Kamloops’ airport manager is “heartened” after making a pitch Thursday to WestJet executives in Edmonton for more flights out of Kamloops — one to Edmonton and one to Vancouver.

There are a number of people already routing to Edmonton via the Kamloops to Calgary flight, said Fred Legace.

He estimates between 35,000 to 40,000 people a year would use the route.

But that could lead to the airline choosing to downsize the plane it uses for the Calgary route, he said, something that he is confident could be overcome with additional marketing.

“Either way, we’ll still have a connection to Calgary.”

WestJet announced early this year that it was looking to expand its services into new communities or via additional flights into existing cities it serves.

Legace expects to hear a decision early in the new year but points out expanded services will initially roll out in one half of the country, then the other.

“We know this isn’t a sprint . . . So this could be a three, even four-year piece for us.”