How Canadian airlines are reducing flights

Two of Canada’s largest airlines announced steps to cope with delays, cancellations and service issues.

On Wednesday night, Air Canada said it would be making adjustments to flights over the next two months in order to address “customer service shortfalls.” And on Thursday, WestJet reaffirmed its taking a “very measured” strategy in order to maintain services this summer.

Here’s what the two airlines have announced.

AIR CANADA

Air Canada sent an email to customers on Wednesday night announcing a reduction in flights the airline will be offering in July and August.

In an emailed statement to CTV News Channel, an Air Canada spokesperson said the company will be reducing its schedule by an average of 154 flights per day for July and August. Before this, Air Canada said it was operating around 1,000 flights per day.

The company said the routes most affected are flights to and from hubs in Toronto and Montreal. Air Canada will be reducing the frequency of these flights over the summer, primarily affecting evening and late-night flights on the airline’s smaller aircraft.

Air Canada is also suspending three routes this summer. The spokesperson said the airline will temporarily suspend routes between Montreal and Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Kelowna, and Toronto and Fort McMurray.

International flights will remain mostly unaffected, except for timing changes that the spokesperson said would reduce flying at peak times and improve the flow of passengers to these destinations.

While Air Canada President Michael Rousseau acknowledged in the email to customers this will have a “negative impact” on some passengers, he said he hopes giving this notice will allow travellers to make other arrangements for their summer travel plans.

WESTJET

In a statement posted on its website on Thursday, WestJet said it would also be operating fewer flights in order to ensure the company “can deliver a stable operation.”

WestJet says it will be operating 25 per cent fewer flights this summer, dropping its services from an average of 700 flights per day to an average of 530 flights per day.

The statement from the airline also says the company is conducting “extensive planning” to ensure its flights are “all flying in peak performance.”

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