Photo courtesy of Fort McMurray International Airport Facebook page

After a long, hard month, residents of beleaguered Fort McMurray are finally starting to come home. Expediting their return, the Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) has re-opened with limited commercial airline service.

When today’s first commercial flight departs YMM, it will represent a major step in restoring essential services to our residents and sends a clear signal and that Fort McMurray and the Wood Buffalo region is back open for business,” said Melissa Blake, Mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. “Throughout the mandatory evacuation period, our airport was host to thousands of front line defenders and many more critical personnel who saved our city, secured our region and serviced our return.”

“My colleagues and I look forward to reopening following the devastating wildfires,” said Scott Clements, Fort McMurray Airport Authority President & CEO. “The FMAA is indebted to the brave men and women who worked tirelessly around the clock to protect the airport infrastructure which has allowed us to support the efforts of emergency first responders since the fire began.”

Air Canada

Air Canada Express flight AC8371 was the first to arrive at Fort McMurray International Airport following the airport's re-opening.

"We extend a warm welcome to our Fort McMurray customers and in particular, to people who are returning home,” said Kevin Howlett, senior vice president, regional markets & government relations at Air Canada. “We also want to thank the employees of our Air Canada Express partner Jazz, the team at Fort McMurray International Airport, the first responders and the countless men and women who are working around the clock for their extraordinary efforts in assisting Fort McMurray, and for their tireless work in making the return to commercial air service possible today,"

Air Canada will be adding capacity to Alberta from cities across Canada, with a plan to be at a full schedule within the next few weeks after all the operation restrictions are lifted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry operational.

Air Canada normally operates up to two flights daily between Fort McMurray and Toronto, and up to 10 Air Canada Express flights between Fort McMurray and Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

Air Canada is offering a 25 per cent discount off fares from across Canada to Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray. More information can be found at www.aircanada.com/en/news/160504.html.

WestJet

WestJet also resumed flying to Fort McMurray for the first time since scheduled flights were suspended on May 4, 2016. 

"We are proud to support residents of Fort McMurray and the Region of Wood Buffalo as they return home under difficult circumstances," said Bob Cummings, WestJet executive vice president, commercial. "For those flying back to the community from cities across Canada, we have put a number of measures in place to make their travel as easy and stress-free as possible."

Due to airspace restrictions, WestJet is operating a reduced schedule through June 14, 2016, with two flights from Calgary and two flights from Edmonton each day. WestJet is also offering a 25 per cent discount on all seats to and from Fort McMurray, as well as to Edmonton and Calgary. For information, visit www.westjet.com/discount.

More Information

Transport Canada has announced it is waiving the requirement to present ID for evacuated travellers. However, guests are advised to be prepared for possible longer wait times at security screening.

All guests travelling to or from Fort McMurray are encouraged to check the status of their flights prior to leaving for the airport.

For more information, visit www.flyymm.com. 

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