First Air was a Canadian regional airline specializing in scheduled passenger and cargo services to remote communities across northern Canada, including Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and northern Quebec. Operating as one of the largest northern carriers in Canada, it played a vital role in linking isolated Arctic communities with southern urban centers. The airline was founded in 1946 and grew to become a significant lifeline for communities with limited surface transportation options, offering both passenger routes and critical cargo supply services. First Air was wholly owned by the Makivik Corporation, an Inuit organization representing the Inuit of Nunavik. In 2019, First Air merged with Canadian North, another northern Canadian carrier, to form a single unified airline operating under the Canadian North name. The merger was aimed at improving service reliability and sustainability for northern communities.