Aviation
Monthly Aircraft Movements: Major airports – NAV CANADA Towers and Flight Service Stations, September 2019

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Analysis

In September, there were 508,641 aircraft take-offs and landings at 90 Canadian airports with NAV CANADA air traffic control towers and flight service stations, compared with 510,191 movements at 91 airports in September 2018. On January 3, 2019, the air traffic control tower at Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport, Ontario, was officially closed, reducing the number of Canadian airports with NAV CANADA air traffic control towers and flight service stations from 91 to 90.

A decrease in itinerant movements (flights from one airport to another) contributed to the year over year decline, while local movements (flights that remain in the vicinity of the airport) were up. Itinerant movements fell 1.6% to 360,011 movements and local movements increased 3.0% to 148,630.

Overall, air traffic decreased slightly (-0.3%) in September, with 45 airports reporting fewer movements than the same month the previous year. Year-over-year variations of more than 1,000 movements were reported at 20 airports. Of these, nine saw declines, ranging from a decrease of 2,241 movements at Boundary Bay, British Columbia, to a decline of 1,097 movements at Kelowna, also in British Columbia. At the 11 airports reporting an increase, growth ranged from 3,296 movements at Montréal/St-Hubert, Quebec, to 1,031 movements at Windsor, Ontario. 

Itinerant traffic decreased 1.6%, with 55 airports reporting fewer movements. The largest declines were seen at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International, Ontario (-1,914 movements) and Victoria International, British Columbia (-1,468). The largest increase was at Montréal/St-Hubert (+1,960). The grounding of all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has had a negative effect on itinerant traffic. To compensate for the loss of the aircraft a number of strategies have been employed by air carriers around the globe. These measures include the suspension of routes, adjustments to the frequency of flights and aircraft substitution.

In September, 48 airports recorded higher levels of local activity as compared to the same month one year ago. As a result, local movements rose by 4,292. Year-over-year variations ranged from an increase of 1,436 movements at Calgary/Springbank, Alberta, to a decrease of 1,248 movements at Kingston, Ontario.

Itinerant movements: domestic, transborder and international

Domestic itinerant movements (within Canada) were 304,008 in September, a 1.3% drop from the same month the previous year. The largest decreases occurred in Western Canada, at Calgary International, Alberta (-1,244 movements), Boundary Bay (-1,241) and Victoria International (-1,115). The biggest increases were recorded at Montréal/St-Hubert (+1,955) and Oshawa, Ontario (+1,642).

During the month, 86 airports reported 41,471 transborder (between Canada and the United States) itinerant movements, down 2.8% from the level reported in September 2018. The largest decreases were observed at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International (-700 movements), Victoria International (-354) and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International, Quebec (-214). The biggest increases in transborder traffic were recorded at Québec/Jean Lesage International, Quebec (+138) and Toronto/Billy Bishop Toronto City, Ontario (+119).

In September, 31 airports reported a total of 14,532 other international itinerant movements, down 3.6% from the same period the previous year. This marks the third consecutive month for which the sector has shown a year over year decline. Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International was the busiest airport with 6,522 movements, followed by Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (3,510 movements) and Vancouver International, British Columbia (2,721). Together, these three airports accounted for 87.8% of all other international itinerant movements during the month.

Factors which may have influenced the data

A major snowstorm hit southern Alberta beginning on September 28, 2019, during which the city of Calgary experienced a record breaking snowfall (on September 29). Several flights out of Calgary International were cancelled.

On September 13, 2019, Norwegian Air Shuttle operated its last flight from Hamilton, Ontario to Dublin, Ireland. The airline began offering daily service in March, 2019, and cited uncertainty about when the Boeing 737 MAX would return to service as a reason for its decision.

On September 9 and 10, 2019, more than a dozen flights between Canada and London/Heathrow, England, were cancelled due to a pilot strike at British Airways. Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International, Ontario was the most affected city in Canada, with four flights cancelled each day.

