Air Inuit, a regional airline headquartered in the Canadian province of Quebec, flies a fleet of 13 Boeing 737-200 combi aircraft. These planes have remarkable ages, averaging between 42 and 52 years of age. Air Inuit is among the more surprising operators in the underappreciated world of old passenger jets. Eight of its planes rank as the 50 oldest jets still in service across the globe. The airline connects Montreal to the remote northern community of Puvirnituq. It is essential for moving people, food, and construction materials over the expansive Canadian terrain.
The two longest-serving aircraft in Air Inuit’s fleet are the crème de la crème. At 50 and 51 years old, they hold the distinction of being the third- and fourth-oldest passenger jets currently operating worldwide. Despite their age, these aircraft continue to serve essential roles in connecting remote areas, showcasing a unique relationship between aviation infrastructure and community needs in Canada.
Air Inuit stands out as the airline with the most Boeing 737-200s in operation, boasting nine of these “well-loved” planes. The airline’s conviction to hold on to these old jets is reigned in by a sharp tactical approach to operations. Each flight is staffed with a professional mechanic. It’s stocked with plenty of replacement parts to ensure dependability on excursions to even the most rugged locations.
Air Inuit’s president, Marco Prud’Homme, underscored how vital the planes are for their unique operational model. He pointed out that traveling to that destination with a turboprop plane, it’ll take you just an eternity. By comparison, a 737-200 is a relatively cheap and efficient way to connect isolated communities. The aircraft’s capabilities make it particularly suited for commercial flights to inaccessible regions where modern alternatives may not be viable.
In Canada, the aging aircraft phenomenon is not limited to Air Inuit. The country is greatly outpacing the world in how many older, more polluting jets it forces into passenger service. Indeed, 13 of the 30 oldest jets in the world fly within its borders. With new aviation solutions starting to come onto the scene, this trend should make us all wonder what’s in store for remote communities.
Air Inuit’s operational practices run deeper and reflect what it means to value safety beyond aircraft age. Pierre Clément, a representative from the airline, assured that there is no safety concern regarding the aging fleet: “There’s no concern as far as safety is concerned because the airplanes are maintained.” He brought to attention the bottom line of having to work further away from home base. As he pointed out, “If an airplane gets stuck at the mine, it’ll be expensive to repair there.”
Glencore Canada’s Raglan Mine is another clear-cut example of this trend. That’s right — it uses two 46-year-old 737-200s that are already some of the 15 oldest passenger planes on Earth. These aircraft are essential for moving employees and materials in an archipelago where logistical hurdles are everywhere.
Though Air Inuit is still flying on these old jets there’s modernization coming soon, and with it hope for the future. Prud’Homme voiced enthusiasm for the upcoming purchase of newer planes, expecting to get the go-ahead from oversight agencies as soon as next year. If this shift occurs, it would greatly change the way Air Inuit does business and ultimately help the company reduce dependence on older aircraft.
Christian Busch, retired aviation maintenance and supply chain expert from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, says operating and preserving legacy aircraft isn’t without its challenges. Specifically, “it’s not as simple as taking care of new or state-of-the-art airplanes,” he continued. He noted that certain advantages still exist: “We’re still flying aircraft on gravel runways, and the 737-200 is the only jet aircraft approved to land on gravel to this date.” This flexibility means that these aging jets continue to be crucial for much of remote Canada’s regional routes.
As new aviation technologies continue to be created, operators like Air Inuit will soon be able to make the transition away from their older fleet. Busch mentioned ongoing discussions with Transport Canada aimed at enabling modern jets to operate on varied surface types—a change that could facilitate safer and more efficient travel.
A 2014 study by Forbes determined there was no correlation between aircraft age and fatal accident rates across North America and Europe. This new study indicates that effective maintenance oversight and practices are absolutely critical to protecting safety – no matter how old a plane may be. For Air Inuit and its peers operating older models, this principle is still at the heart of their operating philosophy.
