TOP STORY
Black Pilot History – Today, we recognize Allan Selwyn Bundy (1920–2001): A Nova Scotian who overcame initial rejection to become the first Canadian-born Black pilot in the RCAF, flying Beaufighters with the 404 Squadron.
Decisions
Appeal, unjust dismissal, sexual harassment – Westjet v. T.H., 2026 FCA 20
Appeal of Canada Industrial Relations Board (Board) decision finding that respondent was unjustly dismissed – Board had determined employee’s conduct did not rise to level of sexual harassment – Court of Appeal found Board’s conclusion was at odds with well-established case law defining sexual harassment – Court of Appeal declined to exercise discretion to determine merits of complaint – decision set aside and complaint remitted to original Board adjudicator, if available, or other Board adjudicator, if not
Application, leave to appeal, class action – Consumers’ Union, et al. v. Air Canada, 2026 CanLII 7566
Application for leave to appeal Quebec Court of Appeal decision awarding $10M in punitive damages in relation to price breakdown practices on Air Canada’s website between June 2010 and February 2012 – leave to appeal and application for leave to cross-appeal granted
Application, objections, written examination – Parmentier c. Aéroports de Montréal, 2026 QCCQ 239
Applicant claimed $45,980 from airport after sustaining injury from sharp edge of luggage cart – interim decision addressed airport’s objections to certain questions and undertakings asked of its representative during written examination – Court issued individual decision on each question and undertaking being objected to based on relevance to claim
Class action, Montreal Convention, damages – Calciu c. Air Transat AT inc., 2026 QCCS 193
Class action under Montreal Convention for 19-hour flight delay – plaintiff claimed $3,240 per class member, including meal and phone expenses, loss of wages, and inconvenience and moral damages – noting that no expert evidence was presented to support that aircraft breakdown was unforeseeable, Court found airline liable for damages – distinguishing from Thibodeau decision, Court determined Montreal Convention does not prohibit non-pecuniary damages – Court further determined damages for suffering and inconvenience could be fixed without individual assessment – Court ordered collective recovery of $378,000 in non-pecuniary damages – claims for meal and phone expenses and loss of wages rejected for lack of evidence
Complaint, pay equity, bargaining agent – Unifor et al. v. WestJet, an Alberta Partnership (Re), 2025 PEC 8 (CanLII)
Complaint by several unions alleging WestJet acted in bad faith by requiring signature of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to participate in pay equity committee (Committee) meetings – WestJet alleged NDAs were necessary to protect sensitive personal and business information – unions refused to sign NDAs and Committee meetings proceeded in absence of their representatives – Pay Equity Commissioner (Commissioner) found WestJet violated Pay Equity Act by intentionally allowing Committee meetings to proceed without union representatives – Commissioner further found WestJet’s deliberate actions constituted bad faith – Commissioner ordered WestJet to cease requiring NDAs and barring bargaining agents from participating in Committee meetings – Commissioner also ordered WestJet to re-do all steps already taken to establish the pay equity plan
Grievance, integrated seniority lists – Westjet, an Alberta Partnership, Sunwing Airlines Inc., Calgary, Alberta (Westjet) v Air Line Pilots Association, International, 2026 CanLII 6021
Dispute regarding seniority rights of Sunwing pilots and certain Encore pilots following transfer to WestJet – issue not contemplated in earlier award and settlement dealing with integration of Sunwing and Encore pilots into WestJet pilots’ seniority list – arbitrator had no jurisdiction to alter seniority list established for either group and could only reconcile them as best as possible – arbitrator ordered relative placement of subsequent Sunwing and Encore pilots on seniority lists in alternating pattern
CTA News and Decisions
