Air travellers in Edmonton and Calgary will be hit by the latest cuts to Air Canada’s regional service, which plans to ground aircraft and reduce some routes.
Effective November 4, the carriers, which include AirBC, Air Nova, Air Ontario and Canadian Regional Airlines, will cancel flights from Prince George to Calgary (operated by Central Mountain Air), Calgary to Penticton and Edmonton to Denver (operated by Air Georgian Ltd.).
Passengers holding reservations on these flights will be accommodated on alternate services.
The airline blames a dramatic drop in passenger demand, and the costs incurred as a result of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, which have forced Air Canada to reduce its fall and winter schedule and operate smaller aircraft.
“Our primary objective is to return our company to profitability. We will focus on our turboprop operation for the short term and prepare to move beyond this period of re-stabilization. As our financial position improves we will be better able to respond to future opportunities” Joseph Randell, president of Air Canada's regional carrier, said in a statement.
By early November, the carriers will ground six British Aerospace jets and eight Fokker F28 jets. The remaining British Aerospace 146 jets will be taken out of service by early January 2002; the remaining Fokker F28s will be grounded gradually by December 2002.
The company says its long-term fleet plan includes Dash 8 turboprops and new-generation regional jets. The airline also says it plans to begin layoffs later this month, but no specific numbers were released. The regional carriers employ 4,700 workers.