On September 8, 2019, WestJet updated its Boeing 737 MAX timeline to remove the aircraft through January 5, 2020 and adjusted its schedule once again. Additional routes that have been modified to include suspensions or additions will include the following: Saskatoon and Regina both in Saskatchewan to Phoenix, Arizona: three weekly flights suspended; Regina to Orlando, Florida: one weekly flight suspended; Winnipeg, Manitoba to Phoenix and Las Vegas, Nevada: two weekly flights suspended; Winnipeg to Palm Springs, California: operating once weekly instead of twice weekly; Toronto, Ontario to New York/LaGuardia, New York: select weekend suspensions; Toronto to Phoenix: three weekly flights suspended; Calgary to Kelowna, British Columbia: one daily flight suspended. Flights to Hawaii that have been adjusted include the following: Calgary to Maui: 12 departures removed with the same number of seats remaining as the aircraft is changed to a larger 787 Dreamliner; Calgary to Honolulu: three weekly flights suspended; Edmonton, Alberta to Maui: two weekly flights suspended; Edmonton to Honolulu: one weekly flight suspended; Vancouver, British Columbia to Honolulu and Maui: 24 flight segments each added to accommodate the Alberta flight cancellations.

On September 6, 2019, as Hurricane Dorian moved up the coast towards Atlantic Canada, WestJet announced it would be cancelling more than 50 flights on September 7 and 8, to and from Halifax and Sydney, both in Nova Scotia; Moncton, New Brunswick and Gander and St. John’s, both in Newfoundland and Labrador.

On September 2, 2019, Delta Airlines ended its service between Victoria International, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington. The daily service started in April 2016, and offered three flights per day to Seattle.

On September 1, 2019, Hurricane Dorian, a category five hurricane, hit the Bahamas. Two days prior, WestJet announced it would not be flying to or from Fort Lauderdale, Florida until it was safe to resume. Additionally in Florida, Orlando International Airport ceased commercial flight operations on September 2, and Daytona Beach International Airport closed after the last flight departed on September 1.  

Forest Fires near High Level, Alberta continued into August, 2019. As of August 29, both the Jackpot Creek and the Chuckegg Creek fires were declared Under Control, with firefighters, helicopters and air tankers positioned throughout the area.

On August 12, 2019, the UK Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows arrived at the Ottawa/Gatineau Airport, Quebec. The group performed a flyby over Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario for the Changing of the Guards, prior to performing at the airshow at the Ottawa/Gatineau Airport.

On July 29, 2019, WestJet updated its Boeing 737 MAX schedule to November 4. Route suspensions include the following: Halifax to Paris, France: suspended for the remainder of the season. Ottawa and Montréal, Quebec to Edmonton will continue to operate as overnight service; Vancouver and Regina: suspended for the remainder of the season. Toronto and Kelowna have been suspended for September and October; flights between Toronto and St. John’s will be operated twice daily instead of three times daily.

On July 25, 2019, the Chuckegg Creek wildfire, which started in May in the High Level area, was declared “being held”, meaning it was not expected to grow past expected boundaries. A large firefighting operation remained in effect, with firefighters assisting from across Canada and the United States, as well as from South Africa.

On July 12, 2019, a private air charter service operated by EVAS Air began between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International, Nova Scotia and Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador. The flights will operate Mondays and Fridays until September 9, 2019.

On July 10, 2019, Matane-Baie-Comeau-Godbout ferry service in Quebec was restored. Air service will continue to be available until the end of the month.

On July 5, 2019, the City of Kingston, Ontario celebrated the grand opening of the Kingston Airport’s newly extended runway and expanded terminal. The runway was extended from 4,929 feet to 6,000 feet, and a new approach lighting system was installed to improve reliability.

Over a five day period beginning on July 5, 2019, Swoop cancelled or delayed nearly two dozen flights due to a technical issue with one of their aircraft. The airline was unable to charter replacement aircraft due to limited availability as a result of the 737 MAX grounding. Flights were cancelled to and from Halifax and Ontario cities London and Hamilton.

On July 3, 2019, Air Canada launched its new non-stop, seasonal service between Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International, Quebec and Bordeaux, France. The service will run three times per week until September 8, 2019.

