Philippe Morin
Northern News Services
Monday, June 4, 2007

HOLMAN - Residents of Holman say there aren't enough flights in and out of the island community.

But Aklak air, the company that provides charter transport to Inuvik, said it would be wasteful to send more than two planes a week.

Ken Dalton, who is Aklak's base manager in Inuvik, said there is not enough demand.

"There's a scattered day here and there, we may get someone on standby, but usually the plane is not at full capacity," he said.

He added Aklak has been studying its rates of use and there are no plans to increase flights.

One resident of Holman said residents are often forced to wait.

"There are times that we get bumped," said Joanne Ogina, of Ulukhaktok's Aboriginal Healing Foundation.

"They have two flights a week and we've been telling them it's not enough."

One example Ogina mentioned are sick people, who get medevaced to the Inuvik Regional Hospital.

When it is time to return, she said, they sometimes have to wait several days.

"I know of a number of people who've been bumped at least three, four, days. It's just crazy," she said.

Mayor Peter Malgokak also believes flights should be increased.

He said hamlet council wrote a letter to Aklak air several months ago, which requested more flights.

"I've been hearing complaints about that for how many months," Malgokak said. "Sometimes people have problems getting left behind in Inuvik, being on a waiting list."

Aklak Air is the only commercial airline which connects Holman to Inuvik.

The Victoria Island community is also served by private charter companies and First Air, which offers flights to Yellowknife.

Dalton said Aklak flies to Holman Tuesdays and Thursdays.

He added the company has different sized propeller planes, which can be switched according to load weight and the number of passengers.