CTA 101 – Launch of new air passenger protection website
Application – Sunwing Airlines Inc. c.o.b. Sunwing – Determination No. A-2026-10
Application for cancellation of Licences 060017, 060073, 060095, 080005, 080031, 080106, 080107, 100037, 100039, 110072, 110073, 140008, 140009 and 140010 – licenses cancelled
Application – Sunwing Airlines Inc. c.o.b. Sunwing – Determination No. A-2026-11
Application for cancellation of Licences 050128 and 050129 – licenses cancelled
Suspension – East Coast Jets, Inc. – Order No. 2026-A-3
Licence 990158
Suspension – Bemidji Aviation Services, Inc. – Order No. 2026-A-4
Licence 967558
Suspension – Coastal Helicopters, Inc. – Order No. 2026-A-5
Licence 967326
Suspension – Heartland Aviation, LLC – Order No. 2026-A-6
Licence 977367
Suspension – Oak Air, Ltd. – Order No. 2026-A-7
Licence 050095
Suspension – Jet Air, Inc. – Order No. 2026-A-8
Licence 967269
Suspension – Air Cargo Carriers, LLC – Order No. 2026-A-9
Licence 100099
Suspension – West Isle Air, Inc. c.o.b. Chelan Seaplanes, Friday Harbour Seaplanes – Order No. 2026-A-10
Licences 975069 and 977226
Suspension – Mach One Air Charters, Inc. – Order No. 2026-A-S-8
Licence 080079
Suspension – ADMARK HELICOPTER COMPANY LTD. carrying on business as ADMARK – Order No. 2026-A-S-10
Licence 240055
Suspension – Niagara Helicopters (2024) Limited – Order No. 2026-A-S-11
Licences 250008 and 250009 – reinstated effective February 3, 2026
TC/TSB News
- Airworthiness Directives
- Civil Aviation Safety Alerts
- Investigation report: Fatal helicopter accident near Red Deer, Alberta
Industry Association News
- ACI – RJ Steenstra joins Board of Airports Council International–North America
- CBAA – Government and Regulatory Affairs – February 2026 Issue
- CBAA – Your Weekly Bulletin – February 5, 2026
- IATA – Changi Aviation Summit 2026 speech – Willie Walsh, IATA Director General
- IATA – IATA World Cargo Symposium 2026: Advancing air cargo in a dynamic world
Union News
- ALPA – Fighting for the betterment of the Canadian airline industry
- ALPA – The strength behind your union
- IAM – IAM urges PM Carney to act as U.S. threatens Canadian aircraft certification
- IAM – The IAM files a notice to bargain with Air Canada
- PSAC – NAV CANADA: PSAC-UCTE members overwhelmingly vote in favour of strike action
- Unifor – Unifor urges Ottawa to defend Canada’s aerospace industry against Trump’s threats
- Unifor 2002 – PASS District 266 Update – Standing strong while we wait for a response from the CIRB
- Unifor 2002 – Propair Members: Bargaining update for February 5th
Airport News
- B.C. First Nations ink agreement with Victoria Airport for shared business, work opportunities
- Regina Airport set to begin passenger experience upgrades
- ‘These lifelines are failing’: Improve northern airports, advocates say
- YVR breaks all-time cargo and passenger records in 2025
- YYC Calgary International Airport welcomed 19.4 million passengers in 2025
Rotary Operator News
- AVSS completes first live avalanche drone testing in Jasper National Park
- CAE to deliver breakthrough full-flight simulator to train first wave of Eve Air Mobility pilots
- Helicopter crash report advises pilots against carrying passengers during risky training manoeuvres
General Aviation News
- Airmedic achieves EURAMI accreditation – an international recognition of excellence in air medical transport
- Air passenger backlog is real — but not ‘three years,’ expert argues
- Canada Aviation Alert: Air Canada Customer Service Agents edge toward strike as Unifor talks intensify
- Chartright JetClub launches limited heavy jet memberships
- Lockheed Martin Canada and Air Cadet League of Canada partner to support youth in aviation, aerospace and STEM
- More regulation—the last thing Canada’s air travellers need
- Revisiting the Dirty Dozen: Why aviation’s most dangerous human factors still matter
- Transport Canada, U.S. FAA working on jet approvals after Trump threats
- Transport Minister will ‘not interfere’ with plane certification despite Trump threat
- Working to bridge the talent gap in aviation and aerospace
- Young recruits invited to ‘Be an Aviator’ at the National Air Force Museum of Canada this Family Day