There were several route updates from WestJet which took effect in July 2019, in response to the Boeing 737 MAX grounding: flights between Edmonton International, Alberta and Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International, Ontario that had been suspended through July 3 are now operating on an overnight service Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from July 5 to August 28. Flights between Edmonton International and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau that had been suspended to July 3 are now operating on an overnight service Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from July 4 to August 29.

For its 2019 summer schedule, Icelandair increased the number of flights per week between Reykjavik, Iceland and Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International, from seven to 11.

On June 27, 2019, Porter Airlines launched seasonal service in Ontario between Toronto/Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Muskoka Airport. The flights will operate on Thursdays and Mondays until September 3, 2019.

On June 27, 2019, Air Canada began new non-stop service between Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International and Sydney. Daily service will run until October 26, 2019.

On June 26, 2019, WestJet began non-stop flights between Edmonton International and St. John’s International.

On June 24, 2019, WestJet Encore began service between London and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International. Service will operate on weekdays until October 15, 2019.

As of June 20, 2019, there were seven active wildfires in the High Level area, with four that were out of control. Air tankers and helicopters were positioned throughout the area. The Chuckegg Creek fire had 46 helicopters working the fire, while the Jackpot Creek fire had 25 helicopters.

On June 20 and 21, The Air Race Classic, an all-women, cross-country airplane race, came to the Sault Ste. Marie Airport, Ontario. Flying from the Chippewa County International Airport, Michigan, some of the racers landed at Sault Ste. Marie to refuel and clear customs.

On June 14, 2019, American Airlines re-introduced service between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the first time since 2017. The flight will depart Halifax once daily.

Forest fires in Northwestern Ontario threatened the communities of Pickle Lake and Pikangikum First Nation in June 2019. As of June 11, around 2,600 people had been evacuated from Pikangikum by helicopters and Hercules aircraft to various communities in the region.

On June 10, 2019, United Airlines began non-stop service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Illinois, and Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International. The flight will operate once daily and was last offered in January 2015.

On June 6, 2019, United Airlines added daily, non-stop, seasonal service between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and Newark Liberty International, New Jersey.

On June 6, 2019, American Airlines began service between Québec/Jean-Lesage International, Quebec and Chicago O’Hare International. The route will operate once per day, serviced by Envoy Air.

On June 6, 2019, United Airlines temporarily suspended its three daily flights between Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The airline expects to resume service in March 2020.

On June 3, 2019, Air Canada inaugurated its new daily, non-stop service between Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International and Raleigh, North Carolina.

On June 2, 2019, WestJet Encore operated its last scheduled flight between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and Boston, Massachusetts.

On June 1, 2019, WestJet began a new non-stop route between Calgary International and Dublin. Flights will depart Calgary three times weekly until October 5, 2019, and then twice weekly until October 19, 2019.

The ongoing grounding of Boeing 737 Max aircraft has resulted in updated route changes by Air Canada in 2019, many of which took effect in June and affect the number of aircraft movements out of various Canadian airports. Domestically, in addition to the Toronto-Abbotsford, British Columbia route being suspended for the summer season, flights from Calgary International to London are also suspended for the summer. Affected transborder routes include: Edmonton International to Las Vegas, suspended form June 16 to September 30; Vancouver International, British Columbia to Honolulu, reduced from daily to four-weekly and operated by Omni Air International from June 2 to October 26; Vancouver International to Kahului, Hawaii, reduced from daily to three-weekly and operated by Omni Air International, from June 4 to October 26; Vancouver International to Las Vegas, second daily flight suspended from June 16 until September 2 and Calgary International to Phoenix, with a route suspension from June 1 to September 30. International routes affected include: Halifax and St. John’s International to London/Heathrow, both suspended until October 26, 2019; Toronto to Shannon, Ireland, suspended for summer 2019 and Montréal to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with a resumption now scheduled for December 3, 2019.

In June 2019, Air Canada removed its Vancouver International to Nagoya, Japan route, which was originally scheduled to fly three times per week for the summer season.

Between May 31 and June 2, 2019, the Montréal/St. Hubert Airport, Quebec, hosted an airshow.

