SUMMERSIDE – All athletes competing in this summer’s Canada Games will be flying to and from the Island through Slemon Park Airport.
Week 1 athletes were initially scheduled to fly into Slemon Park and depart from the Charlottetown Airport, while Week 2 athletes were expected to arrive at and depart from the capital airport.
“It was a decision that the airlines made,” said Harvey MacEwen with the Games services and turnaround division.
“They felt that they would like to fly into Summerside for the second week.”
He added, “We feel comfortable whichever airport we’re dealing with that we’ll make it a good experience for the athletes.”
About 5,000 athletes will converge on P.E.I. to compete at the Canada Games.
The national Canada Games office arranges flights for athletes and coaches.
Slemon Park’s airport doesn’t usually handle commercial flights.
More than 2,300 athletes and coaches will land at Slemon Park on Aug. 14, flying in on at least seven WestJet and Air
North flights for Week 1 of competition.
They’ll stay at the athletes’ village at Slemon Park.
Week 2 athletes will fly into Slemon Park on Aug. 22 — the day before their competition begins. Week 1 athletes will depart from the Summerside airport that same day on the planes bringing in Week 2 athletes.
The change likely won’t cost more or pose any difficulties, said MacEwen. 
Cargo vans will move luggage to the Week 2 athletes’ village at UPEI, while school buses will transport athletes and their coaches to Charlottetown.
The buses and vans will bring athletes and their luggage back to the western city to catch return flights at the end of the Games.
MacEwen said more than 10,000 pieces of luggage could potentially go through the Slemon Park Airport during the Games, each with a colour-coded tag specific to the athlete’s province and territory. This is hoped to reduce luggage mix-ups. 
More volunteers could be needed to handle luggage, drive cargo vans and direct athletes.
About 3,000 of the 6,600 volunteers needed for the Games will work within the services and turnaround division.
The air transportation committee is now awaiting the final flight schedule from the national Games office.
“We’ve got to do everything to make it work,” said MacEwen. “We feel confident that things will run smoothly.”

nmacphee@journalpioneer.com