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History

Central Mountain Air was founded in 1987 in Smithers, British Columbia, to provide essential air services to remote communities in Western Canada. Initially operating small aircraft, CMA expanded its fleet and network over the decades, focusing on regional connectivity. In 1997, the airline ordered additional Raytheon Beech 1900D Airliners and became an Air Canada connector, replacing Air BC on routes in Alberta and British Columbia, later under the Air Canada Express banner. This partnership included a Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) for flights from Calgary to Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Cranbrook, which ended in October 2011. CMA continues as an Air Canada codeshare partner for select routes, such as Vancouver to Quesnel and Williams Lake.

Key milestones include:

• 2005: Received its first two Dornier 328 aircraft for scheduled and charter flights, with a third added in 2014.
• 2010: Parent company 580741 BC acquired Hawkair, a British Columbia-based airline, which declared bankruptcy and ceased operations on November 18, 2016.
• 2011: Ended the Air Canada CPA but maintained codeshare partnerships.
• 2021: Formalized a collaboration with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC), enhancing services to Dease Lake Airport.
• 2022: Appointed Trevor Wakefield as Chief Operating Officer (August 8) to lead strategic growth.
• 2023: Signed a five-year deal with Newcrest Mining to provide chartered flights for Red Chris mine crews, via TNDC’s Dease Lake Airport.
• 2024: Added Bombardier Dash 8-300 aircraft to support charter growth and connectivity.
• 2025: Expanded summer schedule, increasing frequencies to Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George from Vancouver.

Operations

CMA operates scheduled flights to 16 destinations in British Columbia and Alberta, charter services across Western Canada and the United States, and cargo services to eight communities. Its network focuses on connecting smaller cities to major hubs, ensuring seamless travel through interline agreements.

Destinations:

• British Columbia: Campbell River (YBL), Comox (YQQ), Fort Nelson (YYE), Fort St. John (YXJ), Kamloops (YKA), Kelowna (YLW), Prince George (YXS), Quesnel (YQZ), Terrace (YXT), Vancouver (YVR), Williams Lake (YWL).
• Alberta: Calgary (YYC), Edmonton (YEG), Grande Prairie (YQU), High Level (YOJ), Lethbridge (YQL).

Services:

• Scheduled Flights: Serves 16 communities with high-frequency routes like Vancouver–Kamloops and Prince George–Fort St. John. Summer 2025 schedules include non-stop Vancouver flights to Campbell River, Quesnel, Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George.
• Charter Services: Provides tailored charters for corporations, government agencies, oil and gas industries, and sports teams, with aircraft ranging from 9 to 76 seats. Notable contracts include crew transport for Red Chris mine (2023–2028).
• Cargo: Offers limited cargo services for small packages and perishables, integrated with scheduled flights.
• Interline Agreements: Partners with Air Canada and WestJet for through baggage and boarding passes to regional, national, and international destinations via hub airports like YVR and YYC.
• Codeshare: Maintains Air Canada codeshare for Vancouver–Quesnel and Vancouver–Williams Lake routes.
• Affiliates: Sister company Northern Thunderbird Air (NTAir) provides charter and cargo services from Prince George, including medical evacuation (Medevac) flights with King Air 350s. Affiliate partners operate Dash 8-400s and CRJ 100/200s.