obelisk ee ee oni ca ae, a Fart mupratey TERRACE — In a long-awaited announcement last week AirBC, the Vancouver-based commuter arm of Air Canada, unveiled plans to begin service connecting Terrace, Prince Rupert and Van- couver beginning May 30. But their high-frequency schedule, which will add 240 seats daily in each direction, doesn’t seem to have the competition - Canadian Airlines International and. Skylink Airlines - very worried. For its first venture into. the {AIN HARRIS: We're serious — this Is a big commitment. Northwest AirBC has invested in a pair of British Aerospace (BAe) 146-200 four-engine jet airliners at a cost of $25 million apiece, Airline spokesman Ron Moore said the aircraft are de- signed to carry a maximum of 110 passengers but AirBC will have them set up to carry 80 people on the Terrace-Prince Rupert route. Moore said the lower capacity configuration will make for more legroom and more comfortable flying, but he also noted that Transport Can- ada regulations require one flight attendant for every 40 passengers, which means the flights will carry two attendants instead of three. AirBC president Jain Harris said at a press conference last Thursday that the opening sche- dule will consist of three flights daily Monday through Friday and two flights on each of the weekend days. The weekday - flights will arrive and depart in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening, but Harris said ex- act times haven’t been estab- lished and he wouldn’t comment on the fare structure except to say the company will offer a “broad range of discount seats and: fares that are competitive with CAI’’. The flights will be full-service affairs with hot or cold meals at appropriate times of the day. The aircraft cruises at 450 mph at an altitude of 31,000 feet,- making flight times a few min- utes longer than those of CAI’s Boeing 737’s. The BAe 146 is described as a short-haul jet that Moore called **a good short-field performer’’, meaning that it may have some advantage over the faster B-737 when landing in marginal wea- ther conditions. The airplane was certified in 1983 and there are currently about 70 of them being operated by carriers in Europe, North America, Aus- tralia and Asia. Both the manu- facturer and operators say it’s the quietest jet aircraft in the world. Society seeks help — Terrace Beautification Society ’ President George Clark met with the city’s Finance Committee recently to outline the society’s activities during the past year and their financial requirements for proposed projects in the coming year. As a result, city council has approved a total of $6,094 in support for the society’s opera- - tions in 1988. This consists of a grant of $2,600 for wages and a capital allowance of $3,493.91 towards 1988 projects and "Wf It's In print we can order itl" Hundreds of magazines, books, paperbacks, tapes, newspapers, for all ages | HOURS Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 4606 Lakelse Avenue Terrace, B.C., VBG 1R] 635-4428 related expenses. The committee stressed that the society’s requests for finan- cial assistance should not be looked upon as an annual grant from the city, Some of the projects the Beautification Society is current- ly working on include upgrading the Arena hill, a ‘Spring Gar- bathon’’ next month, and the sale of an additional 10 litter bins to local businesses. Pan Harris said the level of invest- ment AirBC has undertaken in Opening its Northwest service is an indication of the confidence the company feels in the region’s economy. ‘‘We're serious, this is a big commitment,”’ he said. ‘*It’s our intention to become the dominant carrier in this part of the world - western Canada, with a sharp focus on the north.”’ Harris said that based on AirBC’s experience in other B.C. destinations he expects the market here to expand by up to 20 percent due to greater flight frequency and more attractive fares. CAI | representative Gerry Goodridge seemed undisturbed by the AirBC move and said it _ Terrace Review — Wednesday, March 23, 1988 3 had been expected since last year when the company was granted a license for the route. ‘“We'’ve already set our spring schedule, starting May 1, but it’s not a direct response (to AirBC), we’re not reacting,” he said. Goodridge said he’s confident that there is enough potential traffic in the Northwest to warrant the added capacity. *“We do very well in the North- west. It’s a good market for us, and I’m sure AirBC sees it the same way,’’ he remarked. Skylink Airlines, who began passenger service to Terrace and Smithers from their Richmond base last month, are in the pro- cess of negotiating the purchase of another Fairchild Metro II to supplement their Northwest and This BAe 146 four-engine jetliner Is the type of aircraft AlrBC will use on Its recently announced service to connect Terrace and Prince Rupert with Vancouver. The aircraft holds 60 passengers and Is reported to be the quietest Jet In the world. , AitBC to begin Terrace service May 30 Kelowna routes, Representative Karen Greenwood described re- sponse to the airline’s service as “amazing’’, *'Twice a week we're hearing reports of some new activity in that area - there seems to be a boom going on up there. We're doing very well and we’re ex- cited and pleased,”’ she said. Greenwood noted that Sky- link has added three extra flights to its Easter holiday week schedule, and she said the airline © has the flexibility to add flights Tronically, on the day the AirBC delegation made their an- nouncement in Terrace, Ron Moore was still in Terrace after the last flight departed - he said he’d been bumped off the return flight to Vancouver. Terrace Centennial Lions Club Oth Annual Ladies Diamond Dinner Saturday, March 26, 1988 © Inn of the West All inclusive: dinner, refreshments, fashion show, $50. entertainment, return bus transportation, and PRIZES, PRIZES, PRIZES MAJOR PRIZES: TRIP FOR TWO TO SAN FRANCISCO DIAMOND RING Courtesy of _ERWIN'S St Touseof finegfewelry SINCE 1910 Courtesy of Canadi# NUMEROUS OTHER PRIZES Tickets still available a? Erwin Jewellers in the Terrace Shopping centre