NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Buffalo Airways is set to resume flights after Transport Canada lifted a suspension of its operations, the company's general manager said Tuesday.

Buffalo Airways allowed to resume commercial operations after it was suspended by Transport Canada nearly six weeks ago for its "poor safety record." - NNSL file photo

The Hay River-based company that flies Second World War era-aircraft was notified around 4 p.m., Jan. 12 by the regulator that the suspension issued Nov. 30 had been lifted, Bruce Jonasson told Yellowknifer.

"It means that we're going back to work," he said shortly after receiving the update from Transport Canada.

"We're just glad to be going back to work and serving our clients. We're thrilled."

Transport Canada issued a news release Tuesday stating the reinstatement was effective immediately.

"Buffalo Airways' corrective action addresses Transport Canada's concerns regarding the company's safety record and its ability to keep its operations consistently compliant with aviation safety regulations," the statement says. "Transport Canada will closely monitor Buffalo Airways to verify that its corrective action is implemented and sustained."

During the six-week suspension, the company was prohibited from flying commercial flights.

To maintain service, it hired chartered flights for cargo and passenger service.

However, on Dec. 24, the company ended chartered passenger flights to Hay River.

What can customers expect now?

"We're going to re-introduce all of our cargo services immediately and the passenger service to Hay River is on hold for a short period of time," said Jonasson.

He attributed the continued pause in passenger flights to Hay River to the work involved in resuming operations.

"You don't start back at 100 per cent on Day one," he said. "You walk before you run."

He said a lot of work went into corrective action plans to meet the issues identified by Transport Canada "to display processes compliant with the regulations."

The company also hired Sol Taboada with DTI Training as a consultant to help address issues raised by Transport Canada.

During the time the airline was grounded, "Buffalo" Joe McBryan had penned a letter to the regulator stating he had walked away from the company in order to help get it back in the air.

"His days running the company are done," Taboada told Yellowknifer in December.

Jonasson said the company worked hard to address the corrective actions required by Transport Canada.

During the suspension, Jonasson said the company was still paying its employees.

"It's been awful over the Christmas season," he said about the impact on staff.

He estimated the financial impact was in the range of $1.5 million.

In a news release last year, Transport Canada said the suspension was issued because of the company's "poor safety record."

It then stated that the suspension would only be lifted once the company had demonstrated it could safely operate.

Buffalo's operations, and its sometimes checked interactions with Transport Canada inspectors, were featured in the History Television's Ice Pilots NWT. The show ran for six seasons, ending in 2014.