If only every airline treated you like this.....

"Good morning, can I have your second name please? Ah yes, John. How are you today? I have your reservation for the 8.20 departure. Do you have any luggage today? Can we carry it to the aircraft for you? And you're returning at 17.40 - is that correct? Okay... all I need now is some photo id. That's great - here's your boarding card. Just take a seat for a few minutes, we'll be boarding shortly.... please help yourself to coffee and cookies while you wait"

There's a range of complimentary newspapers in the departure lounge too... and the cookies are really good. Boarding card in hand, I settle down with the morning news and a coffee. Meanwhile, the baggage for the 8.20 flight is placed into a trolley and taken to the aircraft for loading. Suitcases, briefcases and laptops.... specially labelled to ensure they are loaded with care.

Pretty soon, the check-in clerk calls passengers for the 8.20 flight to follow her to Gate 2, where the plane is ready for boarding. Boarding cards are collected and the captain walks ahead of us to his aircraft (nice touch) welcoming everyone aboard and making sure we're all safely seated and belted in.

"There are 5 exits on this aircraft - two at the front; two at the back and one in the roof. Life jackets are under your seats. Sit back and enjoy you're flight,we'll be downtown in about 20 minutes." The captain checks the cabin doors are closed and climbs into the cockpit next to his co-pilot. The engine bursts into life and he leans out the door to check that the aircraft is untied and ready to go.

The runway's got a few ripples on it today.... which is probably not surprising as we're in Nanaimo harbour on a Harbour Air 14 seat Turbine Single Otter floatplane and following in the wake (literally) of it's two-engined brother, the Twin Otter, favoured by West Coast Air on this route for its extra seats and higher cruising speed.

Harbour Air has grown from 2 aircraft in 1982 to more than 30 today, and prides itself on offering a professional service to its customers. The deHavilland Turbine Otter last came off the production line in the early 1960's - yet the fleet is immaculately turned out and only the view into the cockpit reveals the true age of the aircraft.

With a short burst of power we're airborne - and flying over Entrance Island lighthouse before striking out across the Strait of Georgia towards Vancouver. Very soon, we're flying around Vancouver's English Bay and over Stanley Park before dipping down into the Burrard Inlet and coasting in to a smooth landing alongside Canada Place. Greeted by the ground crew, our aircraft is safely tied up and the captain welcomes us to Vancouver.

Everything about Harbour Air's service is indeed professional - and what a way to arrive at a transportation conference - just ten minutes walk from the terminal!