Arctic Fresh Projects launching Saturday flights linking Iqaluit and Igloolik
Company previously offered flight between Iqaluit and Sanikiluaq as pilot initiative funded by GN
Igloolik-based Arctic Fresh Projects is launching a weekly flight between Iqaluit and Igloolik for Nunavummiut looking for an alternative to Canadian North. (File photo)
Updated Thursday, Jan. 12 at 3:45 p.m.
A new flight offered by Arctic Fresh Projects will connect passengers flying between Iqaluit and Igloolik, beginning Jan. 14.
The Igloolik-based company is launching a weekly flight that will offer nine seats and run on Saturdays when Canadian North — which offers regular flights during the week — has no scheduled flights.
The cost of a one-way ticket is $799, not including taxes. Canadian North’s website showed weekday flights cost approximately $1,200, which includes taxes, but could be as low as $715 for passengers who book two weeks in advance.
Ryan Haggan, sales and operations director for Arctic Fresh Projects, said the goal is to provide service to communities that have reached out for additional support.
“We understand that there was already a service provider and we looked if there were areas where AFP could provide that additional support,” he told Nunatsiaq News in an email.
“Saturday was a day when there were no fights into Igloolik and we decided to fill that gap. Our goal is just to provide the additional service that our communities have requested.”
Haggan did not say how much it will cost Arctic Fresh Projects to provide the new flight, but said it is covering all costs associated with the initiative.
He called the new flight to Igloolik a “moving initiative, but it is a substantial commitment on our behalf.”
Haggan said Arctic Fresh Projects will utilize its aviation partner, Quebec-based Panorama Aviation, to operate the airline.
The two organizations previously partnered on launching a flight between Iqaluit and Sanikiluaq in 2021. The air carrier was required to advertise and sell tickets to both the territorial government and the public at the time.
Arctic Fresh Projects specializes in online food sales, plus construction, renovation and aviation consulting. Asked how long it hopes to continue offering the new flights, Haggan said the “goal is as demand goes up to increase the number of flights.”
“Our goal is to provide additional logistics support for our communities,” he said. “At the moment we are committed to making this work, and will see what the future holds.”
Clarification: This article was updated to note Canadian North’s lower ticket prices for flights booked early.
The prices in this article do not match what is listed on AFP website of $1300 as one way set price. Canadian Norths site is about $715 one way if booked in advance.
Most people dont understand airline pricing which is based on revenue management. AFP is using a fixed price so there is no discount for booking early.
It is easy to look at this week’s prices from the major carrier and say they are high as these are usually when planes are the fullest
I just checked on AFP site and it’s $838.95 including tax and sometimes is hard to book ahead of time as things just come up. But I do see that if booked earlier is cheaper
I do see that they did drop from the initial posted price.
all the best..however..we saw what First air did to the last start up..
First Air and Canadian North had seat sales to match the Fly Sarvaq start up, it was the people who originally signed up for Fly Sarvaq who cancelled their seats for the one time seat sale. It’s really too bad. Imagine how different our air transportation could have been.
“Company previously offered flight between Iqaluit and Sanikiluaq as pilot initiative funded by GN”
Is the author suggesting this flight is no longer being offered?
A small company taking a chance to compete with the one big boy,good luck
How about a Cambridge Bay to Rankin Inlet flight? I bet you could fill more than 9 seats per week.
Wait… wait…. Even better idea. Do your Iqaluit-Igloolik route, but also do Igloolik-Cambridge Bay. It’s shorter overall to stop in Igloolik rather than Rankin when making your way West-East or vice versa, plus it avoids having to stop in Rankin. Win-win.