Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 29/99) - First Air and Canadian North are looking to beat the winter blues by enticing Northerners on board.

Both airlines are offering seat sales up to about 70 per cent off regular excursion rates.

Makivik-owned First Air says it's marketing move is part of a celebration of the creation of the new North.

The deals apply to flights occurring between Feb. 8 and April 15. Booking deadline is Feb. 15.

Yellowknifers looking to fly to Edmonton or Rankin or Cambridge Bay, via either airline, can get tickets for $349 return plus GST. That amount applies to flights booked seven days in advance and include staying over a weekend.

The Yellowknife to Edmonton return fare is over $1,000.

"Over the coming months, our customers will see new initiatives that enhance the flow of people and goods and services between Northern communities and to the south," First Air president Bob Davis said.

The company unveiled the program, dubbed Celebration '99, to its 1,000 employees in Yellowknife, Iqaluit and Ottawa earlier this week. The airline also launched a passenger-focused campaign at the same time.

First Air, owned by Makivik Corp., flies to about 30 Northern communities.

Kelly Kaylo, director of marketing and sales at Canadian North, a member of the NorTerra Group, said a number of southern destinations are included in their seat sale, like Calgary and Toronto, she adds. "This is a sale we have done in past years."