On May 31, 2019, Aeromexico relaunched direct flights between Calgary International and Mexico City, Mexico. The route was originally launched two years ago but was pulled back due to constrained availability of flight slots out of the Mexico City Airport. Seasonal service is currently scheduled until September 2019.

On May 24, 2019, Swoop began non-stop service from London to both Abbotsford (daily) and Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International (daily, except Saturdays).

On May 24, 2019, Air Creebec suspended flights between Timmins, Ontario and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (via Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec). The service had been offered since July 2018.

On May 20, 2019, an evacuation order was issued in High Level, due to the Chuckegg Creek Wildfire. By May 30, evacuated residents had not yet returned home and the blaze had more than doubled in size. To battle the fire, 23 helicopters and one air tanker were assigned to the area.

On May 17, 2019, WestJet launched its inaugural flight between Calgary International and Paris. Flights will be offered four times per week between the two cities on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. On April 29, the airline also launched Dreamliner service between Calgary and London/Gatwick, England.

On May 11, 2019, The BC Wildfire Service responded to a fire 5 km east of the community of Fraser Lake, British Columbia. By the following day, the Lejac fire had grown to 260 acres and was being fought by 30 firefighters with air support.

Throughout the week and ending on May 10, 2019, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the United States Coast Guard conducted a joint exercise operating from Thunder Bay Airport, Ontario. Search and rescue aircraft were used to conduct various training scenarios.

On May 2, 2019, WestJet began twice weekly transborder service between Calgary International and Austin, Texas.

Starting May 1, 2019, Air Canada reduced the number of flights in Alberta between Medicine Hat and Calgary. To maintain overall capacity, the airline introduced two daily Dash 8-300s (50 seats) flights. Previously, the route was serviced with up to six flights daily with an 18 seat aircraft. 

On May 1, 2019, Air Canada increased capacity and upgraded services on several routes in Eastern Canada by shifting aircraft from Air Canada Express regional aircraft to larger Air Canada Rouge 319s. From Toronto, the routes include the following cities: Moncton, Fredericton, New Brunswick and Thunder Bay, Ontario. In addition, the route from Montréal to St John’s was also affected.

Starting May 1, 2019, Air Canada started using the Q400 for flights in British Columbia between Penticton and Vancouver. The aircraft offers a 17% increase in seat capacity over the previous model of aircraft used on the route. As a result, the airline has reduced the frequency of flights.

On April 30, 2019, Air Canada ended its non-stop service between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Jacksonville International Airport, Florida.

Effective April 29, 2019, Air Canada discontinued its regional flights between Cranbrook, British Columbia and Calgary International.

As of April 29, 2019, United Airlines began daily service from Québec/Jean Lesage International to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

On April 29, 2019, Austrian Airlines operated its inaugural flight from Vienna, Austria to Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International. The airline will operate the flight daily in the summer and five times per week in the winter.

On April 29, 2019, WestJet began its new non-stop service between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and Dublin. The flight will depart six times weekly until October 25, 2019. Previously, WestJet had operated a direct flight to Dublin from St. John’s International. On the same day, the airline also began daily transborder service between Calgary International and Portland, Oregon.

On April 29, 2019, Air Canada added a second, six-times-weekly flight from Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International to Austin. This is in addition to Air Canada’s daily flights between the two cities. The new flight will operate until October 26, 2019.

On April 29, 2019, Swoop began daily service between London and Edmonton International.

On April 28, 2019, WestJet announced cancellations and schedule changes on some of its routes as it deals with the continued grounding of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Flights between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and Paris are suspended from June 3 through August 2, 2019. The following domestic routes have been suspended from June 3 until July 3, 2019:  Edmonton International and Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International; Edmonton International and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International; Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Kelowna and Vancouver International and Regina.

On April 28, 2019, Air Canada ended its non-stop service between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and San Antonio, Texas. The route started on May 1, 2017.

On April 27, 2019, heavy snow and strong winds hit much of central and southern Alberta. The Calgary Airport Authority reported 62 departure flights and 28 arrivals were cancelled at Calgary International.

