— from Rick Hughes, County Council Member —
The governments of San Juan County, Town of Friday Harbor, Town of Sidney and Islands Trust (representing the Gulf Islands) meet annually to discuss issues of common interest and importance. Increasing cross border transportation options has been identified as a key goal to maintaining the long shared social history of the Salish Sea, generating much needed economic activity via marine commerce and tourism, and establishing a viable year round transportation option for residents. For example, it currently takes an entire day to travel from Friday Harbor to Sidney as it involves a Washington State Ferry trip from Friday Harbor to Anacortes, a drive to the Blaine Boarder crossing, a ferry from B.C. mainland to Nanaimo, B.C., and then a drive south on Vancouver Island to Sidney. This could all be accomplished in a 20-minute flight.
For this reason, San Juan County in cooperation with the Port of Friday Harbor, Town of Friday Harbor, Washington State Department of Transportation and US Customs and Border Protection is proud to announce the opening of direct flight clearance between Canada and the United State as of June 1, 2017. Making air travel between Victoria airport and Friday Harbor airport the shortest international scheduled flight service in North America.
Please consider attending the ribbon cutting:
Date: June 1, 2017
Location: Friday Harbor Airport, Friday Harbor , WA (San Juan County)
Time: 2:30 PM
Thank you for your support of this project, many people have worked hard for this opportunity. This is a big win for good government.
Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday.
Way to go, Rick!
That’s great. Sydney / Victoria has always been a favor long weekend get away for us.
Now when can we fly there from Orcas? See, the constituent base is never happy no matter what you give them.
Jim will point out the Orcas issues every time!
Way to go Rick. Thanks for your hard work
’bout time. Thanks Rick
Now, if The Powers That Be can find a way to facilitate these flights, how about pre-clearance at Sidney for the international ferry? WSF has for some time told us that such a procedure would eliminate the need for a “holding pen” at Anacortes (and thus the ability to enlarge the waiting line area for outbound traffic), and would also greatly improve on-time performance.
If Customs and Border Protection can figure out a way to do pre-clearance at Canadian airports and in Abu Dhabi (in the United Arab Emirates), surely they can implement the process at Sidney.
Yes, thanks Rick! Excited to take a flight soon!