Canada’s Flair Airlines Enters Mexican Market

Credit: Getty Images/Danny Lehman

Canadian ULCC Flair Airlines over the weekend extended its reach into Mexico, which has become the fast-growing carrier’s latest expansion target.

Flair launched service to Los Cabos (SJD), Mexico, from Canadian cities Abbotsford (YXX), Edmonton (YEG) and Vancouver (YVR). All three SJD routes, which commenced Feb. 5, will operate 1X-weekly.

Flair also on Feb. 5 inaugurated Ottawa (YOW)-Cancun (CUN) service and on Feb. 6 launched Kitchener-Waterloo (YKF)-CUN flights. Both CUN routes will be operated 1X-weekly.

All of Flair’s Mexico routes will be operated with Boeing 737 aircraft.

“Expanding to Mexico is part of Flair’s exciting growth strategy and we're very happy to be launching service there,” Flair CCO Garth Lund said. “Canadians are tired of the ice and snow, and our affordable fares will help make it possible to take a trip … We’re making it easier than ever for Canadians to chase the sun in Mexico.”

The entry into the Mexican market comes just over three months after Flair launched service into the US market. In the spring, it plans to add to its growing US network, starting flights from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and New York Kennedy (JFK).

Speaking of the new service to Mexico, Los Cabos Tourism Board MD Rodrigo Esponda said: “We are so pleased to see the growth of interest of Canadian airlines in bringing access from new Canadian cities to Los Cabos … Canada continues to be one of our priority markets and with multiple new flights it’s easier than ever to travel to Los Cabos.”

YVR director-air service development Russell Atkinson said the new YVR-SJD service “will be a very popular route with passengers here,” adding: “Flair’s continued growth at YVR reflects its exciting destinations and affordable fares, which we know are both equally important to travelers.”

Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.