On April 26, 2019, a Delta Airlines Boeing 767 made an unscheduled landing in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, due to a medical emergency. The flight was en route to Seattle from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

On April 25, 2019, Air Canada announced that previously suspended flights from both Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and St. John’s International to London/Heathrow would be suspended until August 1, 2019, at the earliest, as a result of the ongoing grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The airline also cancelled summer service between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson and Abbotsford.

On April 2, 2019, Nunavut-based Arctic Cooperatives Ltd., in partnership with Chrono Aviation of Quebec signed a multi-year contract with Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. to deliver passengers and cargo to the Mary River mine on Baffin Island, Nunavut. The contract includes the transportation of Iqaluit-based passengers to the Mary River mine, and the transportation of passengers and cargo from Montréal/St-Hubert Airport.

In April 2019, Icelandair announced that it had extended the cancellation of flights between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and Reykjavik for the entire calendar year. Previously, the cancellation had only applied to spring and summer service.

In April 2019, during the absence of the usual ferry service, it was announced that users of the Matane-Baie-Comeau-Godbout ferry in Quebec would be able to count on regular and predictable service in the coming months, after having experienced multiple disruptions to service that began in December. Air services between Mont-Joli, Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles will continue to be available until the end of July, 2019.

Beginning March 31, 2019, Norwegian Air began transatlantic daily service between Hamilton and Dublin.

On March 30, 2019, Air Canada ended direct flights between Winnipeg/James Armstrong Richardson International, Manitoba and Thunder Bay. On March 31, 2019, it also ended direct service from Winnipeg/James Armstrong Richardson International to Saskatoon/John G. Diefenbaker International, Saskatchewan.

On March 28, 2019, Icelandic airline Wow Air ceased operations. The airline had operated out of Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International.

On March 26, 2019, Icelandair announced it would be cancelling its plans to reintroduce spring and summer service between Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International and Reykjavik.

On March 22, 2019, Hong Kong Airlines permanently changed the aircraft it uses to operate its Vancouver International flights, from an A330-200 to an A350-900. The airline had previously planned to use the A350 for only one month, starting January 1, 2019.

On the evening of March 17, 2019, all U.S.-bound flights from terminal 1 at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International were cancelled after a fire broke out near a security checkpoint.

On March 13, 2019, Canada grounded all Boeing 737 Max aircraft following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight on March 10. A number of transatlantic flights from Canada had been cancelled the previous day due to bans of the aircraft in the United Kingdom and European Union. Airlines and countries around the world also banned the aircraft from their airspace, resulting in widespread cancellations and flight disruptions.

On March 11, 2019, WestJet began a new direct flight from St. John’s to Fort Lauderdale. The flight will operate on a limited basis through May 13, 2019.

On March 4, 2019, PAL Aerospace announced that it was awarded a contract from the federal government to provide aerial surveillance for Canada’s inland, coastal and offshore waters on behalf of the Government of Canada. The company announced it would make Campbell River Airport, British Columbia its new West Coast base. The company had previously operated out of the Comox Airport in British Columbia, and also has bases in St. John’s and Halifax.

On March 3, 2019, WestJet’s inaugural flight from Calgary International to Atlanta, Georgia, landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The carrier will operate six flights a week, switching to daily flights on April 7, 2019.

March 1, 2019 marked the last Delta Airlines flight between Edmonton International and Seattle. Service originated in December 2015.

On February 28, 2019, Flair Airlines suspended its newly launched seasonal service to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Florida and to Palm Springs. Service to these cities began in December, 2018.

On February 26, 2019, Air Canada suspended all of its flights to Delhi, India after Pakistan closed its airspace. Flights resumed on February 28, 2019.

On February 26, 2019, Air Canada suspended its non-stop flights between Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International and Port-au-Prince, due to civil unrest in Haiti. Service has been suspended through April 29, 2019.

On February 24, 2019, high winds with blowing snow affected much of southern Ontario, southern New Brunswick and parts of Nova Scotia. Several hundred flights at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International were cancelled.

