Canada’s national airline is pulling its flights from Trinidad and Tobago, amid industrial relations challenges.

Air Canada’s much-anticipated direct flights from Toronto to Trinidad, which were announced in June by Tourism Trinidad, were to have resumed from November 1 with three weekly flights from November 1 to December 3. There after ramped up service to four times per week from December 3 to March 9, 2024.

Trinbagonian Minister of Tourism Randall Mitchell confirmed via WhatsApp that Air Canada would no longer be servicing the Toronto to Trinidad route.

According to him, “Air Canada appears to be having industrial relations challenges presently with ongoing pilot negotiations and/or industrial action, as well as the availability of pilots to operate its equipment and the shortage of equipment.”

Continuing, Mitchell said, “it is indeed unfortunate that, as a consequence, the anticipated recommencement of the Toronto – POS (Port of Spain) route for this winter schedule which had already been registered with local authorities and flights sold, now had to be cancelled.”

The minister further noted that the State-owned Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) will be taking up the vacuum.

He said CAL, which added more flights from Port of Spain to Toronto for the July/ August vacation, “may likely augment their flight schedule for the Christmas season. Further, Caribbean Airlines expects to receive three additional Max 8 Jets by fourth quarter 2024 to further increase their fleet. This will allow for additional flights and an expanded route network, which we expect to reduce fare costs generally.”