Air travel could soon get more competitive in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area (GTHA) with one airline saying it’s prepared to offer base air fare comparable to the cost of a pair of jeans.
Canada Jetlines has announced that it’s working to operate an ultra low-cost model out of Hamilton’s John C. Munro International Airport and Waterloo International Airport, starting next summer.
CEO Stan Gadek says passengers will be offered a guarantee of the lowest base fare to the cities it plans to serve, such as Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary and Halifax.
“It will be about the same as the cost of a pair of jeans, quite honestly,” said Gadek.
“Now jeans come in all sizes and styles and all prices but these are going to very affordable jeans.”
Although Gadek did not pinpoint what total airfare would be due to variables such as the time of year and market prices, he did note that the company will be looking to offer fares under $100.
Gadek says even with added fees, such as checking a bag, the cost will remain lower than what is being offered by big carriers in both Canada and the U.S.
Canada Jetlines expects to launch June 1, 2018, with two planes to start.
Six months in, the goal is to expand to six aircraft serving 23 markets including locations in Mexico and Florida.
Meantime, Flair Airlines, a low-cost carrier already operating out of Hamilton, is ready to expand.
Flair is adding Toronto, Vancouver and Kelowna as cities it will fly to regularly beginning in mid-December.
By spring of 2019, Flair is hoping to increase its fleet of planes to 12.
Since launching last year the airline has flown over 3,000 flights.
Comments