On February 14, 2019, Air Canada announced it would increase capacity in the spring on several routes across Western Canada by deploying more of its Bombardier Q-400 aircraft. The routes in British Columbia from Vancouver include the following: Comox; Kamloops; Nanaimo; Penticton; Prince Rupert; Sandspit and Smithers.  From Calgary the affected routes include: Kelowna and Saskatoon. Overall, the increase in capacity ranges from 5 to 52%.

On February 12 and 13, 2019, a massive winter storm hit Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, causing airports to cancel flights across all locations. Over 400 flights were cancelled at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International on February 12, with cancellations continuing the following day.

Persistent adverse weather in British Columbia that began the night of February 8, 2019, caused weather alerts to be issued in Greater Victoria, East Vancouver Island and Inland Vancouver Island. On February 10, whiteout conditions caused many flights to be delayed or cancelled at Victoria International. On February 11 and 12, dozens of flights were delayed or cancelled out of Vancouver International due to another incoming storm.

On February 6, 2019, hundreds of flights were cancelled at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International due to freezing rain. Flight cancellations and delays also occurred at other airports throughout Ontario and at Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International.

In February 2019, British Columbia-based KD Air voluntarily and temporarily suspended operations to undergo aircraft and service improvements.

On January 28, 2019, a snowfall warning was in effect for the entire Greater Toronto Area and most of southern Ontario. More than 200 departing flights at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International were cancelled.

On January 20, 2019, Swoop Airlines began twice-weekly service between Abbotsford and Mazatlán, Mexico.

A powerful winter storm brought heavy rain and snow to much of eastern Canada and eastern United States on the weekend of January 19, 2019. Flight cancellations were reported at airports across the affected regions.

On January 14, 2019, Swoop Airlines began service between Hamilton and Cancun, Mexico. The flights will depart three times per week and then weekly through the summer.

On January 12, 2019, Swoop Airlines began twice-weekly service between Abbotsford and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

On January 8, 2019, Swoop Airlines’ inaugural flight took off from Hamilton to Puerto Vallarta. The flights will depart twice per week.

On January 7, 2019, United Airlines discontinued flights between Victoria International and San Francisco, California, after a decade of service.

On January 7, 2019, the daily hours of operation of the Winnipeg/St. Andrews Airport, Manitoba air traffic control tower were increased by one hour.

On January 3, 2019, the air traffic control tower at Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport, Ontario, was permanently closed. The airport will continue operating until at least 2023.

On December 23, 2018, Sunwing began new non-stop service to Liberia, Costa Rica from Vancouver International.

On December 23, 2018, Air Transat began seasonal service from Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International to San Juan, Puerto Rico. There will be one flight weekly from each location until April 28, 2019.

On December 20, 2018, Sunwing Airlines launched its first direct flight from Canada to Tobago; between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and the Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson International Airport in Crown Point, Tobago. On the same day, Sunwing also launched its first direct flight between Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport and Los Cabos, Mexico. The flight will depart Ottawa every Thursday until April 11, 2019.

On December 19, 2018, Sunwing Airlines launched its inaugural flight between Thunder Bay and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The flight departs every Wednesday until March 27, 2019.

On December 18, 2018, Sunwing Airlines began a new route between Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International and Mazatlán. The flights depart Montréal every Tuesday until April 16, 2019.

On December 17, 2018, ferry service in Quebec between Matane and Baie-Comeau and Godbout was suspended due to mechanical problems with the ferry. As a replacement, charter flights were being offered four times per day between Mont-Joli to the Baie-Comeau Airport, with a fifth flight in the evening providing a connection to the airport in Sept-Ȋles.

On December 17, 2018, Sunwing Airlines began operating a new seasonal flight between Québec/Jean Lesage International and Puerto Vallarta. Service will conclude on April 15, 2019. On the same day, the airline also began service between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Cienfuegos, Cuba, for the first time since 2013. The weekly flights leave Toronto every Monday until April 22, 2019.

On December 16, 2018, Swoop Airlines launched twice-weekly service between Hamilton and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The flights will continue once per week until April 24, 2019.

On December 16, 2018, Sunwing launched service between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Bonaire, Netherlands. The service will operate once per week until April 14, 2019.

