Canada’s Flair Airlines ends B737 Classic ops

Flair Airlines (F8, Kelowna) has transitioned to an all-B737-800 fleet following the retirement and subsequent sale of its last four B737-400s last month. Speaking to Western Aviation News in late July, the Canadian budget carrier’s chief executive Jim Scott said it would now pursue additional B737-800s. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Flair operates three B737-800s of which two are leased from Zephyrus Aviation Capital and one from CMB Financial Leasing. The trio currently connects Toronto Pearson, Vancouver Int’l, Calgary, Edmonton Int’l, Winnipeg Int’l, and Kelowna. “[The B737-400 sale] puts those airplanes [i.e. the -800s] up almost to full utilization,” he said. “If we were to plug in the Atlantic Canada portion, we’d have them at full capacity and it would allow us to bring back 60% of our pilots and flight attendants.” According to Canada’s Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, privately-owned Flair Airlines applied for government assistance in July to help tide it through the COVID-19 crisis.