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North Star Air

Council earmarks $500,000 to bring air passenger service back to Fort Frances

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Air passenger service is close to returning to Fort Frances.

Town Council has agreed to set aside $500,000 over two years to help bring Thunder Bay-based North Star Air into the community.

The town is also committing $40,000 on marketing.

An agreement states the first flights would come on June 1st.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas says it is important to have air passenger service back.

“Fort Frances, right now, is in transition, and I believe that we’re at a cusp, we’re on the brink of some very vigorous economic activity and development, and we’re going to need a passenger service now more than ever as professionals and workers will start flying into Fort Frances,” says Hallikas.

Hallikas notes that Kenora and Dryden are doing the same thing to give the airline a push to be successful.

All three communities lost air passenger service in January 2024 when Bearskin pulled its flights.

North Star began flights to Kenora earlier this year.

Hallikas says his conversations with the company’s vice-president, Tom Meilleur, indicate they want to see the service be a success.

“He’s a really willing partner. He’s willing to tailor the service to our needs,” says Hallikas.

“He’s willing to use larger or smaller aircraft if needed. He’s willing to cancel flights if nobody’s on those flights. He wants it to be a success as much as we want it to be a success.”

The agreement between the town and the airline notes that the service needs at least $780,000 in net revenue to be sustainable.

A project loss of $171,000 is planned for in the first year.

The airline is proposing three flights weekly, using a Pilatus PC-12 that has the capacity to carry as many as nine passengers.

Ticket prices are set between $450.00 to under $800.00, depending on when a passenger books.

North Star Air

Fort Frances mayor confident on return of air passenger service

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Air passenger services could be returning to Fort Frances in the near future.

The town is in talks with North Star Air.

Town officials got an opportunity to check out the company earlier this month, when they flew to Thunder Bay to view North Star’s operations.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas is impressed with the Thunder Bay-based company.

“They’re a really good company,” says Hallikas.

“I’m really impressed with them, and I’m really impressed with their philosophy, which is to form a partnership with the community that they’re serving. They’re really willing to be flexible in terms of providing this air service, which bodes well for us.”

As part of the negotiations, town council agreed to set aside $60,000 for marketing purposes.

Hallikas says a recent report suggested there was support for a return to air passenger services, and they want to ensure that that support translates into use.

“We need to really make sure it works, and they really want to make sure it works,” says Hallikas.

“And our end is to make sure that all of those people in the report that said that they would use this air service, use it.”

Fort Frances, along with Kenora and Dryden, lost air passenger service when Bearskin withdrew in January 2024, citing declining passenger loads as a reason.

North Star began flights to Kenora earlier this year.

Hallikas is confident a new service will be supported in Fort Frances.

There is still more talking to take place before the first flight by North Star happens.

Hallikas says the town has some areas at the airport to address, such as ticketing and servicing of the aircraft.

He puts no date as to when North Star could begin serving Fort Frances but expects it will not be long after negotiations are made final.

North Star Air

Fort Frances working to bring back air passenger service

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Fort Frances could see a return to air passenger service.

Some initial discussions have been had with representatives from North Star Air.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas says further talks will take place next week in Thunder Bay.

“North Star is sending a plane next week to pick us up and take us to Thunder Bay to tour their facilities,” says Hallikahs.

“While we’re there, we’re going to enter into negotiations to see what it takes to get regularly scheduled flights in here. So things are in the works there.”

Fort Frances was among the communities that lost air passenger service when Bearskin withdrew in 2024.

A consultant’s report determined air passenger service is still viable in Fort Frances, suggesting routes that link to Winnipeg and Thunder Bay being optimal.

Hallikas says town staff have been preparing in advance of their visit with North Star.

“Our EDO, our airport manager and our Operations and Facilities Manager met at the airport just to discuss our strategy in undertaking negotiations with Northstar,” says Hallikas.

The airline began servicing Kenora, which also lost air passenger services with Bearskin’s withdrawal.

North Star lists on its website that it now services over 54 communities, with operations in Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout, Pickle Lake, Red Lake, Kapuskasing and Thompson, Manitoba.

It states having a fleet of 17 aircraft and more than 300 employees.