On December 15, 2018, Air Canada launched new service between Vancouver International and Kauai, Hawaii. Flights will operate three times weekly until April 27, 2019. The airline also doubled the frequency of its other flights from western Canada to Hawaii (Honolulu, Maui and Kona) for the winter 2018/2019 season.

On December 15, 2018, Sunwing began direct service between Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International and Miami, Florida. Flights will depart Ottawa every Saturday until March 30, 2019.

On December 13, 2018, weekly, seasonal Sunwing flights from Mont-Joli to Cancun and Punta Cana resumed for the second consecutive season. Service will run until April 11, 2019.

On December 8, 2018, Sunwing began offering direct flights from Québec/Jean Lesage International and Miami. Flights will depart twice-weekly, on Saturdays and Sundays.

On December 7, 2018, WestJet launched service between Saskatoon/John G. Diefenbaker International, and Orlando. The weekly service will operate until April 26, 2019.

In December 2018, Flair Airlines launched new routes to various cities in the United States: Miami, Orlando and Tampa Bay (St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport), Florida; Phoenix; Las Vegas and Palm Springs.

Air Transat announced that it was cancelling all flights to Nicaragua in winter 2018/2019. The airline had three flights per week scheduled from Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International, beginning December 20, 2018 and ending at the end of March, 2019.

For winter 2018/2019, Air Transat announced that it would no longer be flying out of Saskatoon/John G. Diefenbaker International and Regina.

On November 19, 2018, Air Transat began weekly service from Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International to Roatan, Honduras. Flights will go to twice-weekly starting December 17, 2018, through to April 1, 2019.

On November 8, 2018, Flair Airlines launched its first flight to the United States: from Edmonton International to Las Vegas. The flight will operate four times weekly.

On November 7, 2018, a Boeing 747 skidded off the runway while landing at Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International. The airport temporarily suspended all flights, and one of two runways at the airport remained closed for nearly two weeks following the incident. The ongoing closure of the runway caused some delays, cancellations and diversions when winds favoured the runway that was closed.

On November 5, 2018, Air Transat began weekly service from Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International to Roatan. Flights will go to twice-weekly starting December 20, 2018, through to April 11, 2019.

On November 5, 2018, Air Transat began round-trip flights between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Edmonton International. There will be two round-trip flights every Monday until December 19, 2018, when service will increase to four round-trip weekly flights.

As of November 4, 2018, Pacific Coastal Airlines’ winter schedule includes non-stop flights in British Columbia for all flights between Comox and Vancouver International, as well as between Campbell River and Vancouver International.  Previously, flights had operated in a triangle between Campbell River, Comox, and Vancouver International.

On the evening of November 2, 2018, all flights coming in and out of Fredericton International Airport, New Brunswick were cancelled because an electrical fault caused all of the runway lights to go out. The lights were restored by the following evening.

On November 1, 2018, Oslo, Norway based Norwegian Air Shuttle began flights between Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International and Martinique, in the French West Indies.

On November 1, 2018, Air Canada discontinued its three times daily service between the Alberta cities of Red Deer and Calgary. This was the only scheduled service out of the Red Deer airport. The airline also discontinued transborder service to Syracuse and Rochester, both in New York, as well as to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. These routes were discontinued as Air Canada Express carrier Air Georgian was phasing out the Beechcraft 1900 aircraft from its fleet.

On October 29, 2018, Norwegian Air Shuttle launched flights three times per week between Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International and Pointe-à-Pitre, in Guadeloupe, France.

On October 28, 2018, Air Canada launched direct, seasonal service between Calgary International and Palm Springs. The flights will be available until the end of April, 2019.

On October 28, 2018, Air Canada increased its frequency of flights to Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport, Arizona from Vancouver International, from four days per week to seven. The airline also increased its frequency between Vancouver International and Palm Springs.

On October 28, 2018, Philippine Airlines began a non-stop flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, New York to Manila, Philippines. This flight replaces what was previously a one-stop flight that went through Vancouver International.

On October 28, 2018, Air Canada Rouge launched service from Edmonton International to Las Vegas. The route will operate daily until April 30, 2019.

