The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Gander airline eyes former AC routes
When Air Canada pulled 30 of its domestic routes this week due to COVID-19, it left some big holes in Atlantic Canada.
But a small company based in Gander, N.L., says it may fill a few.
“It has opened up the opportunity to look at all of the routes within the Atlantic region and decide what, if any, of those routes we would like to do,” EVAS Air president and CEO Patrick White said Thursday.
Routes dropped included nearly a dozen in the Atlantic region: a handful between Halifax and airports in New Brunswick and six regular routes in Newfoundland and Labrador connecting St. John's, Deer Lake, Gander, Happy Valley-goose Bay and Wabush.
The cutbacks also saw the Canadian airline giant close its station at the airport in Wabush.
White says EVAS Air is evaluating Newfoundland routes initially.
“Of course, being a Newfoundland-based company, we're going to look first here at we can do in Newfoundland and Labrador and what we can do and operate from our main base in Gander and see what the possibility is of providing service into areas like St. John's, Deer Lake, Goose Bay and Wabush.”
EVAS Air is affected directly by the Air Canada decision. For the last 16 years, it had been in a commercial purchase agreement with the national carrier.
Through that agreement, Air Canada had contracted EVAS to look after the service of the routes in Newfoundland and Labrador. Those routes are now defunct.
“We will still watch to see what COVID does and what the provincial government does in terms of opening up prior to us deciding which routes we would support,” said White. “It is unfortunate that it happened.
The airline will still handle Air Canada's cargo flights to the province.
On Thursday, PAL Airlines said it is committed to Atlantic Canada
"PAL Airlines knows firsthand the uncertainty COVID19 has created in Canadian commercial aviation," said Calvin Ash, President of PAL Airlines in a news release. "Given recent events, we believe it is important to restate our commitment to serving our network in Atlantic Canada and Quebec and to assure our passengers that they can continue to book future travel with confidence in our airline."
EVAS Air and Jazz Aviation workers are unionized. Their union, Unifor, expressed its displeasure with Air Canada's decision in a press release.
“Airline workers should not have to continue to bear the burden of this global pandemic's economic effects due to ongoing travel restrictions," said Jerry Dias, Unifor national president. "What workers need is for the federal government to take immediate action to develop an effective airlines strategy that preserves Canadian jobs."
In an emailed statement to Saltwire Network, a spokesperson with Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Transportation said the provincial government was disappointed by Air Canada's decision to suspend its service to the seven provincial routes.
“While this is a business decision by the airline, it will affect leisure and business travellers, and impact those who travel for health-related matters,” the statement read.
“This is a national issue impacting regional hubs in eight provinces across the country. We will not know the full impact of this announcement by Air Canada until air travel fully resumes across the country.
“In addition, we have met with and will continue to press all major airlines emphasizing the importance of air access and of resuming domestic and international routes to Newfoundland and Labrador.”