ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Skip to main content

U.S. fines Air Canada over flights over prohibited Iraqi airspace

An Air Canada plane prepares to land at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Christinne Muschi / The Canadian Press) An Air Canada plane prepares to land at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Christinne Muschi / The Canadian Press)
Share
WASHINGTON -

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday it had fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights in 2022 and 2023 in prohibited Iraqi airspace.

The agency had jurisdiction because those flights had United Airlines’ designator code. The violations occurred on numerous flights between the United Arab Emirates and Toronto in airspace that was prohibited by the Federal Aviation Administration to U.S. operators.

The FAA cited the "complex security environment" that exists over Iraq in barring flights. Air Canada must pay US$125,000 of the fine and owes another US$125,000 if it violates the order again within a year. Air Canada stopped codesharing with United on the route in January 2023.

Air Canada said the "incidents were brief, unplanned and inadvertent and due to several factors, including air traffic control restrictions and a switch to a larger aircraft that needed more time to achieve sufficient altitude. Also, safety was not compromised." The carrier added it has taken action to prevent such incidents from reoccurring.

Emirates was fined US$1.5 million by the Transportation Department in June for operating flights carrying JetBlue Airways’ code over Iraqi airspace. It was the second time they had been fined since 2020.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

A Halifax-area couple has been ordered to pay nearly $61,000 in damages and $4,000 in court costs after their dog attacked and injured a homecare nurse at their residence in 2016.

Local Spotlight

Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.

Saskatchewan’s Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.

A B.C. couple is getting desperate – and creative – in their search for their missing dog.

Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.

A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.

Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

Stay Connected