The pandemic has reduced Gander’s once-bustling aviation industry to a few scattered interprovincial flights, and the CEO of the Gander International Airport Authority is shining a light on how those losses are affecting the region.
The Airport Authority released its 2020 annual report yesterday, highlighting unprecedented job and financial losses.
President and CEO Reg Wright says the “real slap in the face” in 2021 was Air Canada temporarily pulling its Gander-Halifax flight in January. Since that time, the airport has been without a national air service, which he describes as an eye-opener for both the airport and the community.
He compares it to being taken off the grid or going back to dial-up for internet service.
According to Wright, pulling the service had a significant impact, not only on passengers but on mining and healthcare service.
He calls the aviation industry a “lifeline” and the return of the services will determine Gander’s relevance in the future.
