WestJet: 31 March Update

Provided directly from WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership

Impacted Flights – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Last updated March 31, 2020 at 5:55 p.m.

The safety of our guests and crews is our top priority. It is our goal to be open and transparent throughout this rapidly evolving situation. This page will be updated regularly with information on COVID-19 impacted flights in our network.

Guests in affected rows of the below flights are considered close contacts and may be at risk for exposure. Public health officials recommend that affected individuals self-isolate for 14 days after arrival and monitor symptoms. Guests are advised to contact their primary care provider, or their local public health unit if they are concerned that they may have been exposed to or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

All guests who were on the listed flights, but not in the affected rows are advised to self-monitor for signs of cough, fever or respiratory issues and to call their local health authorities if symptoms arise within the next 14 days.Show 10255090100 entriesSearch:

Flight Date	Flight Number	Departing	Destination	Rows
March 21	3241	Calgary (YYC)	Kamloops (YKA)	All seats
March 19	10	Calgary (YYC)	Paris (CDG)	N/A
March 19	831	Cancun (CUN)	Toronto (YYZ)	1-6
March 18	3380	Calgary (YYC)	Saskatoon (YXE)	17-20
March 17	2313	Cancun (CUN)	Calgary (YYC)	Exit row
March 17	669	Toronto (YYZ)	Calgary (YYC)	20-24
March 17	2311	Cancun (CUN)	Toronto (YYZ)	Premium cabin
March 17	3281	Calgary (YYC)	Penticton (YYF)	All seats
March 17	4	London (LGW)	Toronto (YYZ)	All rows
March 17	3343	Calgary (YYC)	Kelowna (YLW)	Exit row
March 16	9	Paris (CDG)	Calgary (YYC)	2-6
March 16	2311	Cancun (CUN)	Calgary (YYC)	All seats
March 16	3456	Toronto (YYZ)	Moncton (YQM)	All seats
March 15	1571	Denver (DEN)	Calgary (YYC)	All seats
March 15	3016	Medicine Hat (YHX)	Calgary (YYC)	8-14
March 15	3372	Calgary (YYC)	Saskatoon (YXE)	All seats
March 14	3268	Edmonton (YEG)	Regina (YQR)	5-11
March 14	3300	Calgary (YYC)	Regina (YQR)	14-20
March 14	202	Calgary (YYC)	Winnipeg (YWG)	19-25
March 14	1511	Los Angeles (LAX)	Calgary (YYC)	15-19
March 13	1501	Las Vegas (LAS)	Calgary (YYC)	13-19
March 13	1100	Toronto (YYZ)	Los Angeles (LAX)	All seats
March 12	490	Winnipeg (YWG)	Toronto (YYZ)	5-9
March 12	667	Toronto (YYZ)	Calgary (YYC)	11-17
March 12	2	London (LGW)	Calgary (YYC)	24-40
March 12	1447	Las Vegas (LAS)	Edmonton (YEG)	2-8
March 12	665	Toronto (YYZ)	Calgary (YYC)	19-27
March 12	1201	New York (LGA)	Toronto (YYZ)	3-9
March 12	2311	Cancun (CUN)	Calgary (YYC)	32-38
March 12	3240	Edmonton (YEG)	Grande Prairie (YQU)	1-6
March 12	118	Vancouver (YVR)	Calgary (YYC)	19-25
March 11	4	London (LGW)	Toronto (YYZ)	10-16
