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NAV Canada, hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, is considering cutting air traffic controller jobs in seven towers across Canada in a bid to save money as the global health crisis continues to drag air traffic.
But some aviation and airline experts warn that reducing the number of people who control air traffic and ensure that planes keep their distance in the sky and on the ground would be tantamount to removing a layer of protection.
“It would reduce the security level in Whitehorse,” said Joe Sparling, president of Whitehorse-based airline Air North. “We would like to encourage Nav Canada to seek other cost-cutting measures.”
CBC News obtained an internal note from Nav Canada President and CEO Neil Wilson informing staff that the nonprofit company – which operates the Canadian civilian air navigation system – is conducting studies on air traffic control towers in Whitehorse. , Regina, Fort McMurray in Alberta, Prince George in BC, and Sault Ste. Marie and Windsor in Ontario which “will involve workforce adjustments.”
The company is also considering closing a control tower in St. Jean, Quebec. These locations were identified as having low air traffic levels, even before the pandemic, the memo says.
“We are working closely with our bargaining agents to securely streamline our operations in an ongoing effort to align with traffic levels,” Wilson wrote on Nov. 14, adding that his commitment to safety is unwavering.
Nav Canada manages millions of kilometers of airspace over Canada and provides air navigation services for over 3 million flights per year. It is funded through service fees paid by air carriers.
COVID-19 has drastically reduced the number of flights across the country since March. In September, according to data from Nav Canada, there was a 63% drop in air traffic compared to the same month in 2019.
In response, the company announced in September that it was cutting more than 720 jobs, or 14% of its workforce.
The CEO also warned that further layoffs are possible.
Transition to flight service stations
Nav Canada is studying the possibility of closing the St. Jean Tower in Quebec. The company is also examining the possibility of relocating the other six towers to “Flight Service Stations”, which would result in cutting the jobs of air traffic controllers.
Flight service specialists – who cost less to hire than air traffic controllers – would replace those workers. They don’t have the power to control air traffic and keep planes separate during flight or on the ground. Instead, they provide advice and information on weather, runway conditions and air traffic, leaving pilots with the task of keeping a safe distance from other aircraft.
Sparling said Whitehorse has no radar, so the tower cannot see air traffic on its screens. He said cutting the number of air traffic controllers from the airport could affect pilots by making it harder for them to keep track of everything in the air.
“It eliminates the level of safety offered to aircraft operators,” he said. “During the high season, during periods of heavy traffic, it is a safer environment if you are in a tower environment …
“The worst case would be a collision or something.”
Mid-air collision in 1999
David McNair, a former aviation safety investigator with the Transportation Safety Board, said airports “with air traffic controllers tend to have safer traffic management.”
It pointed to a fatal mid-air collision over Penticton, BC in 1999 that killed five people and involved flight service specialists. A plane had just taken off from the airport when it collided with a descending plane. One plane crashed in the parking lot of Okanagan University College, the other in the courtyard of a company.
The incident raised concerns about the lack of air traffic controllers at the airport at the time – positions that were eliminated years earlier in a cost-cutting move by Transport Canada, according to a CBC report in 1999.
“Probably neither pilot knew where the other aircraft was or what exactly it was going to do,” McNair said. “A tower controller would check as required to provide separation.”
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens also expressed concern last week about the impact on Windsor Airport, claiming that the removal of Nav Canada controllers at YQG will really cut our knees… will have a negative impact. ” of the city intend to fight the move by arguing that it could cause delays and operational challenges.
“Security is always our number one number,” Nav Canada said
In a statement, Nav Canada said its studies are “rigorous” and follow a process established by Transport Canada that includes public consultation.
“Safety is always our number one priority – and we would never do anything to jeopardize it,” Nav Canada spokeswoman Rebecca Hickey said in a statement to CBC News.
“When we make decisions, we always take a long-term vision to preserve the sustainability of the company and the integrity of the air navigation system on behalf of all Canadians.”
Transport Minister Marc Garneau’s office said that before proceeding with any staff reductions or stoppages, Nav Canada must ensure that it will maintain “strict aviation safety standards”.
“Transport Canada will work closely with Nav Canada to ensure the safety of air travel in Canada,” Department spokeswoman Amy Butcher said in a statement to CBC News.
Under Canadian aviation regulations, Garneau also has the power to order Nav Canada to maintain service levels if it believes there is an unacceptable risk to aviation safety.
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