First Air is adding a second direct flight between Iqaluit and Ottawa this fall on Mondays and Fridays.

First Air is adding a second direct flight between Iqaluit and Ottawa this fall on Mondays and Fridays. (CBC)

"Effective Sept. 16 we're going to be flying on Mondays and Fridays, two frequencies a day between Ottawa and Iqaluit," says Chris Ferris, the airline's executive vice-president.

"It's pretty exciting, and we also have our 737-400 entering service on Monday."

The airline says the new flights will make it easier to make same-day connections from Yellowknife and the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut to Ottawa.

Travellers at the Iqaluit airport welcomed the news and said they were hopeful the new flight might thin out passenger bottlenecks there.