Canada has set aside $5 billion to buy advanced early warning aircraft but the procurement process has not begun. The funding was confirmed by government officials to Aviation Week and the procurement will occur between 2026 and 2044. It’s most likely the RCAF will get Wedgetail surveillance planes based on the Boeing 737NG.
The good news is that Air Canada’s revenue was up seven percent in the first quarter of 2024 but it still lost $81 million. The airline says it plans to increase seat mile capacity by about seven percent in the next year. In the first quarter of 2023 the airline made $4 million.
A PAL Dash 8 overran the runway at St. John’s International Airport last Wednesday after landing. The plane stopped a short distance from the end of the pavement and there were no injuries among the 20 people onboard. The runway was closed for several hours before the plane could be moved.
WestJet is adding six weekly flights to St. John’s International Airport, making a total of 36 flights a week, as it strengthens its presence in Newfoundland and Labrador. The airline is also resuming service between Deer Lake and both Calgary and Toronto. International service to Gatwick in London is also returning for the summer. Altogether, the number of seats will increase by 35 percent.