‘Extreme and unusual’: Why did Flair have 4 of its planes seized this weekend?
In a transfer described by Flair as “extreme and unusual,” a New York-based hedge fund seized 4 of the airline’s planes over the weekend, leading to various cancelled flights.
The low-cost airline mentioned it will work to rebook prospects or reimburse them, however the cancellations left as many as 1,300 passengers stranded and pissed off, particularly these travelling for March break.
Here’s what we all know concerning the flight disruptions.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Flair introduced in a sequence of tweets Saturday night time that it skilled “service disruptions” at airports in Toronto, Edmonton and Waterloo, Ont.
The seizures concerned two plane in Toronto and one every in Edmonton and Waterloo.
“We are very sorry to our passengers who were impacted. We know unforeseen interruptions to travel are stressful, and we are doing everything we can to get our customers to their destinations as soon as possible,” the tweets learn partly.
An announcement from the airline described the problem as a “commercial dispute,” with firm spokesperson Mike Arnot confirming that Flair leased its planes from an organization referred to as Airborne Capital.
Citing an individual aware of the matter, The Canadian Press reported that funds for the affected planes have been a number of days behind, with the quantity owed being comparatively small.
“Roughly a million dollars in slightly overdue lease payments,” Flair CEO Stephen Jones mentioned, as reported by CTV News Atlantic. “We really want to find a conceptual solution with the lessor on this because we think that the dispute is minor and the actions were unwarranted.”
Jones additionally mentioned he was conscious of just below 1,300 passengers who had their plans disrupted.
Meanwhile, the corporate mentioned it’s concerned in “ongoing communications” with the leasing firm and “payment has been initiated.”
“Flair Airlines will continue to engage in a consensual mediation with the lessor to remedy the situation,” the airline mentioned.
WHAT IS FLAIR DOING?
The airline mentioned it has three spare plane to backfill the cancelled flights and that it didn’t count on any main disruptions to its route map.
The firm mentioned Saturday night time on Twitter that affected prospects might rebook their flights with Flair or one other airline, with the assistance of a devoted workforce, at no further price.
Customers might additionally rebook their very own journey and obtain a reimbursement from Flair inside seven days.
“We sincerely apologize for this disruption, especially during a busy travel weekend, and we thank our customers for their patience,” the airline mentioned.
“Our team is dedicated to rebooking all affected customers. We guarantee we will work to get you to your destination as soon as we can.”
HOW HAVE PASSENGERS REACTED?
Air travellers have shared their tales with CTV News, detailing the impact that the flight disruptions have had on their travels or these of their relations.
Some mentioned that Flair initially instructed them their flights have been cancelled on account of “unanticipated upkeep delays inside (the) airline’s management, however required for security.”
A airplane could possibly be seen sitting on the tarmac, with covers over its generators, at Region of Waterloo International Airport after a number of flights involving Flair have been cancelled.
“The arriving and departing flights changed to cancel at the exact same time,” mentioned Andrea Thompson, who booked a flight with Flair in December for a visit from Halifax to Toronto together with her daughter.
She ended up shopping for airplane tickets to Ottawa and a prepare experience from there to Toronto, spending an extra $600.
“I’ve now lost a whole entire day of our vacation, and we’re only here until Tuesday morning. So I’m really angry. I’m tired,” she mentioned.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR FLAIR?
Flair, which launched in 2004 as a constitution airline and started providing often scheduled service in 2018, has made various latest bulletins on service and fleet expansions because it goals to be Canada’s third-largest home airline.
John Gradeck, a lecturer at McGill University’s faculty of aviation administration, instructed CTV’s Your Morning on Monday that the seizure of Flair’s planes comes at a really inopportune time.
“This is like your mortgage being picked up by your bank and basically they change the lock on the front door,” he mentioned.
Gradeck mentioned there are questions as to why Flair had three spare plane that weren’t already flying.
“These airplanes are hundred million dollar airplanes each, so unless you have a lot of cash in your pocket, which most of these carriers don’t have, their easiest way to get these aircraft operating is leases,” he mentioned.
Gradeck described the scenario as a “black eye” for Flair however hoped it would not be an indication of additional hassle, given the necessity for such low-cost carriers.
“It gives you a bad look in the court of public opinion where you’re cancelling flights, you’re delaying passengers, it’s not a good look,” mentioned Phyl Durdey, CEO of Flightline Training Services in Brampton, Ont.
Flair had beforehand been concerned in a longstanding subject over overseas possession.
In June 2022, the Canadian Transportation Agency dominated that Flair was Canadian and will hold its licence after the airline rejigged the composition of its board to make sure at the very least half the administrators are Canadians. Flair additionally ended any distinctive shareholder rights by a Miami-based investor, which it owes a big debt.
With recordsdata from CTVNewsAtlantic.ca Video Journalist Hafsa Arif, CTVNewsKitchener.ca Digital Content Producer Daniel Caudle, CTV News Kitchener Videographer Colton Wiens and The Canadian Press
