'We're kind of stuck': Magdalen Islanders sign petition for better airline service

In January, it took Céline Cummings four days to get to Montreal instead of what should have been an easy two-hour direct flight.

A resident of Cap-aux-Meules on Quebec's Magdalen Islands, Cummings's flight was delayed for days, ruining the week-long vacation she had booked in Montreal and costing her an extra couple of thousand dollars.

"This is one of many examples of what's been going on for too long now. We don't know when we're going to leave. We don't know when we're going to come back. There are people who are missing medical appointments, surgery … We're kind of stuck," said Cummings.

She is one of the residents of the Magdalen Islands who helped launch a petition on the National Assembly's website last week, calling on the Quebec government to help find a solution and provide better, more reliable airline service to the region.

Frequent delays blamed on mechanical breakdowns

The petition, which has since received over 1,700 signatures, is asking the government to have a conversation with local airline companies — particularly Pascan Aviation, one of only two airlines to service the region year-round.

Cummings says the airline often cites mechanical issues when flights are delayed or rescheduled. That's what happened to her back in January.

"I was supposed to leave the island at 6:30 a.m. on Monday and I finally reached Montreal on Thursday evening at 10 p.m.," said Cummings.

"I had a full week vacation that was rented already in Montreal and I lost everything. I mean the company is refusing to reimburse the fees that are associated with that because they said it was a mechanical breakdown."

She says that some residents have reached a breaking point, particularly since they are not able to receive compensation for the delay because mechanical breakdowns are considered out of the company's control.

"It seems like every single — or close to every single — flight that is being cancelled, they always come up with the reason that there is a mechanical breakdown," said Cumming, who also said it makes residents question the safety of the flights.

"How could it be safe? It's like two stories there. Like how can you constantly be in mechanical breakdown and tell us on the other end that the flight is safe. I mean I don't buy that," she said.

"I think it's either you take your responsibility and you assume the fees or you ask for help [from] the government or somebody to provide you [with] airplanes that are reliable. That's it."

Transportation to and from the islands is also complicated by the lack of airlines in the region.

In June 2020, Air Canada suspended service to the Magdalen Islands when it cancelled 30 domestic routes and closed 8 stations at regional airports across Canada due to "weak demand" caused by the pandemic.

It later resumed service but only during the months when tourism is at its peak.

In an emailed statement, Air Canada said its current plan will see daily service to the Magdalen Islands resume on May 19 until October 9.

Delays 'becoming expected now'

Even with Air Canada serving the region in the warmer months, delays were still common, said Dr. David Landry, a neuroradiologist at Montreal's Notre-Dame hospital.

He visits the region six times a year to provide pain management to patients there.

Last summer, his Air Canada flight was delayed for over 48 hours causing issues in his patients' appointments. He says the situation hasn't improved.

"More than half of the flights are either delayed or cancelled. It's becoming expected now," said Landry.

"So if I go there through the [Montreal Trudeau Airport], I just sit at the restaurant waiting for the plane to be cancelled and about one every two times I'm right and the same thing coming back. So we developed some kind of strategies."

He says medical staff servicing the region have to schedule flights out of the Magdalen Islands in the mornings on Thursdays or Fridays to give them a better chance of getting back to Montreal to see their other patients by Monday.

"You're very much at the mercy of anything that happens at those companies," said Landry.

"The patients, the only thing that they tell me is that they've learned to live with it. And now whenever they have treatment outside, they try to make sure that … they have no choice [but] to leave."

He says his patients are also forced to stay in places like Montreal ahead of time to ensure they don't run the risk of missing a critical surgery or appointment.

"It's already a bummer when you go out for vacation, but when it's for an appointment or treatment it becomes a lot more serious," said Landry, adding that his flight three weeks ago was repeatedly delayed throughout the day.

'We reached the point of no return'

Cumming says financial support is needed for residents dealing with the situation. When her parents underwent surgery she says they had to leave up to six days in advance to ensure they didn't lose their place.

"All that comes with a cost. I mean it's impossible to find a hotel room for less than $200 a day and then add to that the meal and everything else that goes with that. I mean what we ask the government is simple, is sit with the airline provider see what's going on, see what you could do to help," said Cummings.

Even if the region does not warrant the same air service as Toronto or Montreal, or even a daily service, Cummings says it does need a level of certainty — even if it's only a couple of guaranteed flights each week.

"I think we reached the point of no return. The situation has been going from bad to worse over the last year," said Cummings.

"It's about time to do something about it."

Pascan Aviation declined CBC's request for an interview.