[ Routes ]November 5, 2022 2:00 pm ET
By John Flett
Canada Jetlines Expands A320 Fleet and Destinations After Receiving Partial US Approval
Canada Jetlines has been granted “economic authority” by the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide service the U.S. The new Canadian leisure carrier expects the Federal Aviation Administration to give the required approvals by the end of the year for the carrier to start operating to the U.S.
“We are looking forward to expand our international network, as the U.S. is a top market for Canadian travelers,” Eddy Doyle, President and Chief Executive Officer of the airline said in a statement. “With the winter months fast approaching, we know sun destinations will be a priority for leisure travel and we intend to announce our first international destination later this month.”
Canada Jetlines began operations on Sept. 22 with an inaugural service from its hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport to Calgary International Airport. The first flight came exactly a month after the Canadian Transportation Agency issued the airline with licenses to operate “domestic, non-scheduled international and scheduled international service.”
The airline currently flies with a single Airbus A320 aircraft but recently signed a lease agreement for its second. The new A320-200 will be leased from CCB Leasing and is expected to join Canada Jetlines by the end of November.
“The Airbus A320 is a fuel-efficient, narrow-body framework that supports a high-density seat configuration,” said Mr. Doyle. Though this is only the carrier’s second A320, the airline is forecasting a fleet of 15 by 2025.
According to the announcement of the second A320 “the aircraft cabin will be configured with the new Recaro 3530 seats, in-seat USB power, and personal electronic device holder. The airline will also install the Flymingo Box system, which offers an enhanced passenger experience through its wireless inflight entertainment.”
Since its inaugural service in September, Canada Jetlines has been operating twice-a-week services between Toronto and Calgary. Starting in December, the airline will commence a twice-weekly service from Toronto to Vancouver International Airport. In terms of passenger traffic, this new service will link the two busiest airports in Canada.
“Following the launch of a successful first route out of Toronto, we look forward to expanding our services into Vancouver ahead of the upcoming holiday travel season. We seek to provide Canadian travelers with more convenient travel options and look forward to bringing the country’s newest leisure airline to [Vancouver International Airport],” Chief Commercial Officer Duncan Bureau said in a statement.
Canada Jetlines’ launch this year came after a prolonged postponement due to the pandemic and other issues. The carrier had hoped to commence services in August of this year from Toronto to the Canadian cities of Moncton and Winnipeg but these were delayed and eventually changed to the Toronto to Calgary inaugural as regulatory approval for the other services was not granted in time.
John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry.
During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team that created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff, balancing a mix of corporate and social content.
John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a Masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. He has been the course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university and a member of Heathrow Community Trust’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.
John is currently living in Canada and is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and other aviation-related organizations.
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