Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank the committee for inviting us here today to talk about Air Canada's operations over the holiday season.
I am pleased to be accompanied by Kevin O'Connor, vice-president of system operations control. Kevin is responsible for the operations at Air Canada.
First, let me say that all of us at Air Canada sincerely sympathize with customers whose travel has been disrupted. We understand the importance of travel during the holiday season and the disappointment people feel when things don't go as planned.
More than 2 million people travelled with Air Canada during the period from December 22 to January 8. Most importantly, they did so safely.
It was the dedication of our 35,000 employees, more than during the same period in 2019, that allowed us to transport our customers and restore our operations quickly following the weather events. On behalf of Air Canada, I want to acknowledge their exceptional work, which was often done in very difficult conditions, in the cold and the storm. I thank them for taking care of our passengers.
Kevin will now give you a main overview of our main challenges and accomplishments.