On the heels of having four jets seized for non-payment and the resulting industry scrutiny, Ultra-low Cost Carrier (ULCC) Flair Airlines has announced improvements in its business operations.
Open Jaw attended a media call on 31MAY during which Flair CEO Stephen Jones expressed confidence in the airline's progress, stating that the MAR incident is now "in the rearview mirror" for the company.
Jones stated that Flair Airlines plans to continue growing in the coming year, with additional capacity on the horizon.
A number of other significant expansions were reviewed. As Open Jaw reported earlier this spring, Flair is establishing a new base on WestJet's home turf, in YYC. According to the airline, by JUL 2023, the Calgary base will feature three aircraft, a maintenance facility and hangar, and create nearly 150 jobs.
Jones also reported a 35 per cent increase in capacity for the months of APR, MAY, and JUN 2023 compared with the same period last year. As travellers take back to the skies, load factors for APR and MAY reached 90 per cent.
Looking ahead, Jones announced Flair Airlines' plans to expand its fleet by adding two additional aircraft to the existing 19 for summer. According to Jones, the expansion aligns with the airline's commitment to meet rising customer demand during the busy travel season.
As far as distribution is concerned, the direct model will continue to be a cornerstone of the ULCC. Jones claims Flair Airlines' direct-to-consumer strategy is what allows the airline to keep its costs low and offer affordable fares.
“The way that we keep our costs as low as possible is to keep a direct connection with our customers,” he said.
It could be argued that, historically, Canadian airlines haven't truly taken off until retailers were given control of the joystick.
While highlighting the operational progress, the privately-owned company did not provide specific details about its current financial situation.
