First Air bumps Norman Wells
Company cancels route from Yellowknife indefinitely
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Monday, April 3, 2017
LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS
First Air is cancelling flights between Norman Wells and Yellowknife starting May 17.
First Air is cancelling flights between Norman Wells and Yellowknife. - NNSL file photo |
"This is something that we did by carefully evaluating and looking at the market and the business demands," said Dan Valin, manager of marketing and communications for the airline. "It's a business decision."
Valin wouldn't say whether there is a low demand for flights to Norman Wells.
First Air has promised to contact anyone who has a flight scheduled for after the cancellation date and either reimburse them or come up with an alternative flight plan.
The cancellation comes as no shock to Sahtu MLA Daniel McNeely.
He said he's been expecting it for some time.
"I heard this news was coming that one airline was going to be cancelling out," McNeely said.
"It didn't surprise me because of the current economic situation and the amount of traffic that is going to decline in and out of Norman Wells."
In January, Imperial Oil announced it was shutting down production at the Norman Wells oil field, where 60 people were employed.
At the time, officials said employees wouldn't be affected by layoffs - at least in the near future.
Then the town faced another blow in March when a fire tore through the Manitoulin Transportation warehouse. The business employed as many as 10 people.
McNeely said the cancellation of First Air flights to Norman Wells means residents will have less choice when choosing airlines.
"But we also have a regional airline called North Wright Airways that provides air travel to and from Yellowknife," he added. "So we'll still have options."
Canadian North will still operate passenger flights between Norman Wells and Yellowknife, according to a flight schedule on the airline's website.
Buffalo Airways delivers cargo between Yellowknife and Norman Wells, but doesn't offer passenger flights.
At the same time as the cancellations, First Air is adding daily, direct flights from Yellowknife to Inuvik due to "a growing demand," a news release stated.
Valin said re-evaluations of flight routes aren't uncommon.
