Tofino Airport — Tofino, Canada

Neil MacLeod (Victoria, BC) - August 9, 2014
The reason for indicating a 'poor' rating is as follows: Aug 8, 2014 I was booked from YAZ to YYJ for a 12:45 pm flight on Island Express Airways. We arrived at YAZ at 11:45 am and queried the agent at Orca Air about IEA flights. We were informed that IEA did not operate a 'desk' and that we should 'talk to the pilot' when IEA arrived.
At about 12:25 pm I was in conversation with my sister, about 10 meters from the main entry to the building, on the NW side. I noticed a plane taxiing West on the runway immediately in front of the TAA bldg. It was marked IEA! My flight was apparently departing. No alert of the flight status, incoming or outgoing - was heard. Calls to IEA were fruitless. Their response was, to say the least - wholly inadequate. They had departed - minus one booked passenger.

Recommendation: The Tofino Airport Authority should install a Public Address system through which to alert passengers about incoming/outgoing flights in a timely manner. This service could easily be given on a voluntary/shared basis - amongst YAZ service providers.