Porter Airlines is closing its crew bases in both Thunder Bay, Ont., and Halifax, N.S., in May as the company undergoes what a spokesperson calls “a transformative growth plan.”
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 4061, which represents more than 1,200 cabin crew at Porter, says the decision will affect about 60 of its members across both cities.
This includes 26 flight attendants in Thunder Bay, said Sarah Seal, president of CUPE Local 4061.
“We’ve been deeply disappointed and saddened by this news. We know the flight attendants in Thunder Bay love their jobs and love the work they do, they love living where they live, and this news is really difficult for them and their families,” said Seal.
In an emailed statement to CBC News, a spokesperson for Porter Airlines says the crew base closure in Thunder Bay “impacts 66 crew members,” some of which are not represented by CUPE.
Porter pilots in Thunder Bay, Halifax and Vancouver are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Local Executive Council 272.
On Jan. 14, the union posted a notice on its website informing its members of the upcoming closures in Thunder Bay and Halifax, calling the announcement “deeply disappointing” and saying its master executive council “was not consulted on this decision.”
CBC News has reached out to the local ALPA branch to learn more about the impact on pilot positions. This story will be updated once a response is received.
In its statement, Porter Airlines says that while crew bases were first established outside of Toronto “to provide greater operational flexibility,” its network has changed over time.
The Thunder Bay crew base opened in 2018.
“The current regional network has hubs in Toronto and Ottawa. After considering various scenarios, we found that consolidating crew bases in these two cities is the most effective way to organize crew and operate flights,” says the statement from Porter Airlines.
“We continue to have 18 team members at the Thunder Bay maintenance facility.”
According to Seal, cabin crew must decide whether to commute to Toronto or Ottawa at their own cost, relocate, choose a voluntary layoff, or retire early.
“Our flight attendants are actually going to have to drive to the airport, hop on a flight if there’s a seat available for them, and fly across the country to get to work — and this is at their own cost,” Seal said.
CUPE Local 4061 is advocating for Porter Airlines to change its commuting policy, she said.
“We know flight attendants currently experience a lot of unpaid time at work already, so we’re really noticing that this adds to the burden that they’re already experiencing during this difficult time.”
As the union offers support to affected employees, Seal said it also recognizes the impact crew base closures have on local communities.
“We have a lot of special relationships. We know that the Thunder Bay community [likes] seeing familiar faces when they go on the flights that they go on in and out of Thunder Bay,” Seal said.
CBC News has also reached out to the Thunder Bay Airport for comment and is awaiting a response.
