WestJet has already cancelled most flights into Atlantic Canada and now regional airlines say they need government help to keep servicing other routes, including northern communities heavily dependent on air travel.“Everyone is hurting,” says John McKenna, president and CEO of the Air Transport Association of Canada. “In Canada we have a huge country and a very small population so our industry is very stretched out or thin.
Airlines have benefitted from the federal wage subsidy program, but eight months into the pandemic, the government has yet to draft a plan tailored for the industry.“My largest preoccupation is always going to be for Canadians themselves, for workers, and for people in rural and remote or even not so rural or remote regions like Atlantic Canada,” he said.
Earlier this week, WestJet announced that it will be issuing refunds for all flights cancelled because of COVID-19. Opposition parties in parliament and consumers’ rights advocates on the ground have been asking the federal government to make passenger refunds a mandatory prerequisite in order for airlines to become eligible for any potential bailout package.
Here’s your relief: The Canadian Government is prepared to make good on an offer to assist Air Canada. They’ll pay your debts and balance the books. They only require the opportunity to purchase shares of the company up to 51%?
Let them fold maybe more honest company will thrive from that they have received to many bailout already what about us taxpayers our tax goes up every years to support them and your government sad sad there’s a good story for you CTV
Relieve pacquage no government should give relieve pacquage to nobody specially airlines they rob us blind here in Canada they should get nothing else then guaranteed loan to be repaid its taxpayers money we’re talking about wake up trudeau
Get in line behind seniors in long term care. Disabled and mental health patients in non existing community care. Indingenous communities without safe water. Minimum wage workers that need to care for children. Back of the line.
How about cancel the bailout just like they cancel their flights!
Absolutely no bailouts or assistance from taxpayers until AirCanada refunds passengers the money we are owed! MarcGarneau Chris_Bittle nikiashton StephanieKusie
AirCanada can afford to buy another airline but can't reimburse it's customers
How about NO! Give it to the disabled, the poor, the unemployed people themselves not a GD company that treats people like cattle
Flights are energy-intensive and depend on fossil fuels. To build back better, it has to be a GREEN economy. Airline industry shall be sentenced to death and is not worth saving. I'm sure JT is a man of his words and won't save the Airline industry.