BC Ferries to fly passengers from Powell River to Comox

BC ferries is now offering flights from Powell River to Comox after the route's ferrywas pulled out of servicefor mechanical repairs earlier this week.

The 30-passenger flight will be offered once each morning from the Powell River airport.

Customers travelling under the B.C. Medical Assistance Program will be given priority seating. A free shuttle will also carry people from the Comox Airport to destinations in the Comox Valley.

The Queen of Burnaby was pulled off the Powell River-Comox route on Monday and replaced with the North Island Princess.

But the replacement ferry is limited to four round trips per day and has limited vehicle and passenger capacity, so BC Ferries is also adding a second vessel to make two more round trips per day.

"The regular vessel, the Queen of Burnaby requires dry-docking to facilitate repairs to the propeller hub and BC Ferries engineers hope to have it return to service late next week," said a statement issued by the ferry corporation on Thursday.