October 24,2025
RED FM News Desk
A shortage of air traffic controllers in Canada is occasionally forcing control towers at Kelowna and Winnipeg airports to close when the lone controller on duty takes a break, according to a memo to Air Canada pilots obtained by Reuters.
The October 14 memo advised Air Canada pilots to avoid the two airports—in British Columbia and Manitoba—when staffing shortages are severe enough to temporarily shut down their control towers.
It remains unclear how often these closures have occurred, and airport officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The memo stated that NAV CANADA, the agency responsible for the country’s civil air navigation system, had warned airlines that staffing shortages would affect Winnipeg and Kelowna but could eventually extend to other airports.
NAV CANADA said Thursday that the closures are scheduled during “low traffic periods” to minimize disruptions and to protect safety and employee well-being, though it did not specify normal staffing levels.
The issue reflects a wider North American shortage of air traffic controllers that has led to flight delays and higher costs for airlines. In Canada, affected flights may need to carry extra fuel or divert due to tower closures, the memo noted.
The staffing crisis is also troubling the United States, where the Federal Aviation Administration said this week that similar shortages—compounded by a government shutdown—have caused delays at several airports.
Nick von Schoenberg, president of the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association (CATCA), said the closures in Canada go beyond just Winnipeg and Kelowna and are meant to allow controllers to take fatigue-related breaks, highlighting “a lack of resilience in the system.”
Tim Perry, president of the Air Line Pilots Association in Canada, called for urgent action, saying, “Air traffic controller shortages continue to cause delays at airports across the country.”
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