March 11	1771	Phoenix (PHX)	Vancouver (YVR)	5-9
March 11	3263	Regina (YQR)	Edmonton (YEG)	12-18
March 11	302	Vancouver (YVR)	Regina (YQR)	5-9
March 11	670	Calgary (YYC)	Toronto (YYZ)	16-22
March 10	232	Calgary (YYC)	Winnipeg (YWG)	17-23
March 10	3538	Toronto (YYZ)	Montreal (YUL)	3-8
March 10	3326	Vancouver (YVR)	Kelowna (YLW)	10-16
March 10	445	Toronto (YYZ)	Calgary (YYC)	6-12
March 10	4	London (LGW)	Toronto (YYZ)	N/A
March 9	1681	New York (JFK)	Calgary (YYC)	all rows
March 9	178	Kelowna (YLW)	Calgary (YYC)	Exit row
March 9	2310	Calgary (YYC)	Cancun (CUN)	all seats
March 9	2643	Liberia (LIR)	Toronto (YYZ)	N/A
March 8	271	Winnipeg (YWG)	Calgary (YYC)	All Rows
March 8	1680	Calgary (YYC)	New York (JFK)	All rows
March 7	1226	Toronto (YYZ)	Orlando (MCO)	All rows
March 7	1157	San Juan (SJU)	Toronto (YYZ)	2-6
March 7	2644	Toronto (YYZ)	Liberia (LIR)	N/A
March 7	3440	Toronto (YYZ)	Moncton (YQM)	7-11
March 5	2	London (LGW)	Calgary (YYC)	36-40
March 3	2	London (LGW)	Calgary (YYC)	7-14
February 28	1199	Phoenix (PHX)	Toronto (YYZ)	18-22
March 21	535	Toronto (YYZ)	Winnipeg (YWG)	All seats
March 21	3324	Vancouver (YVR)	Kelowna (YLW)	All seats
March 20	195	Calgary (YYC)	Victoria (YYJ)	All seats
March 20	1591	Atlanta (ATL)	Calgary (YYC)	12-19
March 18	600	Calgary (YYC)	Saskatoon (YXE)	18-24
March 18	3380	Calgary (YYC)	Saskatoon (YXE)	17-20
March 18	2310	Calgary (YYC)	Cancun (CUN)	1-6
March 17	1499	Phoenix (PHX)	Calgary (YYC)	2-8
March 16	1221	Fort Lauderdale (FLL)	Toronto (YYZ)	All seats
March 16	1789	Las Vegas (LAS)	Vancouver (YVR)	All seats
March 16	2	London (LGW)	Calgary (YYC)	8-14
March 16	1201	New York (LGA)	Toronto (YYZ)	2-8
March 16	3300	Calgary (YYC)	Regina (YQR)	All seats
March 16	9	Paris (CDG)	Calgary (YYC)	2-6
March 15	1231	Fort Lauderdale (FLL)	Toronto (YYZ)	6-12
March 15	3256	Calgary (YYC)	Brandon (YBR)	All seats
March 15	252	Toronto (YYZ)	Halifax (YHZ)	12-18
March 15	1681	New York (JFK)	Calgary (YYC)	11-17
March 14	4209	Paris (CDG)	Calgary (YYC)	12-18
March 14	2	London (LGW)	Calgary (YYC)	All seats
March 14	526	Calgary (YYC)	Winnipeg (YWG)	19-25
March 14	323	Toronto (YYZ)	Saskatoon (YXE)	17-20
March 12	1475	Palm Springs (PSP)	Calgary (YYC)	10-16
March 12	122	Vancouver (YVR)	Calgary (YYC)	4-10
March 12	530	Calgary (YYC)	Winnipeg (YWG)	5-11
March 11	452	Calgary (YYC)	Saskatoon (YXE)	All seats
March 10	2643	Liberia (LIR)	Toronto (YYZ)	7-13
March 10	2313	Cancun (CUN)	Calgary (YYC)	All seats
March 10	135	Calgary (YYC)	Vancouver (YVR)	All seats
March 8	1333	Las Vegas (LAS)	Regina (YQR)	3-9
March 7	2419	Cancun (CUN)	Saskatoon (YXE)	17-24
March 6	546	Winnipeg (YWG)	Toronto (YYZ)	8-14
March 2	735	London (YXU)	Calgary (YYC)	5-11
March 1	3521	Montreal (YUL)	Toronto (YYZ)	All seats
March 1	659	Toronto (YYZ)	Calgary (YYC)	All seats

