Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Snowdrift (Nov 25/02) - It's is a six-hour snowmobile ride from Yellowknife to Lutsel K'e.

Flying is the only other way in or out during the winter, so owning an airline makes sense for the Lutsel K'e Dene Band.

Denesoline Corporation's Alastair Henry says the band will act as a distributor for the new air services. - Thorunn Howatt/NNSL photo

"Tell your friends this is your airline," said Lutsel K'e Chief Archie Catholique.

Last week he welcomed passengers on the first flight of newly formed East Arm Air Services Ltd. The band teamed with Arctic Sunwest Charters to provide daily flights between Yellowknife and Lutsel K'e.

The business deal is a step toward the band's independence.

"We're always looking for handouts from the federal government and we want to get away from that," said Catholique after encouraging band members to book air tickets with the band-owned service.

"If you are not going to fly our airline, our business is not going to work," said Catholique.

The new airline is competing head to head with Air Tindi. The band wanted more control over flight schedules and a piece of the air-fare profit though. So it asked Arctic Sunwest to guarantee an aircraft on an as-needed basis.

And that's when the deal was struck.

"We're a distributor," said band-owned Denesoline Corporation's Alastair Henry. "All Sunwest does is bill us for the use of a plane."

The band charters the plane from Arctic Sunwest. Then it sells the service -- issuing tickets, handling luggage and controlling the schedule. It has a ticket agent in Yellowknife at the Arctic Sunwest hangar and a ticket agent in Lutsel K'e. A one-way flight costs $135.

The new airline provides jobs for Lutsel K'e band members and has the freedom to control its flight schedule.

Shuttle provided

Lutsel K'e's airport is a two-mile steep uphill hike from the community. And there's no taxi service.

"We are providing a shuttle downtown," said Henry.

Over the coming weeks, the band will monitor passenger numbers and their preferred flying times then adjust the service to meet the demand. Arctic Sunwest will offer planes to suit the passenger or cargo load.

Arctic Sunwest is owned by the principal shareholders of RTL Robinson Enterprises. RTL is owned by members of the Robinson family.

"They are Northern-based but not affiliated with any other band," said Henry.

"We will change the schedule to meet the people's needs," said Arctic Sunwest president Marvin Robinson.

Air Tindi can't do that because its Lutsel K'e route is part of a schedule including other communities.

The band's business move is just a first step to self-sufficiency.

"I don't think this will be the last business venture we will be celebrating," said the Tu Nedhe region's MLA, Steve Nitah. He joined a few hundred other guests in Lutsel K'e for the airline's lift-off last week.