For a so-called “little” regional airline, we’ve been doing a lot of growing the past few years.
There’s no doubt that some of that growth has been driven by a significant increase in passenger numbers at airports across North America. For example, in 2017, Vancouver International Airport welcomed more than 24 million passengers, just shy of its original goal of 25 million passengers that wasn’t expected until 2020. And in December of 2018, it received its 25 millionth passenger a full year ahead of forecast. Revised projections now estimate that Vancouver International Airport will reach 29 million passengers in 2020 and 32 million by 2022. That’s a lot of people.
As one might expect, this phenomenal growth in passengers has helped spawn some new airlines and created more opportunities for established airlines like ours. However, it is also true that passengers have more choices than ever before and that means airlines have to do more to attract and retain their customers. This has worked out well for us as we have developed a reputation for excellent customer service and support of local communities over the years, which has helped us establish a dedicated customer base. It’s part of our corporate culture and one the reasons why many of our employees choose to stay at Pacific Coastal.
Having said that, growth comes with challenges and a big one for us is finding good people to fill important roles in our organization. Last year we grew by 75 employees and we are still shy of people in key positions. We are looking for Pilots, Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME), Licensed Dispatchers, Customer Service Agents and others. There are a lot of reasons why you should consider joining our team. We offer a familyfriendly work environment that respects diversity, a comprehensive health plan, company matched RRSP program, profit sharing and a travel benefits package that includes standby flights with other airlines, preferred hotel rates, and more!
Interested? Visit our careers page for more information and to apply to join the Pacific Coastal team!
Story by Quentin Smith, President