Flair Airlines grows with addition of 13 new Boeing 737 MAX 8's

Photo: CTV News

While the travel industry and airlines, in particular, have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Flair Airlines is expanding.

A news release from Flair states, "Canada’s only ultra low-cost carrier, is expanding ambitiously with the addition of 13 new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft."

Canada approved the Boeing 737 Max to fly again in early January, ending a 22-month grounding that followed a pair of overseas crashes that took 346 lives and did serious damage to the company's reputation.

A modified version of the Boeing 737 Max, incorporating multiple safety upgrades, has been approved to resume flights in Europe as well.

Flair says the new aircraft will allow the company to achieve the lowest cost per seat mile of any Canadian airline. The aircraft will deliver fuel savings and cut the airlines CO2 emissions by 14 per cent. "Lower per passenger emissions are a vital step in lowering Flair’s carbon footprint as it works to become Canada’s greenest and most sustainable airline," states the news release.

“Canadians have been paying too much for too long. We must do our part to ensure affordable air travel is available to all Canadians across Canada if travel and tourism are to return this year,” says Stephen Jones, President & CEO of Flair Airlines.

“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. As a ULCC, we have an extraordinary impact on the lives of Canadians and the communities in which they live by making travel across the country affordable and accessible.”

The new 737-8 aircraft will come with a fresh, modern look to reflect the Flair brand and will be comfortably configured to seat 189 passengers and fly 6,570 km.

“In advance of the new 737-8 aircraft joining our fleet of existing 737-800s, Flair’s team of pilots, maintenance professionals, flight attendants and safety officers will conduct extensive testing and training programs,” says Jones.

“Our team continues to work tirelessly to ensure our processes and training help better our already impeccable safety standards. We look forward to working with Boeing and our regulators to ensure a smooth entry into service for this fantastic aircraft.”

Flair will lease the initial 13 aircraft from one of its significant financiers, 777 Partners, who recently entered into an agreement with Boeing for 24 new Boeing 737-8 aircraft along with options to purchase another 60 737-8 aircraft.

“The days of limited choices and frustration with high fares from legacy carriers are gone,” says Jones. “Flair, and ultra low-cost travel, is here to stay. No longer will Canadians pay a premium to explore their own country.”