(Fort Lauderdale image via Shutterstock)
WINNIPEG — The first Fort Lauderdale-bound direct flight took off Saturday from Winnipeg’s James Richardson International Airport.
WestJet has launched its seasonal non-stop weekly service between Manitoba’s capital and the sunny Florida vacation destination.
The first travellers were treated with a balloon-filled send-off and a special cake for the occasion in the departures area before sunrise.
“We are continuously working with our airline partners to improve services and to secure flights to destinations that are important to our travellers, so we are pleased that WestJet will now be offering direct flights to Fort Lauderdale,” said Scott Marohn, Winnipeg Airports Authority’s director of air service and product development. “Fort Lauderdale is a popular destination for Manitobans in the winter, especially for those who make their winter homes in southern Florida, so it has been on our radar for some time.”
Besides vacationing on the Florida coast, Fort Lauderdale is also a popular cruise ship hub, allowing Manitobans to connect to their preferred cruise line once landing.
The weekly service will depart Saturdays from Winnipeg at 7:30 a.m., with a return flight from Fort Lauderdale jetting off at 1:30 p.m. ET.
