First Air closing jet pilot base in Yellowknife
Pilots who fly company's Boeing 737s will soon work out of Edmonton
First Air has confirmed it will close its jet pilot base in Yellowknife.
Some of the airline's pilots who fly the company's Boeing 737s out of Yellowknife, will soon work out of the company's Edmonton hangar. Others with seniority who want to stay in Yellowknife will be able to bump pilots from seats in other aircraft, such as the twin propeller ATRs.
CBC News learned that the pilots were notified about the decision by email last week. It's not known how many pilots — if any — will lose their jobs.
A company spokesperson said the Yellowknife office will remain open and other operations will continue in the city. The spokesperson added that the closure will not affect other staff, such as ground crew, who work on jets in Yellowknife.
The airline's fleet includes Hercules, Boeing 767 and 737, as well as ATR 42-300 and ATR-72 aircraft.
The change will take effect Dec. 1.