Halifax airport sees big jump in planes coming for refuelling, crew swapping

News provided by CBC News – link to story and updates

18 planes have used Halifax for technical stops in the past 3 weeks

Haley Ryan · CBC News · Posted: Mar 31, 2020

As regular flights have dropped off at the Halifax airport, its runways have seen four times the amount of technical stops for this time of year. (NS Government)

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant a “dramatic” reduction in domestic and international flights through the Halifax airport, but also brought about an increase in planes needing support on long journeys “around the world.”

On Tuesday, the Halifax Stanfield International Airport had its final flight from the United States for the foreseeable future. The round-trip flight was scheduled to come from Newark, N.J.

In light of the federal government’s restriction on non-essential international air travel and as border restrictions with the United States have tightened, all international passenger flights coming to Canada have been redirected to four airports in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

But essential travel to the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico and the French archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is exempt from those restrictions, said Tiffany Chase, spokesperson for the Halifax International Airport Authority.

This is why some Nova Scotians might have noticed planes from Cancun, Mexico, and other southern destinations still appearing on the Halifax flight board over the last couple of weeks.

However, Chase said given the restrictions on leisure and non-essential travel, several airlines have now suspended service. Typically, Chase said the Halifax airport serves 14 international destinations, including the U.S.

Nova Scotians may notice planes from Cancun, Mexico, and other southern destinations still appearing on the Halifax flight board. (Anjuli Patil/CBC)

“We are obviously seeing a dramatic reduction … as fewer people are choosing to travel,” she said.

She said the airport authority has not needed to lay off any staff at this point.

Some airlines have also flown “a number” of repatriation flights out of Halifax for Canadians abroad looking to get home in the past few weeks, Chase said.

She said it was hard to quantify how many people had returned home on those flights through Halifax, since many returned on regularly scheduled flights, as well as on planes that left empty and came back with passengers.

Tech stops

But as regular flights drop off and the airport itself gets quieter, Chase said the runways have seen four times the amount of technical stops for this time of year.

These stops don’t appear on the regular arrivals board and passengers don’t get off the plane, Chase said. Instead, crews are swapped out if needed, or the plane is refuelled on a longer trip in or out of Canada.

In the past three weeks, twelve round-trip flights have used the Halifax airport as a tech stop, while six more used it one-way.

She did not have information on the final destinations and countries involved in these tech stops since the airport was only a facilitator, but said they involved points “around the world.”

These flights do use larger “wide-bodied aircraft” that don’t often come into Halifax anymore, Chase said, so people might have noticed larger planes coming in on flight radars.

If it had been a normal year, Chase said it might have been challenging to handle the increase in tech stops, but with such a reduction in flights they’ve been able to accommodate all technical requests.

Everyone who boards a plane to or from Canada now has to go through a health check based on guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada. Air operators are required to ask certain health questions and look for visible signs of illness.

Anyone presenting symptoms of COVID-19 will be refused boarding in aircraft with 10 seats or more. That denial will last for 14 days, or until a medical certificate is presented that confirms that the traveller’s symptoms are not related to COVID-19.

6 flights scheduled to bring home Canadians stuck in India due to COVID-19 travel ban

News provided by CBC News – link to story and updates

The estimated price per ticket is $2,900, according to an email from Global Affairs Canada

Karin Larsen · CBC News · Posted: Mar 31, 2020

An Indian woman pleads in front of a policeman to let her pass a checkpoint on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, on Thursday, March 26, 2020, amid a travel ban imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19. (Atlaf Qadri/The Associated Press)

Six flights to repatriate some of the 15,000 Canadians passport holders stranded in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic are being organized with the first scheduled to leave Delhi on April 4.

An email from Global Affairs Canada India Consular says the cost per ticket is estimated at $2,900, available on a first-come-first-served basis.

The special flights will connect through London, U.K., and are available to Canadian citizens and their immediate family members who are permanent residents of Canada, who hold a valid permanent resident card and who will be accompanying the Canadian citizen on the flight.

Nav Jhawer has applied to get his mother and father home on one of the flights after three previous return bookings fell through as a total travel and airspace lockdown was imposed by the Indian government in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

“I’ve been worried a fair amount,” he said. “I said to them the most important thing is you have to keep yourself healthy so you can get on a flight.” 

Jhawer says mother Parkash, 66 and father Surinder, 72, of Campbell River on Vancouver Island are snowbirds who spend winters in the Punjab in northern India.

Costly flight

He says the $2,900 price tag for the flight back to Canada is steep but he is more worried about those who may not be able to afford it. 

“At the end of the day, I made the decision that my parents need to be home,” he said. “But think about a family of four who are already stressed or with parents who could be laid off from work.”

The thousands of Canadians stuck in India amid a COVID-19 lockdown are starting to lose hope, with no repatriation flights planned to get them out. Watch: Video

One flight per day has been scheduled to leave Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi starting April 4 through to April 7.

Two flights will depart from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, the first on April 5 and another on April 7. 

• No way home in sight for Canadians stranded in India amid COVID-19 lockdown

Jhawer says he’s waiting to hear the details of how his parents will make the eight hour trip to the airport in Delhi if their application is accepted, considering the sweeping travel ban that’s in place. 

“At this point, I would hope all those little pieces have been thought through,” he said. 

CBC has reached out to Global Affairs Canada for more information on the repatriation flights but hadn’t heard back at the time of publication.

