Following a recent commercial dispute which resulted in the seizure of four aircraft from Canadian operator Flair Airlines earlier this month, the carrier has now moved to issue a formal statement on the situation.
Last week’s seizure
In what was described as a “commercial dispute”, four aircraft on lease to the Canadian carrier flair airlines was seized last week by the lessor.
The aircraft were seized in Toronto, Edmonton and Waterloo, Ontario, resulting in an impact on the airlines flight scheduling.
According to the news source Terrace Standard, the airline was forced to cancel some flights over the weekend of March 12-13. However, the airline then used three reserve aircraft to backfill those flights.
Statement by Flair Airlines
Flair begins by noting that since inception, the airline has “faced significant resistance in challenging the status quo of an industry weighted by monopolistic practice.”
“We accept that resistance will continue, as will our response,” the airline states.
With respect to the unusual seizure of their aircraft by the US-based lessor Airborne Capital, Flair Airlines characterises the move as “unlawful and immeasurably destructive actions” which it says were taken on the first weekend of many of our customers’ school breaks.
The lawsuit filed by Flair Airlines
As a result, on March 14th 2023, Flair Airlines filed a lawsuit against Airborne Capital with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
[monsterinsights_popular_posts_inline]
The carrier states that “Airborne Capital’s actions have caused enormous disruption to the customers Flair serves.”
“We have deployed a dedicated team who have taken steps to ensure affected passengers can conclude their journeys with minimal disruption, rebooking hundreds of travellers on flights with Flair Airlines, or another airline, at no additional cost.”
Flair Airlines went on to advise that it will continue to fly its schedule. To facilitate the continuation of its scheduled operations, the Canadian carrier has brought all four additional planes into service.
The airline goes on to state that: “Through our lower airfares, and our impact on airfares across the board, Flair has saved Canadians over $252M in 2022, offering a nearly 60% reduction to the market average of the same routes prior to the pandemic.”
“We take great pride in employing more than 1,000 people across the country, with a tangible economic impact to the communities we serve and the more than 35 destinations where we fly.”
About Flair
Flair Airlines is a Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier that was founded in 2005 as a charter airline.
The airline is based in Edmonton, Alberta, and operates scheduled passenger services to various destinations across Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Flair Airlines operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which are configured with all-economy class seating.
The airline maintains a focus on providing affordable travel options to its passengers, and as an ultra-low-cost carrier, it aims to keep its operational costs as low as possible.
The carrier closed its latest statement with a resolute commitment to continued operations, saying: “We are here to stay, and we will keep flying.”
