Westjet to continue flights at YMM during COVID-19 crisis

PHOTO. A Boeing 737 700-series jet aircraft at Fort McMurray International Airport takes on passengers before its maiden flight on Oct. 28, 2019. Monday and Thursday service runs during the winter until the end of March. Supplied by the Fort McMurray International Airport.

Westjet flights from YMM to and from Calgary and Edmonton will continue.

The Calgary-based airliner announced it would cancel 4000 domestic flights in May.

READ MORE: WestJet cancels thousands of domestic flights through May as virus gashes sales

Fort McMurray Airport Authority CEO R.J. Steenstra said on Twitter essential flying will continue at Fort McMurray International Airport.

The COVID-19 crisis impacted travel at home and aboard thanks to a significant reduction in demand.

Non-essential travel restrictions to the U.S. remain in place until June 4, 2020.

Morgan Bell, Public Relations Advisor with Westjet, said the weekly schedule for Fort McMurray remains six times weekly to Calgary and three times weekly to Edmonton.

The airliner’s full domestic flight schedule is also available on their website.

Westjet said they removed 600 daily flights from its schedule between May 5 and June 4, which amounts to around 18,000 trips.