— by Paige Cornwell of the SeattleTimes.com —
North America’s shortest scheduled international flight — less than 20 minutes — will soon take off daily from Friday Harbor Airport and land in Victoria, Canada.
Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island, and Victoria, on Vancouver Island, are only 20 miles from each other but separated by a strait and an international border. Travelers’ options have been limited to driving, taking a seasonal ferry or chartering a plane.
It was the long travel time and cost that made Rick Hughes start asking questions about an easier route. Years ago, the San Juan County Council member wanted a nice Valentines’ Day getaway to Victoria for himself and his wife. But the ferry from Friday Harbor to Sidney, B.C., which takes an hour and 15 minutes, doesn’t run during the winter. Driving would take a full day. Charter flights cost between $300 and $700.
“I didn’t understand why it was so close, but we couldn’t get there,” Hughes said.
(To read the full article, go to seattletimes.com/business/north-americas-shortest-international-flight-from-San-Juan-County-to-British-Columbia/)
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