Rainbow Air's View from Above

While the rest of the tourism industry has been in a slow state of recovery over the past few months, Rainbow Air, Inc. has been getting along just as they normally would — with a few changes.

Passengers have not been allowed in the office which is now employees only. The helicopter is sanitized after each flight, and of course passengers have to wear face masks.

Proctor said that for this being Rainbow Air’s 25 season, this was not exactly how they imagined celebrating it.

“We’re hoping, this being Rainbow Air’s 25 season, this is not the anniversary we had in mind, but give us some Mulligan’s, hopefully things loosen up,” Proctor said. “The world could reopen itself up and get back to Niagara Falls because that water’s flowing 365 days a year, 24/7. There’s not reason not to come back if we’re able to go 100 percent.”

In any event, this year's changes haven't impacted passengers' enjoyment, according to Patrick Proctor, the marketing manager for Rainbow Air.

“The good thing is were able to fulfill a lot of people’s dreams of actually seeing the Falls from a helicopter,” he said. “The first timers who have never been on, even an airplane before, those are definitely some of my highlights. Even some of the weddings we do in aircrafts. We provide aerials weddings and those are continuing. People are trusting the system and trusting the process and it’s good to see that they are taking the opportunity to take us up on the flight.”

In the last week, he said, there have been four aerial weddings. Rainbow Air has been partnering with the Falls Wedding Chapel as it has for the past 25 years. Proctor said he's glad to see some familiar faces this time of year because the pandemic has restricted a lot of their normal business.

With border crossings and international travel suspended, they have not seen the large tour buses they normally deal with. Prior to the pandemic, they received travels from Canada and other parts of the U.S. He did say that people who are traveling together, can fly together. They aren’t mixing couples on the planes.

Over the last 25 seasons, Proctor could not think of one single moment that has been his favorite but remembered there are a few working with the Visual Experience Foundation. They are a New Jersey based foundation that provides people with unstoppable vision loss with sight visits which immerse them in a certain experience.

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