Canada’s Flair Airlines to add 13 B737 MAX 8s

Flair Airlines (F8, Kelowna) will acquire thirteen B737-8s with deliveries due to start in early 2021, spearheading the low-cost carrier’s ambitious strategy to expand in the post-COVID market. “Our efficient new aircraft will provide us the foundation to execute our ULCC business model. These planes will enable us to keep fares low while expanding our service to meet travel demand,” President and Chief Executive Stephen Jones said. The Canadian low-cost carrier will lease all 13 aircraft from 777 Partners, which recently placed a firm order for twenty-four B737 MAX 8s with Boeing with options for a further 60. 777 Partners is a Miami-based investment firm which co-funds Flair Airlines. Flair Airlines will configure the aircraft for 189 passengers. The LCC currently operates three B737-800s but has plans to expand to 50 aircraft in five years’ time. Jones has previously called the -800s “transition aircraft” which are “good but not the best we can get”. Flair’s network is currently limited to services connecting Montréal Trudeau and Toronto Pearson each with Edmonton Int’l and Calgary. It said it was now collecting expressions of interest from airports to plan its Canadian network growth. Flair Airlines markets itself as the only independent LCC in Canada. Other LCCs active in the country – Swoop (WO, Hamilton, ON) and Air Canada rouge (RV, Toronto Pearson) – are owned by WestJet and Air Canada respectively.