Air Canada says it is making “significant reductions” in its scheduled flights in July and August, in response to a series of challenges facing the broader airline amid growing travel demand.
In a statement Wednesday, Michael Rousseau, president and CEO of the airline, explained that Air Canada will reduce the number of flights it will operate during these key summer months.
“Unfortunately, things are not going as usual in our global industry and this affects our operations and our ability to serve you with our normal standards of care,” Rousseau said in a statement.
“The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the global air transport system in early 2020. Now, after more than two years, global travel is reviving and people are returning to flying at a speed never seen in our industry.”
The president said these factors were causing “unprecedented and unforeseen tensions on all aspects of the global aviation system”, leading to flight delays and crowded airport spaces.
Dozens less two-way trips every day
Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the airline, told CBC News that the changes would cause Air Canada to reduce its schedule by 77 round trips – or 154 flights – on average every day in July and August.
A photo taken Sunday at the customer service desk at Pearson International Airport in Toronto gives an idea of some of the long lineups facing the passengers on the plane recently. (Jacob Barker / CBC)
Prior to these reductions, the airline operated about 1,000 flights a day.
“Three routes will be suspended between Montreal and Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Kelowna and one from Toronto to Fort McMurray,” Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick said that “most” of the flights affected by the changes are outside his centers in Toronto and Montreal.
“These will be mainly frequency reductions that will mainly affect evening and late night flights of smaller aircraft on cross-border and domestic routes,” he said.
But he said “international flights are not affected, with several changes in the weather to reduce peak hours and equalize the flow of customers.”
“Not an easy solution”
Rousseau, the airline’s president, said Air Canada had done everything possible to prepare for these challenges, but needed to adjust its operations to the current circumstances.
“This was not an easy decision, as it would lead to additional flight cancellations, which would have a negative impact on some customers,” Rousseau said.
“But doing so in advance allows affected customers to take the time to make other arrangements in an orderly manner, instead of interrupting their trip shortly before or during the trip, with few alternatives available.
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