Bombardier warns of ‘significant impact’ to air traffic if Trump carries out threat to decertify Canadian planes

Canadian jet-maker Bombardier employs 3,000 people in the United States at nine major facilities. Photo by Christinne Muschi/Bloomberg

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Quebec-based aerospace manufacturer Bombardier Inc. says it is in contact with the Canadian government over U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to “decertify” its jets and slap a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian aircraft and that it hopes the matter can be resolved quickly.

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In a social media post Thursday, Trump accused Canada of refusing to certify a series of U.S.-made Gulfstream jets and said he would retaliate by taking aim at Bombardier.

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“Based on the fact that Canada has wrongfully, illegally and steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700 and 800 Jets, one of the greatest, most technologically advanced airplanes ever made, we are hereby decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada, until such time as Gulfstream, a Great American Company, is fully certified,” Trump wrote.

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Bombardier, which employs 3,000 people in the United States at nine major facilities there, said in a statement that it has taken note of the social media post and is in touch with Canadian government.

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“Our aircraft, facilities and technicians are fully certified to FAA standards and renowned around the world,” the statement said, adding that the company has thousands of U.S. suppliers and has been investing in expanding its U.S. operations, including a recent announcement in Indiana.

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“Thousands of private and civilian jets built in Canada fly in the U.S. every day. We hope this is quickly resolved to avoid a significant impact to air traffic and the flying public.”

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Trump’s post didn’t mention Canada’s planned purchase of F-35 military aircraft from the United States, which is under review.

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However, in a Jan. 26 interview on CBC, Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, said Canada could face consequences if it doesn’t stand by its order for 72 of the stealth fighter jets, warning that the United States would have to start flying its F-35s into Canadian airspace to deal with any perceived threats.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a review of the F-35 purchase in March. Canada had committed to purchase 16 of the F-35 stealth fighter jets but an agreement to purchase the remaining jets is in limbo pending the review.

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Bombardier, meanwhile, has been in talks with Saab AB about building its Gripen military jets here, should Canada proceed with the jet as an alternative to the F-35. The National Post reported this week that Canada was considering replacing half of its remaining F-35 order with Gripen jets.

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However, some aviation experts contend that the the F-35 is superior to the Gripen, and Hoekstra, in his CBC interview, said North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) would have to be altered because the two jets were not “interchangeable” or “interoperable”.