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Buffalo Airways' licence reinstated by Transport Canada

In a news release issued late Tuesday, Transport Canada said it will 'closely monitor' the airline to verify it is taking corrective actions on safety issues.

Regulator says it will 'closely monitor' airline to verify it is taking corrective actions on safety issues

A Buffalo Airways C-46 airplane is shown after it caught fire at the Yellowknife airport in December 2013. Transport Canada grounded the airline in November due to safety compliance issues. (CBC)

Transport Canada says it has reinstated Buffalo Airways' Air Operator Certificate effective immediately.

In a news release issued late Tuesday, the agency said the move came following the approval of the N.W.T.-based company's corrective action plans. 

The regulator suspended the airline's air operator certificate, effective Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m., due to its "poor safety record."

In the release, it says its concerns regarding the company's safety record and its ability to keep its operations compliant with aviation safety regulations have been addressed by the corrective actions, and that it will "closely monitor" Buffalo Airways to "verify that its corrective action is implemented and sustained."

The company's flagship aircraft are the Second World War-era DC-3s and DC-4s it uses for passenger and cargo flights, as seen on TV's Ice Pilots NWT for six seasons.

Buffalo Airways offers charter freight and passenger flights throughout the Northwest Territories and beyond. It also ran a regularly-scheduled passenger service between Yellowknife and Hay River, N.W.T., prior to the shutdown.

It initially continued to use outside charters to serve clients after the shutdown, but announced Dec. 24 it was postponing its passenger flights between Yellowknife and Hay River, N.W.T.