Plane Prices, Jobs, and Flights at Risk After Trump Threatens Canada With Aircraft Tariffs
Air travel costs, aerospace jobs, and aircraft availability could face immediate disruption after President Donald Trump threatened sweeping tariffs and certification action against Canadian-made planes.
Airlines, manufacturers, and workers on both sides of the border are now bracing for delays and higher costs tied directly to the warning. For travelers and aviation workers, the pressure shows up not as politics, but as uncertainty around flights, pricing, and jobs.
The threat centers on a possible 50% tariff on all aircraft imported from Canada and a pledge to decertify Canadian-made planes until Canada approves certification of several Gulfstream business jets. Even before any formal action, the announcement alone is enough to slow decisions across the aviation industry. Airlines, leasing firms, and manufacturers tend to pause orders and expansion plans when certification or trade rules appear unstable.
The warning came after Trump said the situation must be “immediately corrected,” linking aircraft trade directly to certification disputes.
While a White House official later said the president was not suggesting decertifying planes already in service, uncertainty remains over what future deliveries and approvals could be affected. That ambiguity matters because aviation planning works months and years ahead, not week to week.
More than 5,000 Canadian-made aircraft are currently registered in the United States, according to aviation data provider Cirium. These include regional jets, business aircraft, helicopters, and commercial planes relied on by U.S. carriers for daily operations. Any disruption to certification or imports would ripple quickly through airline schedules, maintenance planning, and fleet availability.
U.S. airlines including American Airlines and Delta Air Lines depend on Canadian-built aircraft for regional services. Even the risk of new tariffs can raise costs for carriers, which are often passed along to passengers through ticket prices or reduced service on less profitable routes. For travelers, that can mean fewer options or higher fares rather than immediate cancellations.
The impact is not limited to airlines. Bombardier, which produces the Global Express family of business jets, employs thousands of workers in the United States and Canada. The company warned that prolonged uncertainty could create “significant impact to air traffic and the flying public,” a concern echoed by labor groups representing aerospace workers.
Unions said the threats could put thousands of jobs at risk across North America, affecting manufacturing, maintenance, and support services. When companies cannot be sure planes will be certified or economically viable to sell, hiring slows and investment decisions are delayed. Workers often feel that hesitation long before any official policy change takes effect.
Aviation experts also raised concerns about mixing trade pressure with aircraft certification, which is traditionally based on safety rather than economics.
While U.S. officials have suggested the Federal Aviation Administration may lack legal authority to revoke certifications for economic reasons, the lack of clarity itself has consequences. Airlines and manufacturers do not wait for legal arguments to be resolved before protecting themselves from risk.
The uncertainty extends beyond Bombardier. It is not yet clear which aircraft would fall under any potential tariffs, including planes such as the Airbus A220, which has Canadian production roots but also assembly operations in the United States. That complexity adds another layer of hesitation for buyers and operators.
What happens next depends on whether the threats turn into formal policy or are used as leverage in negotiations. If tariffs or certification actions move forward, costs and delays are likely to spread quickly across the aviation sector. If tensions ease, some pressure could lift, but uncertainty may linger.
For passengers, workers, and businesses tied to aviation, the issue is not abstract. It shows up in ticket prices that stop falling, routes that do not expand, and jobs that remain on hold. Even without immediate enforcement, the warning alone has already changed how decisions are being made.
As airlines and manufacturers wait for clarity, the practical effect is delay. And in aviation, delay often translates into higher costs and fewer choices long before any final decision is announced.
