Peterborough Airport Soars Again With First Chartered Flight Since 2019

It was a three-year flight delay but Peterborough Airport had its first chartered trip this year, sending 107 passengers off to New Orleans, La. on Thursday morning.

This is the eight year BST Vacations has offered departures from the Peterborough Airport. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The flight was from Blowes & Stewart Travel Group (BST), flying a Boeing 737-400 that will return on Sunday as part of their three-day travel package.

The travel agency has not had a flight in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scott Stewart, BST president was happy to see the passengers’ smiling faces when they boarded the plane.

"We knew it had to be about community and the community first,” he said. “When we saw the thralls of people that came that have been on our regulars, it was just so heartwarming to see that."

The flight offered its passengers food and drink that are all locally sourced.

Continental breakfast and in-flight meals were hand-picked and made the morning of the flight by Sobeys Catering department (Lansdowne Street location). Beer served was from Publican House Brewery with a new Pet Pilsner. Those proceeds went towards funding the Peterborough Animal Care Centre for the Peterborough Humane Society. Liquor came from Black’s Distillery, specifically their Heritage Vodka as an alternate alcoholic option.

The airport remained busy during the pandemic despite no travel flights. Maintenance, cleaning and other operations that uses the facility kept everyone running at full speed according to Malcolm Cook, airport manager."

"We haven't had as much travel flight occurring at the airport,” he said. “The college (Seneca) has continued their operations, Flying Colours (Corp.) has continued theirs so our jobs have pretty much remained the same."

Both Cook and Stewart anticipate more chartered flights in the future with the first one taking off. Nashville, Tenn., Savannah, Ga. and Las Vegas, Nev. are three US destinations BST has already planned according to their website.

"I think we're all looking forward to seeing the pandemic behind us," said Cook. "Anything that beckons towards that is great."

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