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NAV CANADA reports September traffic figures


October 19, 2020  By Wings Staff

NAV CANADA on October 16 published its traffic figures for the month of September 2020, as measured in weighted charging units – a traffic measure that reflects the number of flights, aircraft size and distance flown in Canadian airspace – for en route, terminal and oceanic air navigation services.

Traffic overall in September 2020 decreased by an average of 62.6 per cent compared to the same month in 2019. Looking at specific traffic sectors: Canadian domestic traffic decreased by 33.8 per cent from September 2019 to September 2020 (from 6,378 movements to 4,224 movements), while U.S. overflight traffic decreased by 54.8 per cent (2,067 movements to 935); transborder decreased 85.0 per cent (1,434 movements to 215); Canada international decreased by 73.8 per cent (488 movements to 128); and international overflight decreased by 72.4 per cent (76 movements to 21).

Canadian domestic traffic decreased by 33.8 per cent from September 2019 to September 2020. (Image: NAV CANADA)

The cargo sector continued its relatively strong position in September 2020 representing 16 per cent of all flights in Canadian air space, an increase from 12 per cent in September 2019. Breaking cargo flights down into specific sectors: 87 per cent of all cargo flights were domestic in September 2019 and 78 per cent in September 2020; nine per cent of all cargo flights were U.S. overflights in September 2019, increasing to 16 per cent in September 2020. Canadian international and transborder cargo flights also increased to represent six per cent in September 2020, relative to three per cent in September 2019.

Looking at the Air Ambulance sector, there were 6,955 arrivals and departures in the month of September 2020, involving 1,065 distinct routes that connecting more than 415 communities.

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