It seemed like a simple business expansion. Air Creebec wanted to expand its operations in the Lac St-Jean region by adding a daily Alma-Montreal flight.

But Air Creebec’s plan has walked into an unexpected political storm.

The mayor of Alma has refused to let Air Creebec use the city’s airport. He even threatened to launch a boycott campaign against Air Canada – an affiliate of Air Creebec – if the Cree-owned airline persists in trying to start a Alma-Montreal flight.

Quebec Natural Resources Minister Jacques Brassard, who represents the Lac St-Jean in the National Assembly, has also weighed into the dispute. He told reporters last year that Air Creebec’s move could put regionally-owned Air Alma out of business. He said there’s only room for one airline in the city.

Air Creebec went to court last year in an attempt to get access to the Alma airport, which is owned by the municipality.

“When the airport was transferred from Transport Canada to the city, there was a clause that everyone could use it,” said Air Creebec president Albert Diamond.

“It’s a public airport. The terminal should be public also,” said Dave Bertrand, the Cree airline’s director-general.

Diamond said Air Creebec is in a good position to attract flyers on the Alma-Montreal route away from Air Alma.

Air Creebec’s modern Beech 1900D plane is pressurized, bigger and faster than Air Alma’s Embraer Banviterante, which isn’t pressurized and so can’t fly high enough to avoid bad weather.

The Cree airline already has a daily flight between Montreal and the Lac St-Jean city of Roberval, which is only 20 minutes by plane from Alma. This flight now breaks even, but a stop in Alma would allow it to start making a profit for Air Creebec, said Diamond.

Air Alma is worried about the competition. Its Alma-Montreal flight is the core of its business. The airline’s president, Jacques Simard, says the terminal is too small for two airlines. “It’s a small terminal. It’s not Dorval. There isn’t room for more airlines.”

Air Creebec’s Bertrand disputes this: “We feel there is room.”

But the dispute may soon be taken over by developments in Canada’s restructuring airline industry. In November, Air Canada became the country’s sole national airline after it bought Canadian Airlines.

The two airlines each had their own network of regional affiliates. Air Creebec, for example, is affiliated with Air Canada. This means Air Creebec customers qualify for Aeroplan points and are part of Air Canada’s ticket-reservation system.

Air Alma, on the other hand, was a Canadian Airlines affiliate.

Air Canada is now figuring out how to integrate Canadian Airlines affiliates and their flights into its existing network.

Air Creebec is hoping that it – and not Air Alma – will be Air Canada’s new connector for the Alma-Montreal route. If that happens. Air Alma’s days may indeed be numbered.