Air Canada is speaking out after Peel Regional Police (PRP) revealed on Monday that an airline captain flew hundreds of flights without the necessary licence, a discovery that triggered a sweeping fraud investigation known as Project Icarus.
The startling revelation came as part of the fraud investigation, the details of which will be announced on Tuesday at 11 a.m.
You can watch it here.
The airline issued a detailed statement on Monday, confirming Transport Canada has imposed a monetary penalty on a former Air Canada pilot for holding an incorrect type of certification — specifically, for serving as a captain without the mandatory Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL).
While not yet confirmed by investigators, publicly available Transport Canada enforcement records, listed under Aviation Non‑Corporate Offenders, indicate the former pilot may face fines totalling $67,500 for 18 non‑compliance offences.
In its statement, Air Canada stressed that passenger safety was never at risk because the pilot in question held a valid Commercial Pilot Licence and consistently passed all required competency checks. Once the discrepancy was discovered, the airline says the pilot was immediately removed from duty, and Air Canada voluntarily reported the issue to Transport Canada.
“This individual, who had been promoted to captain, lacked the mandatory ATPL for the position,” an Air Canada spokesperson said.
The individual is no longer employed by the airline.
The airline noted that all Air Canada pilots undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months, they complete a flight check with a certified Transport Canada check pilot every 12 months and pilot licences are cross‑checked twice a year as part of routine training. An internal audit found no other instances of non‑compliance.
Air Canada says privacy laws and the active criminal investigation prevent it from commenting further.
In a statement, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said the “safety and security of the travelling public and our crews is our highest priority and always will be.
“We take all regulatory and licensing requirements seriously and work to maintain the highest standards of safety, compliance, and professionalism across our industry.
“This matter is now subject to an ongoing investigation; therefore, it would be inappropriate to comment any further on this situation.”
