Perennial start-up Canada Jetlines aims to launch in Q2 2022

Canada Jetlines, which has promised to launch a low-cost airline for years, is now setting its sights on beginning flights by Q2 2022. The Vancouver-based company, which has gone through numerous top management changes since coming onto the scene in 2015, says on 9 December that it has acquired its first aircraft, a used Airbus A320. That aircraft is scheduled to go into the paint shop on 18 December. Its interior will be refurbished in January before the jet arrives in Canada in February, executives say. The pandemic has created “a rare opportunity” to start a new airline, says chief executive Eddy Doyle. While fixed costs have remained stable, aircraft are much cheaper than they were two years ago. “So many airplanes are available in the market so that it provides great opportunities,” he says. Chairman of the board Ryan Goepel adds, “The only real differentiation you can get is what you acquire your aircraft at. We are getting the rates 50% of what they were pre-Covid. That builds a sustainable advantage.” Jetlines says it hopes to get two more A320s by July 2022, three more by June 2023 and five more by June 2024. In mid-2025 the airline aims to have a fleet of 15 aircraft. They will all be configured in a single class, with 180 seats. <br/>