With files from Anita Bathe

Class action launched after airlines give vouchers, not refunds for cancelled trips

News provided by CBC News – link to story and updates

Suit targets major Canadian airlines and travel companies, could affect hundreds of thousands of people

Yvonne Colbert · CBC News · Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Airlines have slashed routes during the pandemic and cancelled many flights as the Canadian government urges people to avoid all non-essential travel outside the country. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

A British Columbia woman is launching a class-action lawsuit against several major Canadian airlines and travel companies over their decision to issue credits and vouchers instead of refunds for flights and vacations cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The legal action by Janet Donaldson, whose Vancouver-New York round trip on WestJet in April was cancelled, was filed last week in Federal Court against Swoop, WestJet, Air Canada, Air Transat and Sunwing. The suit has not been certified.

Sébastien Paquette, a Montreal lawyer representing passengers in the suit, said Donaldson paid by credit card and was “disappointed” when she could not get a refund, “which she was allowed to receive by law.”

“This is a consumer-protection class action seeking to enforce each passenger’s rights to a refund for monies paid for their air tickets, when they are not able to travel for reasons outside of the control of the passengers,” the statement of claim said.

It said companies should not be permitted to keep passengers’ money for an indefinite period of time, whether they want to travel in the future or not. The class action applies to an unknown number of passengers, but it’s estimated it could affect hundreds of thousands of people.

It includes anyone “residing anywhere in the world” who has not received a refund and who bought a ticket with one of the companies before March 11 for a trip scheduled between March 13 and whenever the federal government withdraw’s COVID-19 travel advisories.

Airlines defend vouchers

Airlines have slashed routes during the pandemic and cancelled many flights as the Canadian government urges people to avoid all non-essential travel outside the country. Many passengers have been frustrated at being offered travel vouchers instead of refunds.

Paquette said part of the claim is asking that the money paid for the cancelled tickets be placed with the court until the case is settled.

Westjet was among the companies named in the class-action lawsuit. (Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty Images)

“We want to secure the class members their money. At this point it literally is their money, so there’s no reason it should be kept in the airlines’ accounts,” Paquette said.

Air Canada and WestJet did not respond to requests for comment before publication and Swoop had no comment. Sunwing said the decision “to suspend all flights was made as a last resort, in response to the exceptional circumstances faced across the industry and around the world.”

In an email, Air Transat’s vice-president of human resources and corporate affairs, Christophe Hennebelle, said the situation “has placed an extraordinary burden on the industry, which puts its very existence into question.”

He said the company believes “that in such a force majeure situation, way beyond our span of control, we do not have to issue a full refund for travels that have not been completed.”

He called the 24-month credit voucher “an acceptable solution,” saying Italy, Belgium, France and the U.K. have passed legislation to “secure that solution.”

‘It’s the right thing to be done’

Paquette said the airlines are forcing people to fly at a later date, when they may not wish to travel and could face a “substantially different price.” He points out the companies are saving money on fuel and other operating expenses because of the cancelled flights.

The lawsuit is being welcomed by people like Halifax resident Katie Gillis, one of those denied a refund after Sunwing cancelled vacations she, her fiancé and 30 others planned in Mexico for her wedding. Collectively, they spent more than $57,000 on the trip.

Katie Gillis of Halifax was denied a refund after the trip she had planned to Mexico for her wedding was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Submitted by Katie Gillis)

“I’m super-pleased to hear that,” Gillis said of the lawsuit. “It’s the right thing to be done.” 

Class-action lawsuits can take years to wind their way through the courts unless the defendants agree to a settlement. Paquette said he can’t predict how the companies will respond, but lawyers are preparing in the event it goes to a trial.

“We feel that this is wrong and class members should definitely get their money back,” he said.

Those who were denied a refund during the specified period are automatically qualified as part of the class action and do not have to do anything at this point.

Paquette is urging people to keep their documentation, including ticket bookings, charges and emails, since it may be required in the future to prove a claim.

None of the allegations in the statement of claim have been proven in court.

Feds waive rent payments for airport authorities amid COVID-19 crisis

News provided by CTV News – link to story and updates

(Reported by Canadian Aviation News at Support to Canada’s Air Transportation Sector – 30 March 2020)

Sarah Turnbull CTVNews.ca Producer, Published Tuesday, March 31, 2020

OTTAWA — The federal government is providing some relief to Canada’s air transportation sector, one of the many industries hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ottawa is waiving rent payments from March to December for 21 airport authorities, money that’s usually deposited directly into the pocket of the federal government each month. The government has also pledged to provide “comparable treatment” for PortsToronto, which operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

“The support will help airports reduce cost pressures and preserve their cash flow as they deal with the effects of COVID-19 on their revenue streams. This will provide relief up to $331.4 million, reflecting payments in the same period of 2018,” reads the press release published on Tuesday.

