Food is being served again at North Bay airport

A new restaurant in North Bay has made the airport home. Flight Deck Cafe opened at the end of January at the Jack Garland Airport.

Sister duo Tracy Bissonnette and Shelley Dunsmore are running the café. It marks the first time in two years that airport staff and those awaiting a flight have had somewhere to eat.

"We just felt the time was right, we came together and took the chance and so far, so good," said Bissonnette.

"I think for starting up, just two weeks going we're getting excellent feedback on our food,” added Dunsmore.

“Everyone is excited to try our food, everybody likes that there is now a restaurant open for travel and travelling."

The sisters have several years of experience in the restaurant industry and decided it was time to strike out on their own.

While neither of them pictured opening a restaurant in an airport, they say the first two weeks of business have been great.avery

"It's interesting to see different clientele coming and going, it's just a great adventure,” Dunsmore said.

“Going forward, everybody is keen. We're getting good feedback. There's the military base here, Voyageur across the tarmac -- they're all excited -- and we have the aviation school just up the hill.”

Airport officials said they lost the previous restaurant due to flight schedule changes that happened in 2020.

And while it’s difficult running a restaurant no matter where it is located, airport manager Bryan Avery said there are high hopes Flight Deck Café will do well.

"It's excellent news having a restaurant reopen again for passengers and the general public,” Avery said.

“The challenge with opening a restaurant in the airport is having passengers and the airlines, the community that supports the restaurant. It's not like other restaurants in town. It's unique to the airport community.”

They are open every day except for Saturday, though if everything goes well, they hope to open seven days a week.