Kootenay Airways

Kootenay Airways, or Awyr Cwtnae in Welsh, is a commercial airline in British Columbia offering scheduled domestic and continental services.

= History = Kootenay Airways was established in 1938 with a single DH.89C Dragon Rapide airliner to fly between Cranbrook and Blaenau; the Dragon Rapide carried up to eight passengers over the 129 nmi (149 statute miles), which at a cruising speed of 115 knots took just under an hour.

In 1983, Kootenay Airways acquired and absorbed Awyr Cymru Newydd, which had begun to struggle after expanding too quickly. Almost immediately a third of the inherited routes, such those between Blaenau and Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Dallas were discontinued; the Las Vegas and Portland services were later reinstated. With the absorption of ACN, Kootenay Airways became the "flag carrier" of Cymru Newydd, in recognition of which the Welsh form of the airline's name, Awyr Cwtnae, was introduced in 1984. Aircraft are lettered with the English name on the port side, and the Welsh name on the starboard side.

= Fleet =

Current

 * ATR 42-600 - 8 (2018 to date)
 * Avro RJ85 - 12 (2002 to date), four delivered in 2002–2003, five in 2011–2013, three in 2019
 * Beech 99 - 8 (1983 to date), inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd, to be retired by 2025
 * DHBC-5 Swan - 4 (1969 to date), two Combi delivered new, two ex Cayman Airways in 1983; all converted to freighters in 1985; to be retired by 2027, replacement not yet decided
 * DHBC-6 Twin Otter - 9 (1968 to date), three delivered new, six inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd, to be retired by 2023
 * Short 330-200 - 14 (1980 to date), delivered new, to be retired by 2027
 * Sukhoi Su-80 - 3 (2020 to date), +11 on order to be delivered by 2026 to replace Twin Otter, Short 330, and Beech 99

Historic

 * BAe 146-200 - 4 (1984–2019), ordered by Awyr Cymru Newydd but delivered after merger
 * Beech 99 - 4 (1983–2020), inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd
 * Boeing 737-200 - 4 (1983–1984), inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd, sold due to downsizing; never repainted
 * DHBC DH.89C Dragon Rapide - 1 (1938–1963), delivered new
 * DHBC-1 Dove - 3 (1948–1977), delivered new, sold to Northern Air
 * DHBC-2 Heron 3B - 10 (1962–1989), four delivered new, four inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd, two ex Air BC in 1973
 * DHBC-4 Skylark - 3 (1962–1979), delivered new, sold to Columbia Air Cargo
 * DHBC-6 Twin Otter - 4 (1968–1995), two delivered new (sold to Utari Air in 1989), two inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd (sold to Island Express Air in 1995)
 * DHBC-7 Trident 7A - 4 (1983–2003), inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd
 * NAMC YS-11 - 7 (1983–1985), inherited from Awyr Cymru Newydd, sold due to downsizing; never repainted

= Routes = Kootenay Airways have a codeshare agreement with Pacific Coastal Airlines since 2003.