The measures are a component of the Liberals’ broader economic plan to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses and the economy at large.

“We recognize the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have on people and the economy, and that certain sectors, such as the air transportation industry, have suffered tremendously,” said Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

“The support provided today is the next step in Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan to help workers and businesses get through this unprecedented time of turmoil.”

The 21 airport authorities that will receive relief are:

•  St. John’s International Airport Authority
•  Gander International Airport Authority Inc.
•  Halifax International Airport Authority
•  Charlottetown Airport Authority Inc.
•  Saint John Airport Inc.
•  Greater Moncton International Airport Authority Inc.
•  Fredericton International Airport Authority
•  Aéroport de Québec Inc.
•  Aéroports de Montréal
•  Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority
•  Greater Toronto Airports Authority
•  Greater London International Airports Authority
•  Thunder Bay International Airports Inc.
•  Winnipeg Airports Authority Inc.
•  Regina Airport Authority
•  Saskatoon Airport Authority
•  Edmonton Regional Airports Authority
•  Calgary Airport Authority
•  Prince George Airport Authority Inc.
•  Vancouver International Airport Authority
•  Victoria Airport Authority

Relief will also be provided to PortsToronto, which operates the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and pays an annual charge to Transport Canada based on the revenues it earns under the terms of its letters patent.

The pandemic has also caused thousands of layoffs in the airline sector.

Starting this week, Air Canada will temporarily lay off 16,500 employees – 15,200 unionized workers and 1,300 managers – a process that will continue through to May.

“To furlough such a large proportion of our employees is an extremely painful decision but one we are required to take given our dramatically smaller operations for the next while,” chief executive Calin Rovinescu said in a statement.

WestJet and Transat AT Inc. have also issued mass layoffs.

Private Jet Charter Operator Skyservice Achieves Prestigious ARGUS Platinum Rating

Provided directly from Skyservice Business Aviation

Skyservice Business Aviation is pleased to announce that it has achieved the prestigious ARGUS Platinum Rating

TORONTO, CANADA. – March 10, 2020

Skyservice Business Aviation is pleased to announce that it has achieved the prestigious ARGUS Platinum Rating, which places it in the upper five percent of over 1,000 U.S. based charter operators. The Platinum Rating is the highest level of the ARGUS audit standard and is awarded only to those air charter operators who have demonstrated successful implementation of industry best safety practices relative to their operations and maintenance.

Achieving ARGUS Platinum is a testament to the aviation community that safety is top priority for Skyservice. The ARGUS Platinum rating consists of an audit that takes an in-depth look into the quality of documented processes in place in addition to the strength of the safety management system implemented by the operation. Receiving a Platinum rating means the operation was examined over several days by a team of on-site auditors and subsequently completed all corrective actions necessary to meet the standard.

“Skyservice is proud to once again receive the ARGUS Platinum Rating. Receiving this exceptional recognition is a testament to our dedicated team at Skyservice and best practices approach to Safety and Service excellence,” says Emlyn David, President & CEO Skyservice Business Aviation. For a comprehensive review of the Skyservice commitment to safety, visit https://skyservice.com/safety-security-customer-privacy/.

This rating demonstrates a continued commitment to safety and ongoing quality improvement in all areas of the organization. Interested parties can verify the Skyservice Platinum status at any time via the CHEQ System.

Learn more about operator ratings here: https://www.argus.aero/product/charter-operator-ratings/

Learn more about the CHEQ System here: https://www.argus.aero/product/charter-due-diligence-tripcheq/

The Prime Minister announces Special Advisor for Canada’s ongoing response to the Ukraine International Airlines tragedy

Provided by Prime Minister’s Office/CNW

OTTAWA, March 31, 2020 /CNW/ – On January 8, Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 was shot down near Tehran by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, killing 176 people, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the appointment of the Honourable Ralph Goodale as his Special Advisor for the Government of Canada’s ongoing response to the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 tragedy.

As Special Advisor, Mr. Goodale will examine lessons learned from the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 and other air disasters, including Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Air India Flight 182. He will develop a framework to guide Canada’s responses to international air disasters and provide recommendations on best practices, including advice on tools and mechanisms needed to prevent future events. He will support the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Transport in this work.

