Bigfork-based Rocky Mountain Airways hopes to start offering chartered flights to Canada by Jan., 2021. Most travel between the U.S. and Canada has been restricted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the fledgling charter airline is finalizing plans to fly passengers from Missoula International Airport to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

“We have everything ready to go, almost,” said Rocky Mountain Airways owner Karl Kratt.

The Air Force veteran stared the company in 2019, but he’s still waiting on Rocky Mountain Airways’ inaugural flight. Kratt said he’s currently working on getting ahold of the aircraft and securing all of the necessary approvals for the international flights.

“Ideally we would like to start up as soon as we can,” Kratt said, but there are a few obstacles left to overcome before the flights get off the ground.

The plan is to fly two Pilatus PC-12 aircraft, a luxury business liner that seats nine. But the delivery schedule for the planes is still to be determined, according to Kraft.

The trickier part of the equation is the logistics of getting in and out of airports in Montana and Canada. Kratt said he’s approached just about every airport in Montana with his proposal, and almost all of them have turned down the idea. The biggest hang-up, he said, is U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, since most of Montana’s small airports don’t have the space or personnel to accommodate that requirement.

That’s why Kratt has his sights set on Calgary. At Calgary International Airport, travelers into the U.S. can go through Customs on the ground in Canada, eliminating the need for additional screening once they arrive in Montana.

But that still won’t solve all of Kratt’s challenges, since the charter airline needs approval from the Canadian government agency Transport Canada in order to fly in and out of Calgary International Airport. That could be the most elusive aspect of the entire endeavor—Kratt said only 13 of 38 charter airlines in Montana have approval from the Canadian government to deposit and collect passengers there.

Even though Kratt seems to have his hands full trying to put together all the puzzle pieces for his ambitious venture, he’s better prepared for the challenges than most. In addition to his service in the Air Force, Kratt earned an Aviation Business Administration degree from Rocky Mountain College and a double minor in Aeronautical Science and Business Administration.

“Flying is my whole deal,” he pointed out.

He said the idea for Rocky Mountain Airways has been gradually coming together for the past 15 years, even though the COVID-19 pandemic made some significant changes to those plans.

Kratt has long hoped to provide international service to travelers in Montana because he feels that market is particularly underserved by the existing options. Travel in and out of Canada has only grown more difficult since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kratt explained Rocky Mountain Airways could tap into huge demand in the growing eco-tourism market for travelers looking to visit national parks and simplify travel for the many Canadians who own property south of the border.

“You don’t have to fly to Seattle or Portland or Narnia…just to get to Montana,” Kratt said. “Eliminating the need for that many connections is a huge time saver.”

If his vision pans out, Kratt hopes to add service in Kalispell, Edmonton and Vancouver, too.

For more information about Rocky Mountain Airways, visit https://www.iflyrocky.com

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at (406)-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.