There will be some give and take for passengers using the new daily service from Billy Bishop airport to Muskoka Airport. The flight will get cottagers from the base of Bathurst street to the airport in Gravenhurst in just 35 minutes, but you won’t be loading up like your normal cottage weekend.
The aircraft, an eight passenger Piper Panther, will have room for yourself and a small bag and not much else. So you will have to buy your beer once you are up there and organize a kayak from a rental place in the area.
The one way ticket is $140 and for someone flying solo, that is an attractive price over a rental car and fuel, plus the three to four hours drive time on a good day.
Muskoka District Chair and Airport Board Member John Klinck is thrilled to have a scheduled service coming from a major market like Toronto but says it will be good for locals looking to have a day in the city as well.
The service will run from now until October and will be evaluated at the end of the year before determining whether or not to continue.
Chris Nowrouzi, CEO, FlyGTA, in a press release “FlyGTA is a turnkey option for scheduled air service into Muskoka and the beauty of the air taxi option is that there is no wait time to get on the plane.”
Klinck agrees saying the air taxi designation means Transport Canada does not get involved with security, which is a financial and time saving aspect.