Cross-border red tape delays Bearskin Airlines plans

Bearskin Airlines is still on track to deliver daily service between Thunder Bay and Minneapolis, but delays in the approval process south of the border have pushed back the launch until at least the fall.

Company executive vice-president Cliff Friesen on Friday said the airline has gotten approval from Canadian authorities to resurrect the route, dropped last year by Delta Airlines.  Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport officials have also OK’d landing rights in the Twin Cities.
 
The problem lies with the American Department of Homeland security, he said.

“What we’re planning right now is the fall so it would probably be a September or October start-up,” Friesen said.

Exacerbating the delay is last fall’s sale of Bearskin Airlines to Winnipeg’s Exchange Income Corp., a cash and share deal worth an estimated $32.5 million.

Friesen said this has led to a lot more paperwork and scrutiny from U.S. officials. He’s not allowing it to bother him too much.

“It’s definitely frustrating, however that is totally out of our control,” Friesen said. “And to be frustrated does not help us move forward.”
 
The airline plans to start with daily flights on its 19-seater Fairchild Metroliner aircraft, though Friesen said the possibility remains to schedule additional flights during peak fall and winter seasons.

He’s confident the business is there.

“We have our own numbers and we know how many people we’re going to fly back and forth,” he said. “From that perspective we believe we’re going to be well on our way.”

Friesen added they plan to specifically target the business market, which is what kept the route afloat 15 years ago.

Delta ended its Thunder Bay to Minneapolis run last October, citing low demand. The company used much larger planes than Bearskin plans to use.