Air Mikisew and Edmonton Airports are now on the same flight path.

Both sides, which had been in a standoff over an Edmonton Airports-imposed flight cap for the downtown City Centre Airport, are working toward a new air service agreement.

The cap, put in place as part of a move to consolidate air service at Edmonton International Airport while also allowing for the continuation of scheduled air services to the North from downtown, required that all scheduled flights into City Centre use planes with a maximum of 10 seats by Jan. 1, 2005.

Air Mikisew, which provides daily service between Fort Chipewyan and Fort McMurray, and from Fort McMurray to Edmonton, found itself in a dilemma as it needs the 19-seaters for its service leg between Fort McMurray and Fort Chip. Switching to a different aircraft to fly from Fort McMurray to Edmonton poses logistical and financial problems, said Air Mikisew spokesman Dale Monaghan.

File photo by Jack Dagley, Business Edge
Marketing manager Dale Monaghan says Air Mikisew is looking for new uses for its Jetstreams.

"In an ideal world, we would have liked to keep using the 19-seater for both service legs, but in reality flying our 19-seaters half-full in to Edmonton because of the 10-seat cap wasn't ideal either. Now we're looking at new uses for the 19-seater and a future with 10-seaters," said Monaghan.

"This agreement will allow us over the next few months to hold discussions on the use of the 19-seater for other applications such as charters, and they (Edmonton Airports) will work with us on that."

While talks are ongoing, Air Mikisew is being allowed to continue to use the 19-seat Jetstream aircraft.

The agreement to work to a new agreement came after Air Mikisew general manager Randy Koroluk realized movement was needed, added Monaghan.

Koroluk, an operations specialist, stepped into the matter just before Christmas and noted that the January deadline was just too close with no resolution in sight. Wanting to avoid potential fines, he sought to find some common ground and spoke to his counterpart at Edmonton Airports.

"He (Koroluk) was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of co-operation and suggested it was a win-win route," said Monaghan.

"They (Edmonton Airports) now agree that Fort Chipewyan's air service needs are a point of agreement for discussion within this new air service package."

Although the January deadline was firm, Edmonton Airports had said that it would work with any airline to ensure that the new policy was implemented fairly.

"We feel pleased with the progress. We've spent considerable time over the last few weeks in discussions (with Air Mikisew) and we feel happy with the progress that has brought us to this agreement," said Edmonton Airports spokesperson Traci Bednard. "We're comfortable we can work out a deal within a reasonable timeframe."

Bednard said all other scheduled carriers that had aircraft different from what the cap permitted have already made the transition.

In the meantime, Air Mikisew, which also provides cargo, freight and charter services and is northeastern Alberta's Air Medevac provider, said it agrees with the need to comply with the new City Centre Airport policy. "They understand our needs, we understand theirs. Now we sit down and see what we can do," said Monaghan.

The City Centre Airport is a general aviation airport supporting restricted corporate and general aviation including small charters, private and company aircraft, flight training, and military, industrial and medevac flights, as well as a small amount of restricted scheduled service.

In 2005, Edmonton Airports will invest more than $3 million in capital infrastructure at the airport for enhancements that include repavement work on runways and aprons, along with the purchase of maintenance equipment.

(Laura Severs can be reached at laura@businessedge.ca)