A former Air Canada senior pilot is facing fines and criminal charges after allegedly flying without a required license.
In a statement released Monday, Air Canada confirmed that Transport Canada had imposed a monetary penalty on a former captain because they did not have an airline transport pilot license (ATPL). The credential is required for captains of large aircraft operated by airlines in Canada.
Air Canada emphasized that the individual was fully trained and held a valid commercial pilot license throughout their employment.
“Safety was not compromised by this incident because all pilots at Air Canada undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months to validate their flying competency, including a flight check with a certified Transport Canada check-pilot every 12 months,” the carrier said. “However, appropriate licensing is an essential layer of the airline industry’s multi-layered approach to safety, so Air Canada takes this matter with utmost seriousness.”
Air Canada said it immediately removed the pilot from duty after discovering that they did not have an ATPL. The carrier also reported the matter to Transport Canada.
The pilot is no longer employed by Air Canada.
The former captain’s name has not been made public, and Air Canada said that it could not provide more information due to privacy laws and “an active criminal investigation.”
It was also not immediately clear how much the pilot was fined.
A recent instance of an individual “exercising the privileges of a flight crew permit, license, or rating” without the proper qualifications, reported by Transport Canada this month, incurred a total fine of $67,500. There was no way to establish if this case was the same one referred to by Air Canada.
ABC News reported Monday that the pilot was arrested and charged with fraud. Police in the Peel region of Ontario are expected to hold a news conference Tuesday to share more details.
