Experts weigh in on the future of flights in Saskatchewan after a month of service disruptions

Sunwing cancelling its flights out of Saskatchewan until Feb. 3 and Air Canada no longer offering direct flights from Saskatoon and Regina to Calgary starting in mid-January is changing the future of air travel in the province.

"The announcements literally dropped out of the sky and it has grown into a real concern," Jason Aebig, CEO of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, told CBC's Blue Sky.

"The experience on the streets is that it is more expensive and challenging to travel. Many companies in our cities require air travel."

Besides business travel being in trouble, Aebig said many educational institutions in Saskatchewan that attract researchers and academicians across the world, who have "very heavily relied" on Air Canada routes from Calgary, will be affected.

"There isn't a major company or a major institution in this province that isn't going to be affected in some way by these decisions," he said.

"I hope it doesn't translate to something where we see the business head offices moving away from here."

He said people should put pressure on Air Canada's board and shareholders, as the company's "short-sighted" decision will have negative implications on Saskatchewan.

"We urge Air Canada to revisit its decision around the Calgary hub," he said. "It has been an important connection for 30 years."

Calling Sunwing's decision a "head-scratcher," Aebig said the winter season is usually the busiest time as many flee subzero temperatures. The cancellations have disrupted many wedding and anniversary celebrations.

Last week, Sunwing had said its initial plan of supplementing seasonal demand for travel from Saskatoon and Regina with the assistance of temporary foreign pilots for the winter months fell through.

Aebig said Sunwing's reasoning is not adequate.

"Any airline that makes its bread and butter on hot holiday packages wouldn't have been better prepared to deliver the service at the peak time of year to this market," he said.

"The reasons given are pretty flimsy given the core business Sunwing is in."

On Thursday, Sunwing Travel Group CEO Stephen Hunter and Sunwing Airlines president Len Corrado said in a joint statement that they "failed to live up to" the promise of making Canadians' vacation dreams come true this season.