Air Inuit (Inuktitut syllabics: ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᖓᑦᑕᔪᖏᑦ) is an airline headquartered in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada. It operates domestic passenger services and charter and cargo services in Nunavik, southern Quebec, and Nunavut. Its main base is Kuujjuaq Airport.
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 Makivvik.
In 1984 it acquired Chaparal Charters and its fleet of two Twin Otters and one Douglas DC-3.
In 2012, Air Inuit relocated their headquarters to a new multi-purpose facility on Côte-Vertu Boulevard near the Montréal–Trudeau International Airport.
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.
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.
Destinations
Air Inuit operates scheduled services to the following domestic destinations (July 2023):
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.
Fleet
Current
As of June 2025, the Air Inuit fleet includes the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Number | Orders | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 the 800 Series of the Boeing 737 Next Generation. |
| Boeing 737 Classic | 2 | - | 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 | 37 | 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.
On 1 March 2016, Bombardier Inc. announced that Air Inuit would be the launch customer for the Bombardier Q300 Large Cargo Door freighter.
Aircraft types
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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
Former
Previously Air Inuit have also flown the following aircraft:
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.
