First Air adds freight surcharge during Iqaluit runway construction

Starting July 6 First Air will charge an extra $.32 per kilogram of cargo routed through Iqaluit.

The surcharge will last for 30 days the same amount of time that runway construction at the airport will mean no Boeing 767s can land or take off.

"Unfortunately, we will have to fly the smaller and lower cargo capacity Boeing 757, resulting in higher operating costs per kilogram," said Brock Friesen, First Air's president and CEO, in a news release.

Right now, First Air flies a Boeing 767 freighter aircraft into Iqaluit five days a week.

The airport is in the middle of a$300-milllionreconstruction project the largest single infrastructure project in Nunavut's history.

First Air is billing the fee an "Iqaluit Airport Runway Construction Surcharge."

The surcharge could add directly to the cost of food in the Baffin region. For example, shipping 4L of milk would cost an extra $1.32.

It will apply to all cargo that will be delivered to Baffin communities via Iqaluit.

"We sincerely regret that our valued clients have to take on this temporary charge," said Bert van der Stege, the airline's vice-president.

The runway is expected to return to normal operation capacity on August 5.