Risk & Business Magazine Waypoint Winter 2021 | Page 13

HARBOUR AIR
the team they have there for the effort they put in to optimize the customer experience and of the company for persistently setting the bar so high .
RISING ABOVE THE PANDEMIC Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic , the airline ’ s entire fleet of 40 seaplanes was in operation , servicing approximately 500,000 people a year and en route to further expand that figure in coming years . In fact , Harbour Air was preparing for its busiest season yet before 2020 took a turn for the worst and the airline was forced to ground many of its aircraft and reduce its operations .
Thankfully , a strong financial position at the onset has enabled Harbour Air to “ tread water ” over the last several months while many of its competitors have gone under or struggled to keep afloat .
Handling COVID has proven the airline to be dynamic in terms of its ability to cut costs and put a cap on expenses for the interim . Government assistance has enabled Harbour Air to keep its valued workforce somewhat intact through these trying times by funding the payroll of licensed engineers and other employees that the company can ’ t afford to lose .
It ’ s been gratifying to see how everyone has pulled together to get through these difficult times . In the midst of cutbacks and stalled operations , the team has risen to the occasion of sorting everything out and making the most of what they can do from here .
TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL Regardless of the present uncertainty , Harbour Air is always coming up with new ways to compete and set itself apart . You might be surprised by the steadfast and sustainable measures they have taken to stay on top and ahead of the game .
When it comes to its greatest competitor — BC Ferries — the airline works hard to promote the value of its time-saving function . During the controversy around bringing Uber and Lyft to BC , Harbour Air was an advocate for the ridesharing companies ( a service Harbour Air considers complementary to what it offers ) to be allowed to operate across the province . The favour has gone both ways , and Harbour Air looks forward to working alongside these businesses to promote seaplane travel as a marine travel alternative when the pandemic has passed .
In the meantime , Harbour Air is continuing to develop and certify its first ePlane , an electric seaplane that will change the face of the company and the industry at large . After 13 years of being the first and only carbon neutral airline in the world , Harbour Air is taking the next step to become the first fully electric airline in the world .
The pioneering electric plane , a retrofitted 1963 deHaviland Beaver , had its first test flight December 10 , 2019 . The flight received international attention , and the company plans to retrofit its entire fleet as soon as it ’ s been certified by Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration to do so .
From an impeccable name in customer service and employee culture to making sustainability history , we couldn ’ t be prouder to serve the noted industry disruptors at Harbour Air as one of our valued clients . We ’ re excited to cheer them on as the team continues to overcome adversity and achieve these exemplary milestones and more . Way to go , Harbour Air ! +
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