost carrier Swoop and its inaugural non-stop flight between YLW and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on Sunday (Oct. 25).

This fall and winter, Swoop will provide non-stop service from YLW to YYZ four times per week. Flights depart from Kelowna on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays operating with modern Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Service with Swoop is scheduled to operate from October 25, 2020 to April 24, 2021.

“We’ve heard from travellers who are eager to visit destinations this fall and winter, but want to do so safely and responsibly,” Airport Director Sam Samaddar said. “At YLW, we are committed to making their journey as safe and comfortable as possible. With Swoop again operating out of YLW, there are more options to explore cities within our own borders, such as Toronto.”

YLW Airport Director Sam Samaddar and Colleen Ham, Head of Corporate Services, Swoop. (photo credit: YLW)

“We are thrilled to be bringing our ultra-low fares back to Kelowna and the Okanagan region,” said Colleen Ham, Head of Corporate Services, Swoop. “We know Canadians are cautious about travel this winter season, and the health and safety measures we have in place onboard our aircraft, as well as the protocols in place at Kelowna International Airport, means travellers can be assured throughout their journey.”

Swoop and YLW have implemented a robust set of measures to provide a safe and healthy travel environment for travellers, aircrew and airport employees.

At the airport, YLW has reconfigured infrastructure and ramped up cleaning and sanitization in the terminal to help keep passengers healthy while they are at the airport, which includes:

frequent sanitization of high-touch areas which includes luggage carts, washrooms, eating areas, check-in kiosks and customer service counters
installing barriers in customer service areas such as bag drop, rental car kiosks and between self-serve check-in kiosks
requiring masks be worn at all times in the public areas of the terminal
temperature checks at pre-board security

On board, Swoop has stringent health and safety protocols to provide travellers with peace of mind every time they board a Swoop aircraft, which includes:

implementing stricter boarding processes allowing for shorter queue wait times
traveller health screening measures such as pre-boarding health questionnaires
increased sanitization
enforcing face masks to be worn for the duration of the flight

Established in 2018, Swoop is Canada’s leading ultra-low-cost airline, independently operated as part of the WestJet Group of companies, offering point-to-point scheduled service to 23 seasonal and year-round destinations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. Swoop offers completely unbundled products and services, creating the unique opportunity for travellers to control their costs and customize their experience by purchasing only the extras they desire.

To get more information on Swoop, visit FlySwoop.com

For more information about health and safety measures at YLW, visit ylw.kelowna.ca/healthytravel