Harbour Air to acquire Pacific Coastal Airlines and form regional airline group

Harbour Air, a British Columbia seaplane operator, says it will acquire Pacific Coastal Airlines to create a regional airline group serving 25 destinations.

The agreement, announced Tuesday, would combine Harbour Air’s 40 float planes with Pacific Coastal’s 19 wheeled aircraft. Both privately owned airlines were founded in Richmond, B.C., in the 1980s. Harbour Air says the acquisition would retain both brands, protect and grow local jobs, and keep both carriers under Canadian ownership.

In a news release, Harbour Air said the deal would improve passenger connectivity and the airlines’ ability to manage operational challenges caused by poor weather. The new group would maintain up to 300 daily flights and protect air service to remote communities. Its combined workforce of 900 staff would also offer improved career development opportunities.

Harbour Air CEO Bert van der Stege said the company looks forward to building “the leading regional airline group in Western Canada” with Pacific Coastal. The acquisition price was not disclosed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2026.