Air Canada is discontinuing service for 30 domestic routes
Air Canada is “indefinitely suspending” 30 domestic flight routes and shutting down stations at eight domestic airports across Canada.
The company cites “structural changes” to its domestic network as the cause for the closures due to decreased demand for travel as a result of the pandemic. It describes that provincial border closures and travel restrictions imposed by provincial and federal governments are also a significant factor, explaining that it further hinders the potential for “a near-to-mid-term recovery.”
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The airline has previously stated that it anticipates it taking at least three years for the industry to recover. As a result of this fact, it will continue to explore other avenues to alter its operations on top of the increased number of service suspensions as a means of cutting the company’s overall costs.
“As a result of COVID-19, Air Canada reported a net loss of $1.05 billion in the first quarter of 2020, including a net cash-burn in March of $688 million,” the airline explains in a press release. “The carrier has undertaken a range of structural changes including significant cost savings and liquidity measures, of which today’s announced service suspensions form part.”
Examples of these initiatives include reducing its workforce by 20,000 staff members, which accounts for over 50% of its personnel, instituting corporate cost-cutting measures across the company, permanently removing 79 aircraft from its primary and Rouge fleets, and more.
The domestic routes being suspended indefinitely are as follows:
Maritimes/Newfoundland and Labrador:
- Deer Lake-Goose Bay
- Deer Lake–St. John’s
- Fredericton–Halifax
- Fredericton–Ottawa
- Moncton–Halifax
- Saint John–Halifax
- Charlottetown–Halifax
- Moncton–Ottawa
- Gander-Goose Bay
- Gander–St. John’s
- Bathurst–Montreal
- Wabush-Goose Bay
- Wabush–Sept-Iles
- Goose Bay-St. John’s
Quebec/Ontario:
- Baie Comeau–Montreal
- Baie Comeau-Mont Joli
- Gaspé-Iles de la Madeleine
- Gaspé-Quebec City
- Sept-Iles-Quebec City
- Val d’Or–Montreal
- Mont Joli–Montreal
- Rouyn-Noranda–Val d’Or
- Kingston–Toronto
- London–Ottawa
- North Bay–Toronto
- Windsor–Montreal
Western Canada:
- Regina–Winnipeg
- Regina–Saskatoon
- Regina–Ottawa
- Saskatoon–Ottawa
Station Closures
Regional airports where Air Canada is closing its stations are as follows:
- Bathurst (New Brunswick)
- Wabush (Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Gaspé (Quebec)
- Baie Comeau (Quebec)
- Mont Joli (Quebec)
- Val d’Or (Quebec)
- Kingston (Ontario)
- North Bay (Ontario)
The eight stations being closed at regional airports are as follows:
- Bathurst (New Brunswick)
- Wabush (Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Gaspé (Quebec)
- Baie Comeau (Quebec)
- Mont Joli (Quebec)
- Val d’Or (Quebec)
- Kingston (Ontario)
- North Bay (Ontario)