NUNAVUT - Baffin beneficiaries flying with First Air can now ask for a discount on full retail, fully-refundable highest-priced fare when they travel.

The discount is possible through a deal struck in early April between the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) and First Air, reached after a couple months of negotiations, said QIA executive director Terry Audla.

"Any Baffin beneficiary can go online or call the 1-800 number and use the code QIB10," Audla said. "Upon confirmation and check in, they would have to produce their beneficiary card and/or any other confirmation from our community liaison officers into the Baffin communities."

A similar discount is available for freight, specifically for snowmobiles, ATVs, outboard motors and sewing supplies, he added.

But both Audla and First Air declined to specify the exact amount of the discount.

However, Ron Elliott, the Nunavut MLA for Quttiktuq, said the discount is 55 per cent off First Air's YL fare, described as the full retail, fully-refundable top-priced fare.

"It came out very vague. It took me a while to get information from First Air about it. They are being very vague about how it's working," he said. "My understanding is, you just phone First Air and you say 'I am an Inuit beneficiary and I would like to get a discount.'"

Arctic Bay resident Frank May had booked a return flight on First Air for his wife between Iqaluit and Ottawa about two weeks ahead of the trip, he said, which cost him $1,340 at the cheapest fare available. When he learned about the discount for Baffin beneficiaries through a community liaison officer, he phoned First Air to re-book but the cost would have been $1,370 - $30 more.

"Because you are getting a 55 per cent discount of a YL fare, it actually worked out that it cost $30 more than what I had gotten before," May said.

"I think there is a bit of confusion about exactly what is on offer from First Air. Because people don't understand what a YL fare is, they expect more than what is actually available."

Elliott said a lot of people are happy that First Air is offering a discount for Baffin beneficiaries, as Canadian North does.

"Everything for us translates to the high cost of airfare and freight," he said. "Food coming in, mail, shipping costs, everything coming to us has to come through the airlines. A discount is a great thing to hear. People travelling, going to funerals, people trying to visit relatives is hard to do that as well. Any type of a discount to me is great to hear. I welcome stuff like that."

Canadian North has been offering beneficiaries the PIVUT fare since 2005. The airline introduced the discount as a way to thank their beneficiaries for their support, said the company's marketing manager Lisa Hicks.

"The (PIVUT) airfare entitles our beneficiaries to a discount well in excess of 55 per cent, with the majority of markets at 70 per cent to 80 per cent off. This is a greater discount than First Air," said Hicks.

QIA sought the deal because the cost of living for Baffin beneficiaries are among the highest in Canada, said Audla, it provides an option for common beneficiaries to travel for leisure.

"The beneficiaries are quite happy," said Audla. "It will enable them to be a little more mobile within their area, their territory. They will able to go down and visit family in other communities and/or spend time in Iqaluit ... or Ottawa or Montreal."