The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that Canada's airline profitability, which reached a 20-year high last year, is expected to soften because of higher fuel and labour costs. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe says that a Conference Board of Canada report argues that airline pretax profits are forecast to drop 27 per cent to $1.32-billion as increasing costs outpace higher revenues that are forecast to approach $32-billion. Canadian airlines posted their highest revenue and profit levels last year since the board began collecting data in 1997. "Some of the main tailwinds Canada's air transportation industry has benefited from in the past two years, primarily low fuel costs and a weaker loonie that is bolstering U.S. and foreign demand, will slowly reverse themselves over the next five years," Conference Board economist Sabrina Bond stated. However, air travel demand continues to grow thanks to strengthening employment in Canada and the United States. The Conference Board said fuel, which accounts for about one-third of airline costs, will rise while employee costs will grow as new or expanded routes will require airlines to hire 6,000 more people over the next five years.