Listen to this article
Estimated 4 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
After days of disruptions, flights at Wabush Airport will resume on Wednesday, according PAL Airlines.
On Monday, Transport Canada said flights were cancelled because the airport couldn’t meet federal requirements for firefighting and rescue capability for commercial flights involving more than 19 passengers. The lack of capacity was due to a mechanical issue with a vehicle.
In a post on social media on Wednesday afternoon, PAL Airlines, which operates flights to and from the Labrador west airport, said the firefighting equipment needed for passenger flights has been restored.
Flights 921, 922, 833, 834 to and from the airport will begin to operate Wednesday.
Passengers impacted by disruptions will receive updated travel information from the reservations team with information about their flight arrangements, said the airline.
‘Very frustrating situation’
On Wednesday morning, prior to the flights resuming, the Member of Parliament for Labrador said he was fed up with repeated disruptions at the airport, but was hopeful the latest problem will be resolved shortly.
“Sadly, this has been a very, very, very frustrating situation,” Labrador MP Philip Earle told CBC Radio’s Labrador Morning.
“What happened this week is completely unreasonable for the people of Labrador to have to endure and quite frankly, I’m more disappointed than the people that are impacted.”
Earle said of the airport’s two mandated fire trucks, one was getting maintenance and the second had a part fail, rendering it inoperable. With both out of commission, he said it paused operations at the airport.
Earle said the necessary parts had been flown in from Edmonton and arrived overnight in Wabush. He said he’s asked for a review of this incident.
“This has gone on too long, gone too far, and the level of frustration that you’re probably hearing in my voice is the same frustration that I’m getting from my constituents. It needs to stop,” he said.
In the last year the airport has been plagued by disruptions.
In October, 2025 most of the Wabush Airport services shut down briefly because a federal agency changed the airport’s designation so it requires firefighting services — services Transport Canada cut five years ago. Then in December, the airport was hammered by extreme weather, which resulted in cancelled flights and left hundreds of passengers stranded.
In January of this year a notice was issued limiting the airport centreline to 90 feet, which meant PAL Airlines’ Q 400 aircraft, which needs 100 feet, were prohibited from landing.
PAL Airlines said in an update on its Facebook page Wednesday it helped arrange a charter flight to get the necessary parts to Wabush.
“Our team remains actively engaged with airport and government stakeholders, and we are preparing to restart commercial service as soon as the airport is able to accept passenger flights,” it reads.
‘There’s a major deficit’
Advocates for Safer Airports in Canada co-founder and chair Chris Bussey said the situation at Wabush is “very concerning.”
“This is a larger, systemic problem, not just a story of two broken fire trucks in Wabush Airport. This speaks to the resilience of the emergency response capability at Canadian airports in case of an air traffic disaster,” said Bussey.
He would like to see more resources at the airport, like a maintenance plan in place and a mechanic on-site for emergency repairs.
Unlike privately run airports, Wabush Airport is owned by Transport Canada.
“So if the regulator can have these systemic failures, then what about the other airports that aren’t being operated by the regulator?” Bussey asked.
He said proper firefighting equipment at airports is essential in emergency situations.
Bussey said his organization is talking with stakeholders and talking to politicians and pilots associations to raise their concerns on emergency response at airports.
“We feel there’s a major deficit. And if we are to have an unfortunate event, then we’re not prepared.”
Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