Quotes

“The Ukraine International Airlines tragedy should never have occurred, and the families and loved ones of the victims deserve to know how and why it happened. While we work to get them the accountability, justice, and closure they deserve, we also need to develop a strategy on how to best respond to international air disasters. I am confident that Ralph Goodale has the experience to help us identify best practices, and support efforts to ensure that families are properly compensated. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Parliamentary Secretary Omar Alghabra for all his ongoing work on this.”

The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“The tragic downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 demonstrated the importance of international collaboration and cooperation in the wake of international aviation tragedies. Through chairing the International Coordination and Response Group, Canada has demonstrated leadership in working together with the international community to ensure justice for the families of the victims. In the coming months, I will work with Ralph Goodale to identify other best practices and lessons from this tragedy to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

The Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick Facts

• Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom have formed the International Coordination and Response Group to support families of victims of the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 tragedy. The Group aims to ensure a full and transparent investigation into the causes of the fatal crash so that families and loved ones can get the answers they deserve.
• At the Munich Security Conference in February 2020, the Prime Minister announced that Canada is leading the development of a global Safer Skies Strategy, which will bring together partners to establish a common set of practices to better protect passengers from the risk of flying in or near foreign conflict zones.

Associated Links

• Canada’s response to Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 tragedy
• Building a more secure and prosperous future: Prime Minister attends Munich Security Conference

Avcorp announces 2019 Annual Financial Results

Provided by Avcorp Industries Inc./CNW

VANCOUVER, March 30, 2020 /CNW/ – Avcorp Industries Inc. (TSX: AVP) (the “Company”, “Avcorp” or the “Avcorp Group”) today announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2019. All amounts are in Canadian currency unless otherwise stated.

2019 Highlights

Key financial results include:

• 2019 revenue was $164,770,000 compared to $170,710,000 in 2018. 2019 revenue decreased by $1,323,000, in comparison to 2018, after the benefit of amortization of the unfavourable contract liability is removed.
  
• 2019 operating loss was $1,124,000 compared to operating income of $26,917,000 in 2018. Operating loss improved by $2,101,000 in comparison to 2018, after the benefit of amortization of unfavourable contracts liability and onerous contracts provisions, net contract modification, and the net claims impact have been removed. This was mainly due to improvement in operational performance and consolidation of costs. 2019 operating results were negatively impacted by the lower deliveries caused by 737 MAX grounding and labour disruptions at the Delta facility.
  
• 2019 cash flows from operating activities was $10,911,000 compared to utilization of $16,029,000 in 2018. 2019 cash flows from operating activities improved by $12,508,000, relative to 2018, after the net cash settlement of $14,431,000 (USD$10,810,000) from the agreement with Hitco Carbon Composites Inc., SGL Carbon, SGL, and SGL Carbon SE (the “SGL Parties”) and a customer has been removed.
  
• On January 25, 2019, the Company entered into a net claim settlement agreement with HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc., SGL Carbon, LLC, and SGL Carbon SE (the “SGL parties”) and a customer, which provided the Company a settlement in satisfaction of existing and potential claims, causes of action, disputes and other business matters related to the acquisition from the SGL parties. The net claim settlement resulted in a gain of $19,759,000.
  
• During the second quarter of 2019, the Company received all required customer approvals for the 737 MAX spoiler program; subsequently, on July 5, 2019 the Company successfully shipped the first shipset.
  
• On September 25, 2019 the Company reached a new labour agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (Lodge 250) (the “Union”) at its Delta, British Columbia facility. The six-year labour agreement was ratified by the Union and will expire on March 31, 2025 bringing the company long term stability.
  
• On November 15, 2019 the Company amended its loan agreement with a Canadian Chartered Bank to extend the maturity date of the existing operating credit facility to June 30, 2021, which is supported by a major and material customer of the Company by way of a guarantee.
  
• On November 15, 2019 the Company entered into an amendment and restatement of the existing non-revolving term loan agreement with Panta Canada B.V. (“Panta”), as well as securing an additional USD$3,500,000 revolving loan facility from Panta.

Highlights Subsequent to Year-End 

• On March 2, 2020 the Company entered into an amendment and restatement of the existing non-revolving term loan agreement with Panta Canada B.V. (“Panta”), as well as securing an additional USD$2,000,000 revolving loan facility from Panta.