On October 28, 2018, WestJet reduced its national capacity, decreasing service on many of its routes from across Canada and cancelling several. Cancelled routes include: service between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Fort McMurray, Alberta; Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International and Québec/Jean Lesage International; Deer Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador and Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International, as well as all flights to Mexico City, which the airline had originally launched in March 2018. Some of the reductions in service include domestic flights between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and: Vancouver International, Edmonton International, Calgary International and Winnipeg/James Armstrong Richardson International and flights between Halifax and St. John’s and to Sydney.

On October 28, 2018, Swoop launched service from Abbotsford and from Hamilton to Las Vegas. The flights were scheduled to begin earlier in the month but were cancelled while the company waited for regulatory approval.

On October 27, 2018, Swoop launched service from Edmonton International to Las Vegas and to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona. Service was also added between Hamilton and the Florida cities of Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay. 

On October 27, 2018, Flair Airlines ended all service to and from Hamilton and moved its southern Ontario operations to Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International. The airline also added daily flights between Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Winnipeg/James Armstrong Richardson International and between Calgary and Abbotsford as part of its October–April service (starting October 28, 2018), and concluded its seasonal route between Victoria International and Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International.

On October 27, 2018, WestJet concluded its service to Sudbury Airport, Ontario. The airline had resumed operations to the city in February 2017 after not flying out of the airport since 2001.

On October 27, 2018, British Airways suspended its service to Calgary International for the winter season.

As of October 26, 2018, WestJet ended daily service between St. John’s and Dublin. First launched in 2014, the seasonal route was WestJet’s first expansion into the transatlantic market.  WestJet announced that the route will not return in 2019.

On October 11, 2018, the operating hours of the control tower at the Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport were reduced from 12 hours to nine. On July 19, 2018 the operating hours had already been reduced from 15 to 12.

On October 2, 2018, a large snowfall hit Calgary, with 40 centimetres reported in parts of the city. Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed at Calgary International Airport.

In October 2018, United Express carrier CommutAir began operating five daily roundtrips from Newark Liberty International Airport and Washington Dulles International, Virginia to Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International.

As of September 30, 2018, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, Inc. had reported 1,999 fires covering 1,348,522 hectares in British Columbia. At the same time in 2017, there were 1,263 fires covering 1,211,719 hectares.

On September 30, 2018, Alkan Air ended its twice-weekly service between Whitehorse and Watson Lake, both in the Yukon. The service originally began with three flights per week, which was then scaled back to twice per week.

On September 28, 2018, Air Canada reduced its flights between North Bay, Ontario and Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International, from four flights per day to three flights per day. The number of seats available will remain the same, as a larger aircraft will be used.

On September 21, 2018, several tornadoes touched down in the Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec regions. Some flights at Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International were suspended due to lightning and the airport was forced to use backup power. Strong winds were also forecast that day throughout Ontario.

On September 18, 2018, Pacific Coastal Airlines and the Pacific Flying Club, located at Boundary Bay Airport, British Columbia, announced the creation of a new program meant to offset the impact of the global pilot shortage affecting regional airlines and flight training schools. The Fast Track to Success program will allow Pacific Flying Club instructors to apply to Pacific Coastal after a certain amount of time or instructional hours, and continue to work with the Pacific Flying Club while they build the hours they need to obtain an airline transport pilot license.

On September 12, 2018, a British Airways Boeing 787 travelling from England to Calgary International was diverted to Iqaluit, Nunavut due to a technical fault. A second aircraft arrived the following day to bring passengers to their destination.

On September 7, 2018, the province wide state of emergency that had been in effect in British Columbia since August 15, 2018 due to wildfires, was ended. The decision was made to end the state of emergency because of cooler temperatures and progress in containing the hundreds of wildfires across the province.

On September 4, 2018, WestJet Encore began twice-weekly service between Calgary International and Terrace, British Columbia.

In September 2018, Central Mountain Air announced that it would no longer be offering flights between Calgary International and Lloydminster, Alberta. The company had been operating the route for the last 17 years.

In September 2018, High Level Airport underwent runway construction. Runway closures were in effect from September 10 until the end of the month, during which time flight operations requiring the runways were not possible.