An airline that serves some of Saskatchewan’s northernmost communities has laid off about half of its employees and drastically reduced flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 150 of West Wind Aviation’s 300 employees have been laid off temporarily or are working fewer hours, said Stephen Smith, the company’s acting president. “We have phenomenal employees and they are great at what they do.
We, unfortunately, don’t have enough work for them right now,” Smith told Global News. More layoffs could be on the way, depending on how long the pandemic limits people’s movements, he said.
Demand has declined significantly as government and health officials warn people to avoid non-essential travel. As a result, the company has reduced its