Flair Airlines - expansion plan?

[Spacedog]

Anyone with info on when Flair plans to expand? As far as I know they only have 3 aircraft, but have recently had interviews to hire more pilots. Has anyone been given a course date? Are there more aircraft on the way and when?

[JakeLRS]

Perhaps today's announcement makes it clear!

Flair will acquire 13 Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft and begin taking them in THIS YEAR (through its finance partner, 777 partners).

Press Release: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-rele ... craft.html

[dhc#]

From the article.... "With this order, Flair is well on the way to achieving its “F50” ambition of growing to 50 planes within five years."

[Arnie Pye]

I have a friend who started with them just prior to COVID. He was expecting a recall for the first week of March. Now that's been pushed back to late march. the orders and delivery dates for the MAX are firmed up so they can't push back forever.

[Jumbo744]

This is great news. They are working hard to make this airline successful. The operation is managed by excellent people and with the new CEO they have just appointed, they have all the ingredients to become huge.

[Old fella]

This is great news. They are working hard to make this airline successful. The operation is managed by excellent people and with the new CEO they have just appointed, they have all the ingredients to become huge.

Certainly is positive news , no doubt about it. They(Flair) have been around a bit and are hanging in there , tis obvious they are doing something right. If there is an unfortunate demise of a major player aka Swoop, Encore, Jazz or Porter or mergers Flair could position itself to pick up some of the pieces. The travelling public(me) really don’t care about aircraft colours or type as long as the service is safe, reliable and fares are reasonable. Good luck to your airline.

[Jumbo744]

This is great news. They are working hard to make this airline successful. The operation is managed by excellent people and with the new CEO they have just appointed, they have all the ingredients to become huge.

Certainly is positive news , no doubt about it. They(Flair) have been around a bit and are hanging in there , tis obvious they are doing something right. If there is an unfortunate demise of a major player aka Swoop, Encore, Jazz or Porter or mergers Flair could position itself to pick up some of the pieces. The travelling public(me) really don’t care about aircraft colours or type as long as the service is safe, reliable and fares are reasonable. Good luck to your airline.

I agree! (I am not a Flair pilot)

[Dias]

I think they're going to be bankrupt before the end of the year.

[Old fella]

This is great news. They are working hard to make this airline successful. The operation is managed by excellent people and with the new CEO they have just appointed, they have all the ingredients to become huge.

Certainly is positive news , no doubt about it. They(Flair) have been around a bit and are hanging in there , tis obvious they are doing something right. If there is an unfortunate demise of a major player aka Swoop, Encore, Jazz or Porter or mergers Flair could position itself to pick up some of the pieces. The travelling public(me) really don’t care about aircraft colours or type as long as the service is safe, reliable and fares are reasonable. Good luck to your airline.

I agree! (I am not a Flair pilot)

Ok. Sorry as I thought you were as you seemed to be tooting their horn. Let me be clear in that there is certainly nothing wrong in doing such.

Cheers.

[Loner]

I think they're going to be bankrupt before the end of the year.

Wow ****, your first post! A negative one too! Way to go!

[dhc#]

I think they're going to be bankrupt before the end of the year.

Wow ****, your first post! A negative one too! Way to go!

Maybe the opinion is COVID related...you know a False-Positive

[flying4dollars]

This is great news. They are working hard to make this airline successful. The operation is managed by excellent people and with the new CEO they have just appointed, they have all the ingredients to become huge.

Certainly is positive news , no doubt about it. They(Flair) have been around a bit and are hanging in there , tis obvious they are doing something right. If there is an unfortunate demise of a major player aka Swoop, Encore, Jazz or Porter or mergers Flair could position itself to pick up some of the pieces. The travelling public(me) really don’t care about aircraft colours or type as long as the service is safe, reliable and fares are reasonable. Good luck to your airline.

Your theory is quite bang on. I can tell you that a tremendous amount of work, trial and error and dedication has been put in to ensure the airline's survival and not end up another statistic such as the likes of Zoom, Jetsgo, Roots etc. Don't get me wrong, Flair has been on the verge of failure before, but the right decisions were made at the time to ensure it didn't cause a total collapse. They've garnered the rights support and employees are all in. It's pretty exciting.

[flying4dollars]

I think they're going to be bankrupt before the end of the year.

I have heard that each year since I started here. Brb heading to MIA for MAX training.

[Dias]

And in a year you'll be saying it wasn't Flair's fault! They did everything right. It was Covid and the ignorant passengers that won't fly on the MAX. It was the government that wouldn't let us fly to our destinations or even to another province. Yeah that's what I mean.

[Old fella]

This is great news. They are working hard to make this airline successful. The operation is managed by excellent people and with the new CEO they have just appointed, they have all the ingredients to become huge.

