Air Inuit

Air Inuit (Inuktitut syllabics: ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᖓᑦᑕᔪᖏᑦ) is an airline headquartered in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada.^[7] It operates domestic passenger services and charter and cargo services in Nunavik, southern Quebec, and Nunavut. Its main base is Kuujjuaq Airport.^[8]

Air Inuit

Air Inuit headquarters at the Montreal-Trudeau Airport
IATA ICAO Call sign 3H[1] AIE[2] INUIT[2]
Founded	November 1978; 46 years ago (1978-11)
AOC #	Canada 2955,[3] United States ILLF043F[4]
Operating bases	Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Kuujjuaq Airport Puvirnituq Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Isaruuk Reward Program
Fleet size	36[5]
Destinations	21[6]
Parent company	Makivik Corporation
Headquarters	Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Key people	Christian Busch (President, Air Inuit)
Website	www.airinuit.com

A Twin Otter at Beechey Island visiting the graves of sailors from the lost expedition of John Franklin

One of Air Inuit's five Boeing 737-200s, at Val-d'Or Airport.

A De Havilland Canada Dash 8-102 belonging to Air Inuit at Cornwall, Ontario, May 2005

History

The airline was established and started operations in 1978 using a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver aircraft. The airline is collectively owned by the Inuit of Nunavik through the Makivik Corporation.^[9]

In 1984 acquired Chaparal Charters and its fleet of two Twin Otters and one Douglas DC-3.^[10]

In 2012, Air Inuit relocated their headquarters to a new multi-purpose facility on Côte-Vertu Boulevard near the Montréal–Trudeau International Airport.^[7][9]

In 2016, Air Inuit pilot Melissa Haney became the first female Inuk pilot to reach the rank of captain. She was featured on a commemorative postage stamp released by the Canadian Ninety-Nines.^[11]

In 2023, Air Inuit announced the retirement of its Boeing 737-200 Combi aircraft. The airline will replace the Boeing 737-200 with three Boeing 737-800 Combi aircraft.^[12]

Destinations

Air Inuit operates scheduled services to the following domestic destinations (July 2023):^[6]

Scheduled flights

Province	Community/City	IATA	ICAO	Airport	Notes
Nunavut	Sanikiluaq	YSK	CYSK	Sanikiluaq Airport
Quebec	Akulivik	AKV	CYKO	Akulivik Airport
	Aupaluk	YPJ	CYLA	Aupaluk Airport
	Inukjuak	YPH	CYPH	Inukjuak Airport
	Ivujivik	YIK	CYIK	Ivujivik Airport
	Kangiqsualujjuaq	XGR	CYLU	Kangiqsualujjuaq (Georges River) Airport
	Kangiqsujuaq	YWB	CYKG	Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) Airport
	Kangirsuk	YKG	CYAS	Kangirsuk Airport
	Kuujjuaq	YVP	CYVP	Kuujjuaq Airport	Hub
	Kuujjuarapik	YGW	CYGW	Kuujjuarapik Airport
	Montreal	YUL	CYUL	Montréal–Trudeau International Airport	Hub
	Puvirnituq	YPX	CYPX	Puvirnituq Airport	Hub
	Quaqtaq	YQC	CYHA	Quaqtaq Airport
	Quebec City	YQB	CYQB	Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport
	Radisson (La Grande)	YGL	CYGL	La Grande Rivière Airport
	Salluit	YZG	CYZG	Salluit Airport
	Schefferville	YKL	CYKL	Schefferville Airport
	Sept-Îles	YZV	CYZV	Sept-Îles Airport
	Tasiujaq	YTQ	CYTQ	Tasiujaq Airport
	Umiujaq	YUD	CYMU	Umiujaq Airport

Charters

Air Inuit also offers other charter services to anywhere in North America.^[13]

Fleet

Current

As of June 2025^[update], the Air Inuit fleet includes the following aircraft:^[5]

Air Inuit fleet

Aircraft	Number[5]	Orders	Variants	Notes[14][15]
Beechcraft Super King Air	3	-	300 Series	Listed as 350 at Air Inuit, 11 passengers
Boeing 737	5	-	200 Series	Combi aircraft, able to operate from gravel airstrips, 112 passengers. To be retired and replaced by Boeing 737-800.[15]
Boeing 737 Classic	1	-	300 Series	Up to 130 passengers
Boeing 737 Next Generation	3	–	800 Series
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	7	-	300 Series	3,200 lb (1,500 kg) cargo, 19 passengers
De Havilland Canada Dash 8	17	-	100 Series, 300 Series	Three 100 Series combi aircraft, 37 seat maximum, 7,800 lb (3,500 kg) cargo; twelve 300 Series combi and cargo aircraft, 45 seat maximum, 13,500 lb (6,100 kg)
Total	36	0

Air Inuit also has access to a Eurocopter Écureuil (Aerospatiale ASTAR 350) through Nunavik Rotors and a de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter through Johnny May's Air Charters.^[14]

On 1 March 2016, Bombardier Inc. announced that Air Inuit would be the launch customer for the Bombardier Q300 Large Cargo Door freighter.^[16]

Former

Previously Air Inuit have also flown the following aircraft:^[17]

• Beechcraft King Air
• Cessna 185 Skywagon
• Cessna 421
• Convair Liner 340 (580)
• Convair 440 (580)
• Grumman Gulfstream I (G-159)
• Hawker Siddeley HS 748

Accidents and incidents

• On 16 March 1981, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, C-FIRW, was damaged beyond repair when it broke through the frozen surface of Lake Bienville while taxiing for take-off on a cargo flight.^[18]