Buffalo Airways still not cleared to run commercial flights

A consultant hired by Buffalo Airways says Transport Canada is needlessly prolonging the suspension of commercial flights by asking questions now that should have been asked much earlier in the process.

"If you're not going to give Buffalo its certificate back, then stop — stop it! Let them know," Sol Taboada said Friday.

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Earlier this week, Taboada projected the airline could be back in business in a matter of days, saying they were in the process of filing a final correction action plan to Transport Canada.

The agency suspended the company's air operator certificate last month, citing the airline's poor safety record.

"We had questions to answer. We had submitted answers," Taboada said.

But that didn't lead to the suspension being lifted.

"Some new questions came out yesterday," Taboada said. "These questions related to some long-term corrective actions. It's the first time these questions have been brought forth. But they're questions that should have been asked a month ago."

Last month, company founder Joe McBryan stopped managing the company on a day-to-day basis.

Transport Canada said it's still reviewing the latest information from the company.

"Suspending an air operator certificate is a very serious action and one the department only undertakes when we have significant concerns with a company's safety," said spokesperson Amber Wonko in an email.

"Transport Canada has a duty to protect Canadians, including Northerners, from unsafe air operators and the department will only terminate this suspension when Buffalo Airways has adequately addressed our safety concerns."