Review of 2019 Financial Results

For the year ended December 31, 2019, the Avcorp Group recorded losses from operations totaling $1,124,000 from $164,770,000 revenue, as compared to $26,917,000 operating income from $170,710,000 revenue for the previous year. It should be noted that 2019 operating loss benefited by $1,665,000 income from amortization of onerous contracts provision (December 31, 2018: $13,732,000 amortization of unfavourable contract liability and onerous contract liability). In addition, 2019 benefitted from the net settlement gain of $17,974,000 in comparison to 2018 which benefitted from the net contract modification for an unfavourable contract in the amount of $41,470,000 and a net claim settlement loss of $5,421,000. Continued consolidation of operating costs have resulted in reduced current year operating losses of $2,101,000 in comparison to 2018 after these benefits have been removed.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, cash flows from operating activities, excluding the impact of changes in non‑cash working capital, were $2,631,000 of cash as compared with utilization of $11,632,000 of cash during the year ended December 31, 2018. The company received a net cash settlement of USD$10,810,000 from the agreement with Hitco Carbon Composites Inc., SGL Carbon, SGL, and SGL Carbon SE (the “SGL Parties”) and a customer.

As at December 31, 2019, the Company had $4,316,000 cash on hand (December 31, 2018: $2,051,000) and had utilized $84,661,000 of its operating line of credit (December 31, 2018: $85,840,000). The Company has a working capital deficit of $71,561,000 as at December 31, 2019 which has increased slightly from the December 31, 2018 $71,503,000 deficit. Working capital surplus/deficit is defined as the difference between current assets and current liabilities. However, the Company’s accounts receivable, contract assets, and inventories net of accounts payable, amount to a $18,541,000 surplus as at December 31, 2019 (December 31, 2018: $22,000,000 surplus). The Company’s accumulated deficit as at December 31, 2019 is $142,194,000 (December 31, 2018: $132,878,000).

Hundreds of airline employees in quarantine after possible exposure to COVID-19

News provided by The Globe and Mail – link to story and updates

ERIC ATKINS TRANSPORTATION REPORTER, PUBLISHED MARCH 30, 2020

A small number of travellers use kiosks to check-in for Westjet flights at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Sunday, March 15, 2020. Darryl Dyck/The Globe and MailDARRYL DYCK/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Hundreds of Canadian airline employees are in quarantine after possible exposure to COVID-19 and at least 14 have tested positive for the virus, prompting calls for better protection and training from the unions representing flight attendants and pilots.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents flight attendants, is calling on airlines and the federal government to provide flight crews with face shields and gowns in addition to better training on the safe use of masks and gloves to prevent more employees from contacting the virus. Airline employees need access to COVID-19 tests with quick results and greater separation from passengers at airports, said the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents pilots at WestJet, Air Transat and several smaller domestic carriers.

“Air crews are taking significant personal risks by continuing to report for duty. We need immediate action from the government so that air crew exposure to COVID-19 is minimized,” Tim Perry, a WestJet pilot and vice-president of the association, said.

Wesley Lesosky, president of the CUPE Air Canada Component, which represents Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge’s flight attendants, said the union knows of some cases of COVID-19 among flight attendants, but the total number is not available yet. “Too many of our members are risking their health and their safety carrying out their duties to bring Canadians home,” Mr. Lesosky said by phone from Vancouver.

“They’re incredibly concerned that they could bring the virus home. They’re incredibly concerned that they are finding out so late [that] somebody on their flight” had the virus, he said.

Flight attendants are required to go into a 14-day paid period of quarantine if there is a confirmed case of the coronavirus on their flight. There have been 188 flights in Canada – 122 international and 66 domestic – with a COVID-19 case from March 13 to March 20, according to the federal government. The vast majority were operated by Air Canada. The company declined to say if any employees had tested positive.

Based on rough estimates of eight flight attendants for each international flight and four on a smaller domestic plane, there could be at least 1,000 flight attendants who were quarantined a result.

WestJet said seven of its employees have been infected with COVID-19, but declined to say what part of the business they worked in. At Air Transat, five flight attendants and two pilots have tested positive, and more than 200 of the Montreal-based carrier’s employees are in quarantine.

“Whenever there is exposure, the entire [cabin] crew is quarantined,” said Christophe Hennebelle, a spokesman for Air Transat, which has suspended its international commercial flights and is operating so-called repatriation flights on behalf of the government for Canadians stranded abroad. “It is not possible to know the contamination source with certainty,” Mr. Hennebelle said. “It might be on board, during a layover or in Canada.”

Sunwing Airlines said “privacy reasons” prevented it from disclosing if any of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19. The airline referred The Globe and Mail to a government of Saskatchewan website that said 23 flights in Regina or Saskatoon between March 5 and March 21 had a confirmed COVID-19 case on board. Three of these flights belonged to Sunwing.

