REGINA — It was April 2, 1939. It was near the end of the Dirty Thirties. The Second World War was still months away, and Regina, Saskatchewan, was part of a landmark flight across Canada.
Long distance travel was still a novelty back in 1939, but Regina truly entered the age of air travel shortly after midnight on April 2. That’s when Trans Canada Airlines Flight Number Two landed at Regina Municipal Airport. It was a Lockheed Electra 10A aircraft that had just flown a two-hour flight from Lethbridge, carrying 10 passengers. The journey began in Vancouver and finished in Montreal. It was the first cross-country passenger flight to service Regina.
Following a brief layover, the aircraft took off and continued its inaugural flight, headed to Winnipeg and points further east.
It was a historic night and a turning point for travel to and from Regina. The Regina Municipal Airport would eventually become an international airport, offering flights to destinations far beyond that initial cross-Canada route.
As for Trans-Canada Airlines, today they operate under a different name — Air Canada.
Learn more about 100 Years of CKRM at 620ckrm.com.
100 Years of Saskatchewan History
This article is part of a series that celebrates both the history of Saskatchewan and the 100th anniversary of one of Saskatchewan's most storied radio stations. For more key moments from the last 100 years, visit the CKRM timeline.
