Bathurst airport loses Pascan Aviation flights to Wabush

The final Pascan Aviation flight from Wabush, Labrador, to Bathurst, N.B., touched down on Friday.

Wabush, a small town, located on the western tip of Labrador, was home to a booming mining sector, employing many former workers from Bathurst's Brunswick Mine, which closed in 2013.

But the Wabush operations have slowed and the last iron ore mine closed last February.

With the decline in ridership, Pascan Aviation has decided to pull its route in Bathurst.

"For us, it represented about one per cent of all of our passenger traffic," said Jennifer Henry, executive director of the Bathurst Regional Airport.

"But it's still a service that's not offered at the Bathurst airport, so we're sad about that," she said.

"We're sad to see someone go, but there's always opportunities to look for other things, and we always keep the door open if things should improve."

Henry says Pascan could return to the airport if the mining industry in northern Quebec or in Wabush picks up again.

Air Canada is still providing passenger service from Bathurst to Montreal, said Henry.

The Bathurst airport is also home to several charter companies, she said.