Flair Airlines has confirmed that it will be suspending all flights out of Saskatchewan, ending its thrice-weekly service from Saskatoon to Toronto next month.
A release from the Edmonton-based airline said the last flight will be on Nov. 25, while the budget airline concentrates on “high-demand routes” like Vancouver to Toronto and Calgary to Toronto.
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Flair first started flying out of Saskatoon in 2020. In 2022, the airline stopped its flights out of Regina, and in 2023 it cancelled its Saskatoon to Calgary service.
In a statement, the Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport called the move unfortunate.
“While it is unfortunate that the airline has made the decision to suspend the flights, we continue to actively discuss and pursue the effective return of Flair to Saskatoon,” it said.
“Currently Flair operates only the Toronto route three days per week and therefore this route remains well served by other airlines (seasonally and year-round) to ensure connectivity for our community to these important hub destinations.
Other airlines that still fly out of the airport include Air Canada, West Jet and Rise Air.
Flair Airlines said it is looking to add more aircraft to its fleet in 2025, which would then allow for them to revisit the routes in highest demand across Canada.
Flair has struggled for years to stay solvent and within regulatory lines, as the airline repeatedly crossed paths with the courts.
In January Flair CEO Stephen Jones said he was putting expansion plans on hold for at least a year as it contends with plane delivery delays and hefty debts, including $67.2 million in unpaid taxes owed to the federal government.
In 2023, Flair saw four of its planes repossessed in the middle of the night after aircraft leasing manager Airborne Capital claimed that the company had regularly missed rent payments that amounted to millions of dollars over the preceding five months.
— with files from CKOM’s Shane Clausing and Canadian Press
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