A former Air Canada captain has been arrested and charged with fraud and other offenses for allegedly commanding more than 900 domestic and international flights over a 17-year period without the required airline transport pilot licence.

Peel Regional Police in Ontario announced the charges on Tuesday, following a four-month investigation into the former captain, identified as 59-year-old Geoffrey Wall. The police allege that Wall used fraudulent pilot licences to operate flights between 2009 and his retirement in 2025, deceiving both Air Canada and aviation authorities.

Authorities stated that while Wall possessed a valid commercial pilot licence, he lacked the airline transport pilot licence, which is the highest certification necessary to captain large commercial aircraft. The charges include one count of fraud, two counts of uttering forged documents, three counts of possessing a counterfeit trademark, and one count of public mischief.

Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah expressed deep concern, stating that the accused allegedly put hundreds of thousands of passengers at risk across the numerous flights. The investigation has gathered evidence suggesting Wall's deception regarding his credentials.

Air Canada has responded to the allegations, calling them "utmost seriousness" but asserted that passenger safety was not compromised. The airline pointed to mandatory semi-annual pilot training and annual flight checks with certified pilots as measures ensuring competency. Air Canada stated that Wall had consistently met or exceeded these training requirements and demonstrated a high level of competency.

The airline confirmed that immediately upon discovering the issue, the individual was removed from active duty, and the matter was voluntarily reported to Transport Canada. An internal audit initiated by Air Canada following the discovery found no other instances of pilots failing to meet licensing requirements.

Hassan Shahidi, president of the US-based Flight Safety Foundation, characterized the charges as an "exceptionally rare case." He indicated that if the allegations are proven true, the primary concern would not be an untrained individual flying airliners, but rather the system's failure to detect the alleged fraudulent credentials over such an extended period.

Air Canada stated it is cooperating fully with Transport Canada's review of the matter. The airline did not provide further comment beyond its initial statement, and attempts to reach Wall's legal representatives for comment were unsuccessful.