WestJet Blames NAV CANADA Staff Shortage for Flight Delays

‍CALGARY — WestJet (WS) has issued a statement claiming that “more than 300,000 WestJet guests have been impacted by delays since April, as a result of NAV CANADA staffing shortages.”

NAV CANADA is a privately run, non-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system (ANS). The aviation body was established by statute under the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act (ANS Act).

Summer Flight Delays

The airline says the staffing shortage impacts the entire airline’s Canadian network, even delaying flights for travelers passing through Vancouver or British Columbia. According to the airline, this level of disruption is “unacceptable.” 

WestJet acknowledges that, while long-term solutions are in the works, the situation is reaching a breaking point as the peak summer travel season approaches.

NAV CANADA employs approximately 1,900 air traffic controllers (ATCs), 650 flight service specialists (FSSs), and 700 technologists.

NAV CANADA Actions

On June 25, 2025, NAV CANADA confirmed that its Edmonton facility will be the first Canadian site selected for the development and implementation of the iTEC SkyNex ATM system, which is designed to “strengthen system integration, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and promote greener, more sustainable air travel.”

This sounds all well and good, but as a long-term solution, there is no mention of a timeline for implementation and operability for this “New Era of Air Traffic Control.”

For the time being, WS is calling on the federal government “to work with all stakeholders to find an immediate solution to support the structural challenges that NAV CANADA is facing."