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Staffing shortages at Nav Canada, the agency providing air traffic control for flights, have caused flight delays in and out of different Airports in Canada for sometime now.
Canadians at the receiving end, have been sharing their stories of helplessness in the past, as they start to plan for Summer vacations.Carriers are equally concerned about the obvious and expected disruptions due to shortages of air traffic controllers.
WestJet released a statement saying more than 300,000 of its customers have faced disruption since April and the carrier has blamed NAV CANADA for the delays. As per Westjet, the cause of disruption is staffing constraints in the air traffic management.
“These air traffic control staffing challenges frequently become the primary reason for delays throughout the WestJet network,” the statement read. “The current situation presents serious operational challenges, as the industry heads into peak summer travel, with no short-term solutions in sight.”
In May this year, carrier like Flair Airlines advised travellers to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) about "significant delays due to air traffic control" issues, adding that they should check their flight status regularly.
"Please be aware that the time you should come to the airport is based on your new departure time," the airline states. "For domestic flights, please arrive two hours early. For international flights, please arrive three hours earlier."
Eric Tanner, the vice-president of commercial operations at Flair Airlines, told that "YVR's air traffic control remains understaffed."
As per Global News, Canada, in May, 4.7 million passengers passed through security at Canada’s eight largest airports, representing a 1.9-per-cent increase over the same time last year and a 5.5-per-cent increase over pre-pandemic levels in May 2019.
Winnipeg’s James Armstrong Richardson International Airport saw the largest increase, with 7.5 per cent more passengers in May 2025 compared to the year before.
WestJet highlighted the frequent air traffic control staffing challenges, saying:
These air traffic control staffing challenges frequently become the primary reason for delays throughout the WestJet network. These impacts are then propagated throughout the WestJet network, and are being felt by guests across the country, even if they do not fly through Vancouver or British Columbia. Given the essential nature of air travel for Canadians, this level of disruption is unacceptable.
WestJet said it wants the federal government to work with all stakeholders to find an immediate solution to the staffing issue.
In April this year, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) had released a statement, saying :
NAV CANADA staffing constraints are continuing to cause flight delays at YVR today. We recognize this is impacting travel plans and we encourage passengers to check with their airline for latest flight details or rebooking.
In a statement posted in the social media platform X, NAV CANADA Operations accepted the "resource constraints" and said its moving aircraft “safely, and as quickly as possible.”
Delays affecting some flights in YVR due to NAV CANADA resource constraints. Our team is moving aircraft safely, and as quickly as possible. Passengers: check the status of your flight with your airline.
In this context, NAV CANADA said it can’t independently confirm the number of WestJet passengers who experienced delays, but acknowledged staffing does contribute to delays “in some circumstances.”
“We’re investing heavily in our workforce because safety and reliability come first,” the statement read.
“That includes recruiting, training, and licensing new air traffic controllers at an accelerated pace. There are more than 500 individuals in our air traffic services programs across the country at this time, However, the path to full qualification is extensive, typically requiring 24 to 36 months of classroom instruction, simulation, and on-the-job training.”
NAV CANADA further said issues are rarely caused by a “single factor or organization” and it is working towards improvements.
Meantime, WestJet is warning travellers that Air Passenger Protection Regulations treat delays related to a lack of air traffic controllers as officially beyond the airline’s control. That means there will be no compensation if delays occur due to NAV CANADA staffing issues.
To meet the staffing challenges, NAV Canada has started hiring air traffic controllers, and the annual salary ranging from $56,899 to $59,550 during training and $101,221 to $201,407 after training.
In another development, NAV Canada (NavCan) is rolling out new air traffic control technology and has selected Edmonton International Airport (YEG) as its introductory site.
The iTEC SkyNex system is being hailed as “the next stage of operational evolution in air traffic control.” It is an information-sharing partnership with seven European countries, promising to be economically and environmentally efficient, while also streamlining wait times to help with aviation congestion.
NAV CANADA is the first air navigation service provider outside of Europe to join the consortium and participate in the development of this advanced technology.
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