Air Canada expands to Nunavut

Air Canada Jazz will enter Nunavut's airspace with scheduled flights starting in March, airline officials said Monday.

The airline announced in a release it will launch daily flights from Ottawa to Iqaluit, with a same-plane link to Montreal, using a Bombardier CRJ-705 jet.

The service is scheduled to begin March 28 and tickets are already for sale.

"We've been interested in launching service to Iqaluit for quite some time, as there is demand from both Montreal and Ottawa," Air Canada spokesperson Angela Mah told CBC News on Monday.

"As well, it gives us the opportunity to link Canada's eastern Arctic into our vast network."

A one-way fare starts at $659 before taxes and surcharges, according to the airline's website. Mah said that is a special introductory fare, adding that prices could go up later.

A flight to Iqaluit would take off from Montreal at 8:30 a.m. ET, leave Ottawa at 9:55 a.m. and arrive at 12:55 p.m. The return flight would leave Iqaluit at 1:40 p.m., arrive in Ottawa at 4:40 p.m. and land in Montreal at 6:13 p.m.

Air Canada Jazz already has daily service between Yellowknife and Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. It also flies between Whitehorse and Vancouver. Earlier this year, it offered seasonal flights between Whitehorse and Calgary.

Two northern airlines, First Air and Canadian North, currently fly between Ottawa and Iqaluit. Both airlines also offer flights between Iqaluit and other northern communities.