It was the policy of the federal government to keep a single
strong continental carrier, which was Trans Canada Airlines. But
these regulations started to relax, and as a regional carrier,
Pacific Western Airlines was allowed to fly between major cities
provided that there was a stop at a smaller city between
destinations. By 1981, Pacific Western Airlines could fly
between Vancouver and Edmonton or Vancouver and Calgary, but the
service had to be infrequent. The airline could also fly to
Toronto from Calgary with the restriction that the route had to
include a stop in Brandon, Manitoba. Later that year, the
restrictions on frequency and the requirement to stop in Brandon
were eliminated.
Pacific Western Airlines continued to develop, using
ever-larger aircraft that included Douglas DC-3s to DC-7s, a
Boeing 737 jet, and a Hercules freighter. The airline became the
third largest carrier in the country, providing passenger and
freight services around the world. |