Canadian North Airlines says it’s had to cancel some flights because of staff shortages and it’s constantly trying to hire new staff. The airline says business has picked up considerably since travel restrictions were eased over the summer and that’s a double-edged sword. “We weren’t able to increase crew numbers as fast because it requires training and can take up to three months to train new crew members to work our flights,” airline spokesman Kevin Kablutsiak told the CBC.
Canadian North is a lifeline for dozens of communities in the North some of which rely entirely on air service for supplies and travel in the winter. Like many businesses, some employees laid off for pandemic reductions have found other work. “We’re working hard and quickly to bring the amount of human resources and the crew resources up to par with the higher frequency of flights,” Kablutsiak said.