Canada Report: Canadian airlines cutting hundreds of flights amid staffing shortage

An Air Canada jet takes off from Trudeau Airport in Montreal on Thursday. Air Canada is cutting more than 15% of its scheduled flights in July and August as airports face lengthy delays and cancellations amid an overwhelming travel resurgence.

Canada’s two largest airlines are cutting hundreds of flights over the summer as chaos continues at airports, particularly Toronto and Montreal, blamed on staff shortages as travel rebounded after the pandemic.

The inability to handle thousands of passengers has led to families sleeping on the floor, lost luggage and abrupt canceling of flights with little or no notice.

Air Canada has canceled 154 flights a day while operating at 80% capacity. That amounts to 15% of its scheduled flights in July and August.

Westjet, Canada’s second-largest airline, will have one-quarter fewer daily flights or 520 this summer.

The move by Air Canada will affect hundreds of thousands of passengers, mainly in the flights linked to the Toronto and Montreal hubs for its domestic and Canada-U.S. routes.

“This will result in additional flight cancelations that will have a negative impact on some customers,” largely affecting non-peak-hour flights, said Air Canada chief executive Michael Rousseau.

International flights remain unaffected except for some timing changes to reduce flying at peak times while facing “complex and unavoidable challenges,” he said.

Prime minister says abortion will remain legal in Canada

Commenting on the abortion issue, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeated that every woman has the right to an abortion in Canada.

The Liberal prime minister has again promised to defend those rights.

Abortions in Canada are legal at all stages of pregnancy, regardless of the reason. They are publicly funded as a medical procedure under the federal Canada Health Act and provincial health-care systems.

Access to services and resources varies by region and abortions have been legal since 1988 through a Supreme Court ruling that the earlier law criminalizing abortion was unconstitutional.

In brief

• They’re back. Just as Canada marks its weekend of celebrations, trucker protesters started arriving in the nation’s capital, Ottawa, for Canada Day. The national holiday on July 1 marks the founding of the country in 1867 with celebrations across the country. Canada Day was created in 1982 to replace Dominion Day that celebrated Confederation and Canada’s connection to the British Empire and the imperial project. The convoy of trucks and protesters, who first arrived last February, are calling for an end to all rules concerning COVID and oppose vaccines.

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Facts and figures

• Canada’s dollar is lower at 77 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.29 in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.

• The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is 1.5% while the prime lending rate at commercial banks is 3.7%.

• Canadian stock markets are lower, with the Toronto index at 18,861points while the TSX Venture index is 617 points.

• The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $2.02 a liter or $7.67 for a U.S. gallon in Canadian funds.

• Lotto Max: (June 28) 8, 19, 22,41, 42, 46 and 47; bonus10. (June 24) 3, 9, 17, 19, 20, 44 and 50; bonus 28.

• Lotto 6/49: (June 29) 6, 7, 16, 26, 31 and 35; bonus 13. (June 25) 9, 14, 23, 36, 38 and 44; bonus 19.

Regional Briefs

• Two bank robbery suspects were shot and killed and six police officers were injured in a botched holdup at a Bank of Montreal branch in Saanich, British Columbia. A police tactical squad was working nearby when the robbery call came in and confronted the would-be robbers. Witnesses said they heard dozens of gunshots in rapid succession as the suspects exchanged gunfire with the police.

• There’s some gas-tax relief for Ontario drivers starting this holiday weekend as the provincial government has reduced taxes by 5.7 cents a liter ($2.16 Canadian for a U.S. gallon) for six months. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the fuel tax, including diesel, will drop by that amount over the same period. The cuts will cost the province $645 million while in effect. Ford is also calling on the Canadian government to do the same.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Air Canada, WestJet severely cutting flights in July and August