The upcoming closures of Porter Airlines’ crew bases in Thunder Bay, Ont., and Halifax, N.S., will affect 60 pilots, according to the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
Porter says the closures, which come into effect this May, are part of its “transformative growth plan” as it looks to consolidate crew bases at its 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,” a spokesperson for Porter said in a statement to CBC News.
The decision will affect 28 pilots in Thunder Bay and 32 pilots in Halifax, a spokesperson for the local ALPA branch told CBC News in an email Thursday evening.
“For years — well over a decade for many — Porter pilots have proudly served in these bases and have been integral to Porter’s growth and success. They have built families and have deep ties to the Thunder Bay and Halifax communities,” said a representative of ALPA’s Local Executive Council 272.
“The decision to close these bases disrupts their lives both professionally and personally. While we were not consulted by management prior to the company’s decision to close these bases, we are ready to engage in mandatory meetings with Porter management to discuss mitigation measures and ensure our pilots’ rights are protected.”
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, including 26 flight attendants in Thunder Bay.
Cabin crew must decide whether to commute to Toronto or Ottawa at their own cost, relocate, choose a voluntary layoff, or retire early.
While the commute is arduous, “I think people will do it because they love their job and their work,” Sarah Seal, president of CUPE Local 4061, told CBC’s Up North on Thursday.
“It’s a difficult ask for these flight attendants to make that decision, and also uprooting and moving across the country is also a really big ask,” she continued.
“We are trying to support all of these members, the flight attendants, as they go through this change.”
CBC News has reached out to the Thunder Bay Airport for comment but has not received a response.
