Air North offers $50 air ticket credit to each Yukoner

More than 37,000 Yukoners, or in other words, all of them, are eligible for a $50 air ticket credit, according to Joe Sparling, the president of Whitehorse-based Air North.

Sparling said the company had a successful year in 2015 and it wants to reward its customer base.

"We have profit sharing for our employees, we have dividends for shareholders, we thought this was, in essence, a customer dividend," he said.

"From the company's standpoint, when we're successful we like to share our success with those who have helped us be successful," said Sparling.

There are two ways for Yukoners to claim the credit.They can log into their online Air North account where they will face such "skill-testing questions" as which in-flight dessert they prefer.

The credit will be loaded to their account.

Yukoners who don't have an online account can redeem the "dividend" by telephone.

Yukoners can claim the credit betweenMay 1 to15. Sparling's not sure for how long the credit is valid, but he said there will be ample time for people to use it.

One-way tickets from Whitehorse to Vancouver can cost around$200 during seat sales.

The program could cost the company more than $1.5 million if a lotof Yukoners claim the credit.Sparling said it reinforces that buying local pays off for the whole community.

"You know, if you spend your money locally, support local businesses,the local business always give back to the community.

"Here's a unique and interesting way this local business can recognize the support that the community has given us."