Air Canada has enough pilots to meet demand as U.S. tourists return

Air Canada said Tuesday it has all the qualified pilots it needs to meet higher travel demand with the planned return of US tourists to the country. Canada on Monday said it would allow fully vaccinated US tourists to enter the country starting from Aug. 9, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented 16-month ban. A rapid return in traffic can create staffing headaches for carriers which cancelled thousands of flights during the COVID-19 pandemic when demand plummeted. Air Canada has 600, or around 15% of an estimated 4,000 pilots on furlough, according to the Air Canada Pilots Association. Air Canada said the carrier took steps during the pandemic to keep pilots in the air, such as by having three pilots instead of two on some flights. "We have all the fully qualified pilots we require as travel ramps back up," an Air Canada spokesperson said. Air Canada has 11 simulators and access to five more through aviation training specialist CAE. CAE has seen higher demand for its simulator services, with its pilot-training centers now operating at around 60% of capacity in the United States, a spokeswoman said.<br/>