Technical Snag: Canadian PM’s ailing fleet causes embarrassment after snag delays India departure
NEW DELHI: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday departed from New Delhi after a technical issue in his aircraft was resolved. The 36-year-old Airbus A310 had developed a snag just before departure on Sunday, causing delays in the PM’s return to Canada.
The conspicuous delay in Trudeau’s departure was also due to the unscheduled diversion of the replacement aircraft, the Royal Canadian Air Force‘s CC-150 Polaris, which was supposed to land on Monday night.
Airbus 310-300, the VIP aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fleet of CC-150 Polaris, which was initially supposed to fly PM Trudeau back to Candana, was purchased by Wardair for commercial flight use in 1987 before the Air Force in 1992 acquired it.
The aircraft that prolonged Trudeau’s stay in India was named “Flying Taj Mahal” by the opposition leader Jean Chrétien in the 1990s as it had opulent interior and lavish facilities.
Ironically, the VIP plane, which is also known as CANFORCE ONE, reportedly lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, and power cords are laid across the floors to facilitate passengers to recharge their devices on par with modern technology, which was missing when the plan was originally built.
According to media reports, the plane has a limited range and lacks fuel efficiency which necessitates it to halt at multiple refuelling stops for overseas trips.
However, it was not the first time that Trudeau’s this particular aircraft suffered a snag.
In October 2016, when Trudeau was heading to Belgium to sign the Canada-Europe free trade deal, the plane reported a mechanical snag and returned to Ottawa. After two years in 2018, on his visit to India, Trudeau’s aircraft developed an issue during a refuelling stop in Rome.
Trudeau’s plane suffered structural damage and engine problems during a NATO summit in 2019. Later, a backup aircraft was sent for PM Trudeau to fly him back to Canada.
The federal government has recently procured nine new Airbus planes to replace the ageing CC-150 Polaris fleet, reported The Canadian Press. One of these aircraft is designated for high-level officials like the prime minister, although it is not yet operational.
Meanwhile, Trudeau is scheduled to attend the Liberal caucus meeting in London on Wednesday. However, his office has not provided any comment on if he was still expected to attend.
The conspicuous delay in Trudeau’s departure was also due to the unscheduled diversion of the replacement aircraft, the Royal Canadian Air Force‘s CC-150 Polaris, which was supposed to land on Monday night.
Airbus 310-300, the VIP aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fleet of CC-150 Polaris, which was initially supposed to fly PM Trudeau back to Candana, was purchased by Wardair for commercial flight use in 1987 before the Air Force in 1992 acquired it.
The aircraft that prolonged Trudeau’s stay in India was named “Flying Taj Mahal” by the opposition leader Jean Chrétien in the 1990s as it had opulent interior and lavish facilities.
Ironically, the VIP plane, which is also known as CANFORCE ONE, reportedly lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, and power cords are laid across the floors to facilitate passengers to recharge their devices on par with modern technology, which was missing when the plan was originally built.
According to media reports, the plane has a limited range and lacks fuel efficiency which necessitates it to halt at multiple refuelling stops for overseas trips.
However, it was not the first time that Trudeau’s this particular aircraft suffered a snag.
In October 2016, when Trudeau was heading to Belgium to sign the Canada-Europe free trade deal, the plane reported a mechanical snag and returned to Ottawa. After two years in 2018, on his visit to India, Trudeau’s aircraft developed an issue during a refuelling stop in Rome.
Trudeau’s plane suffered structural damage and engine problems during a NATO summit in 2019. Later, a backup aircraft was sent for PM Trudeau to fly him back to Canada.
The federal government has recently procured nine new Airbus planes to replace the ageing CC-150 Polaris fleet, reported The Canadian Press. One of these aircraft is designated for high-level officials like the prime minister, although it is not yet operational.
Meanwhile, Trudeau is scheduled to attend the Liberal caucus meeting in London on Wednesday. However, his office has not provided any comment on if he was still expected to attend.