Transport Canada was not immediately able to say how many airline employees had COVID-19, nor did it respond to questions about making protective gear mandatory for cabin crews.

Flight crews are an essential service and exempt from mandatory quarantines that apply to people who have been outside the country. However, doctors, dentists and other medical professionals will usually refuse to see airline employees because of their travel history and the risk they may have the virus, said Mr. Lesosky of CUPE, which represented about 15,000 Canadian flight attendants overall before the start of the pandemic.

The airlines say they provide gloves and masks to flight crews, and disinfect the airplanes, and are in compliance with Transport Canada and Public Health of Canada regulations.

“We scrupulously follow instructions from the public health agencies, such as questioning the passengers or disinfecting the planes, and protection kits, including masks and gloves, are available aboard every plane,” Mr. Hennebelle said of Air Transat.

Morgan Bell, a WestJet spokeswoman, said employees are not required to wear masks, but they are permitted to do so, in addition to any other personal protection equipment they wish.

Skyservice COVID-19 Safety Response Plan

From SkyService News Release

At Skyservice, we operate under a single guiding principle of Safety and Service Excellence – Always!

COVID-19 Safety Response Plan

Updated: March 19th, 2020 7:00 a.m.

At Skyservice, we operate under a single guiding principle of Safety and Service Excellence – Always! This principle guides our approach on how we treat our customers and employees and has been the foundation to how we are approaching the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

We recognize the situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19) is changing rapidly. We hope to provide you with some certainty, that your safety and wellbeing are Skyservice’s top priority. We will continue to review updates from the Federal Government, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies around the world to ensure that we maintain the highest levels of preventative measures, while ensuring our customers, guests and employees are safe.

These times require flexibility, and we are here to support and accommodate our customer needs as best as we can.

Here is Skyservice’s current response plan:

OPERATIONS

• Skyservice is open and providing customer service and support throughout all our lines of business: Aircraft Management, Aircraft Charter, Aircraft Maintenance, Fixed Based Operations & Aircraft Sales & Brokerage.

TRAVEL SUSPENSIONS

• Skyservice will assess each travel request on a case-by-case basis.
• The ability to travel has become very restrictive. Many countries have or are in the process of closing their borders in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

PRE-FLIGHT SCREENING

• To ensure the safety of all employees and guests, we ask our customers refrain from flying should they experience any symptoms of COVID-19. Should ambulatory care be required, please contact Skyservice immediately so any necessary medical care can be arranged and proper quarantined protocol can be followed.

INTERNATIONAL & TRANSBORDER FLIGHTS

• The Government of Canada has announced the closing of its borders to non-citizens with the exception of immediate family, permanent residents, diplomats, air crews and US citizens.
• Flights between Canada and the United States are still allowed.
• International travel is limited, with many countries shutting boarders to non-citizens.
• All passengers are required to have a health assessment conducted prior to boarding flights destined to Canada. Any passenger, regardless of citizenship showing symptoms of COVID-19, will be denied access.
• Flights outside of Canada, where still permissible, will require pilots to conduct quick turns and short layovers only.
• Should pilots and crew fall ill while abroad, we have asked them to self-isolate and contact Skyservice immediately so alternative arrangements can be made for their well-being and to ensure your travel plans continue as planned (where possible).

AIRCRAFT CLEANING

• All aircraft returning to Canada are required to be disinfected. No services will be performed on the aircraft until disinfecting has taken place.
• Any aircraft at risk, will require disinfecting before FBO services are performed.

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE

• We will no longer be offering AOG maintenance outside of Canada.
• Requests for AOG maintenance within Canada will be assessed prior to approval.
• All aircraft at risk, will need to be disinfected prior to work being performed.

CREW

• Health assessments will be conducted by your flight crew.
• Crew changes may occur, as we provide our Pilots the choice to work on cross-border and International flights during this time.

STAFF AWARENESS

• We have reduced our staff at our facilities to ensure your safety and to provide you with the same high level of service that you have known Skyservice to deliver.
• Our staff have been properly notified and trained on best practices to prevent the virus from spreading.
• Gloves will be worn by all line and customer facing employees.
• The complimentary snack bars and cookies have been suspended at this time. However, our complimentary coffee and beverage bar will remain open.
• Please accept no handshaking from our employees during this period.

FACILITIES

• Skyservice has increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting our facilities and offices with added attention to high traffic and customer and pilot lounge areas.