Company Shells out for Flair air

Photo: Contributed - Flair Airlines Ltd

Kelowna‐based Flair Airlines Ltd. has entered a exciting ten year agreement with Shell Canada Energy Ltd. to provide exclusive air charter transportation services within Canada.

The agreement is a major opportunity for Flair, which has been operating in the charter passenger services business for eight years, to expand and to solidify its position in workforce transportation, positioning Flair as a major operator in that sector.

Flair which is is affiliated with well known Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd was founded as a charter airline in 2005. 

According to Flair they have had customers ranging from tour companies,to government agencies and private corporations in Canada and the U.S.

Between 2007 and 2010 Flair was the exclusive supplier of large aircraft lift to Shell’s Albian Sands project where, at its peak, the airline was moving over 10,000 construction workers per month from 14 points across Canada into Shell’s project site, north of Fort McMurray.

“We have enjoyed a productive and successful working relationship with Shell” said Jim Rogers, President and owner of Flair,

"This agreement will not only strengthen this relationship but also positions us strategically in a way that will help us to continue to grow our business, both here in Kelowna and across Canada," adds Rogers.

The agreement between Flair and Shell covers a wide range of service offerings from their traditional air charter services to providing logistics planning, passenger reservations and 3rd party charter aircraft procurement.

“This is a good deal for both Flair and Shell. It gives Shell an experienced, dedicated air services provider which can adapt easily to their changing requirements and one that can also deliver cost savings over their current model. For Flair, it is a ten‐year opportunity to share an alliance with a major player in the energy development sector in Western Canada," says Chris
Lapointe, Flair’s Vice‐President.

“The reality is that in order to attract skilled workers, resource development companies are increasingly moving to a development model that includes comprehensive air transportation, which connects ‘lifestyle’ communities, such as Kelowna, Calgary and Comox, with those high value/high skill northern jobs. This is great for a town like Kelowna, a place where people want to live and raise their families," says Lapointe.

Flair Airlines currently employs 90 people, based in Kelowna, Calgary and Eastern Canada.

Flair Airlines operates a fleet of four B737 aircraft and will add additional equipment and personnel as part of the new deal with Shell.

Photo: Contributed - Flair Airlines Ltd