Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Repulse Bay (July 25/01) - Calm Air has terminated its scheduled passenger service into Coral Harbour and Repulse Bay.

The airline made the announcement this past week, citing mounting losses as the reason behind the decision. The last passenger flight from the two communities will be Aug. 3.

The airline will continue to fly freight to both communities on a regular basis and will also be available for charters.

Calm Air's vice-president of marketing and administration, Nelson Morberg, says the move was prompted by the simple fact the Coral Harbour-Repulse Bay run has been unprofitable for the past two years.

"We've tried several pricing and scheduling initiatives to rekindle the traffic and get the routes back onto an acceptable level of profitability, but, unfortunately with the Kivalliq region's current economic conditions, that did not happen for us," says Morberg.

"We can't see anything changing in the near future that would bring us back into a position of profitability."

Coral Harbour businesswoman Leonie Duffy says Calm Air's decision is going to hurt Coral.

The cancellation of the run means the community no longer has service to the Baffin. "Two weeks notice isn't enough time for anyone to do anything to help the situation," says Duffy.

"Things just keep getting worse in Coral. The way it is here now reminds me of the '50s or '60s."

Morberg says any time a large aircraft is taken out of a community there's going to be some hardships, but Calm Air is not in a position to keep flying an aircraft at a loss.

"It hurts a community to lose the amenities of a large aircraft, the ability to handle a disabled passenger in a dignified manner, an on-board bathroom, meal service," he says.

"We're not happy about this. We've been flying into these communities for 25 years. We were simply left with no choice."

Morberg says Calm Air will keep a lookout for an aircraft with the potential to benefit the Coral-Repulse market, while at the same time blend adequately into the company's entire route structure.

"If we're able to do that, then maybe we could look at picking up Coral Harbour and Repulse Bay as a scheduled passenger run once again.

"But I can't see that happening any time soon."