Air North is making changes to flight schedules because of cancellations, but is trying to minimize the impact, says the company’s chief commercial officer.

Benjamin Ryan explained this morning they’ve cancelled a number of flights, but those were largely related to the cancellation of the Arctic Winter Games and the downturn in the normal increase in travel during the spring break.

If the company was operating this month with its February schedule, it would be cancelling less than five per cent of flights, he said.

Ryan said cancellations this month will likely be a little higher than 10 per cent, but going forward through April and May, cancellations will be under 10 per cent, as it stands today.

The Vancouver schedule, for instance, is largely unaffected, but on days where there are three flights, the schedule may go down to two flights per day, he said.

Ryan said the Alberta schedule will be reduced somewhat beginning next month, but Air North is trying to ensure there is no more than one day without a connection.

So if a flight connecting to Edmonton and Calgary is cancelled, they want to ensure there is a flight the previous day or the next day, he explained.

Going north beginning next month, the company will be amalgamating flight schedules so that there will no longer be direct flights to Old Crow but instead the connection will be provided by flights connecting with Dawson and Inuvik, he said.

Ryan said they are working with the mining community out of Mayo to make sure they continue to provide connecting flights to facilitate crew changes.

But at the end of the day, the Yukon’s airline is having to reduce its overall schedule, he said.

“I think the big picture is the situation is changing by the day,” said Air North president Joe Sparling.

Ryan said the adjustments are being made through to the end of May.

For March, there have been 51 segments cancelled, but a flight to Vancouver and back, for instance, is counted as two segments, he explained.

Ryan said Air North customers affected by the cancellation of sporting events such as the Arctic Winter Games and the Native Hockey Tournament are eligible for a full refund. Those wanting to cancel flights for other reasons such as concerns over COVID-19 can rebook for no charge but will have to pay the difference if their new flight is more expensive, he said.

The call centre is busy, but wait times are generally not longer than 30 minutes, whereas the wait time for call centres of other national carriers is much longer, he understands.

Ryan said Air North is not planning any layoffs at this time.

The airline will continue to operate as regularly as possible as long as the airline is recovering its cost, he said.

Ryan said some of their competitors have reduced their schedules by 40 per cent or more.