Certainly is positive news , no doubt about it. They(Flair) have been around a bit and are hanging in there , tis obvious they are doing something right. If there is an unfortunate demise of a major player aka Swoop, Encore, Jazz or Porter or mergers Flair could position itself to pick up some of the pieces. The travelling public(me) really don’t care about aircraft colours or type as long as the service is safe, reliable and fares are reasonable. Good luck to your airline.

Your theory is quite bang on. I can tell you that a tremendous amount of work, trial and error and dedication has been put in to ensure the airline's survival and not end up another statistic such as the likes of Zoom, Jetsgo, Roots etc. Don't get me wrong, Flair has been on the verge of failure before, but the right decisions were made at the time to ensure it didn't cause a total collapse. They've garnered the rights support and employees are all in. It's pretty exciting.

Well.... wishing your airline nothing but the very best in the coming years, a successful airline helps us all. If you plan to expand into the Maritimes at some future point, I will try to give Flair a whirl, situation permitting.

Good luck .

[rudder]

For over 3 decades, SWA has used the strategy of expanding while the competition is retreating (typically demonstrated during recessions). SWA tried the same strategy last year but itself retreated when it realized that there was not enough demand to do so profitably.

It will be interesting to see if the COVID induced recession will create the same opportunities in Canada. Most critical difference between CA and US is size of domestic market. The “If you fly it - they will come” strategy is a challenge in a market of just 35 million vs 350 million.

[Big Pistons Forever]

By this time next year the money behind Flair will be lauded as visionaries who recognized the wave and jumped on before anybody else; or they will be castigated as naïve idiots who did not have a clue. They are all in and there is still 2 cards face down on the table.....

[Dias]

And the executives taking that massive gamble are going to either come out as heroes or walk away with a golden handshake and all the money they pocketed from their massive salary. It's win-win for them.

[flying4dollars]

All very good points above and I agree with double edged sword.

Don't get me wrong, there is a calculated risk involved with what they are doing, but the rewards for it being successful are quite huge. They are trying to time the expansion with the mass vaccination roll out by summer. Keep in mind, 13 airplanes wont just show up in one morning. It'll be one or 2 a month for the foreseeable future. Also, the fact the planes are being leased to them by one of their biggest investors gives them an immense amount of flexibility. I believe it is why the deal was structured the way it was. Flair is nimble with a generally low overhead and only getting more efficient. It's why they have been able to survive so far. Hopefully they can continue moving forward because it's good for aviation in Canada in general.

[Boreas]

All very good points above and I agree with double edged sword.

Don't get me wrong, there is a calculated risk involved with what they are doing, but the rewards for it being successful are quite huge. They are trying to time the expansion with the mass vaccination roll out by summer. Keep in mind, 13 airplanes wont just show up in one morning. It'll be one or 2 a month for the foreseeable future. Also, the fact the planes are being leased to them by one of their biggest investors gives them an immense amount of flexibility. I believe it is why the deal was structured the way it was. Flair is nimble with a generally low overhead and only getting more efficient. It's why they have been able to survive so far. Hopefully they can continue moving forward because it's good for aviation in Canada in general.

Couldn't agree more! Wish you guys all the best.

[Bede]

I think they're going to be bankrupt before the end of the year.

I remember 20 years ago I worked for an air ambulance outfit. 2 new companies started- the first with expensive airplanes, big investors, free boxed lunches for crews, etc. The second flew old PC-12, and operated on a shoe string. We were all sitting around the crew room talking about how the first company was going to be setting the standard for air ambulance operations and the second would be out of business within a year.

Well, the first company was out of business in a year, and the plucky upstart is still around 20 years later.

[Soyer]

I think they're going to be bankrupt before the end of the year.

I remember 20 years ago I worked for an air ambulance outfit. 2 new companies started- the first with expensive airplanes, big investors, free boxed lunches for crews, etc. The second flew old PC-12, and operated on a shoe string. We were all sitting around the crew room talking about how the first company was going to be setting the standard for air ambulance operations and the second would be out of business within a year.

Well, the first company was out of business in a year, and the plucky upstart is still around 20 years later.

Except in the airline world new, efficient aircraft have been proven to be the winner. Max's are now available at lease rates that are identical to what the NG was leasing for just a year ago. Max's burn 14% less fuel for the same cost. New aircraft have set and know maintenance costs.

It is exactly why the winner around the globe have taken on that strategy.

[flying4dollars]

Well.... wishing your airline nothing but the very best in the coming years, a successful airline helps us all. If you plan to expand into the Maritimes at some future point, I will try to give Flair a whirl, situation permitting.

Good luck .

Thanks pal! Maritime expansion is definitely in the route structure. Just need the bubble to burst and interprovincial travel to be completely open before we fly in. Mark my words, when that happens, we will connect with the Maritimes.

[Soyer]

Good quick article confirmingteh order for 24 Max's:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boei ... SKBN2B41JT

[rooster]

[YouTube] https://youtu.be/5fQjrIxoNjE[/YouTube]

Flair pilot salary

Umm, okay??

On another note, are there going to be more bases than YVR and YYZ? And is YEG still a base?