Central Mountain Air: The Regional Network Connecting Northern British Columbia

History and positioning

Founded in 1987 and based in Smithers, in northern British Columbia, Central Mountain Air serves mostly a local and professional clientele — construction-site workers, medical staff, residents — rather than tourists, in a region where road alternatives can take many hours in difficult winter conditions. During the pandemic the entire network was suspended for a few months, before being restored gradually over the following years.

The fleet

The fleet includes Beechcraft 1900Ds and De Havilland Dash 8s, joined in the past by Jetstream 41s, aircraft suited to the shorter runways of the small regional airports in the north of the province.

Routes and network

The connections link centers such as Prince George, Smithers, Terrace and Fort St. John with Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, with direct routes that would otherwise require multiple connections through other carriers. On some of these routes the airline has also operated in codeshare with larger carriers, widening the commercial visibility of its regional flights.

What passengers say

The airline's history has included route suspensions in the past, something that still weighs on the perception of service continuity.

• Useful direct connections on routes that would otherwise require multiple connections.
• A fleet suited to the shorter runways of small regional airports.

• Past route suspensions linked to financial difficulties, leaving some uncertainty about service continuity.
• Non-daily frequencies on several destinations, especially in the off-season.

Central Mountain Air is useful for anyone who needs to get around the communities of northern British Columbia without facing long winter drives, but it is not designed for tourists looking for very frequent schedules or great cabin comfort. It is worth checking the status of your chosen route before booking, because the airline's history has seen changes in the destinations served over time.