Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier Flair Airlines will add flights to its schedule to help passengers impacted should pilots at WestJet go on strike. In an announcement on Tuesday, Flair said it has been creating contingency plans to be implemented if the strike lasts for an extended period.
The first of the added flights are set to depart on Friday. The move comes as the airline has reportedly experienced increased flight bookings since the strike was first reported.
Flair will operate extra flights between Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton in preparation for passengers being affected by flight cancelations or disruptions due to the WestJet pilot’s strike.
“Ready, willing, and able”
Stephen Jones, Flair Airlines CEO, said the carrier is anticipating assisting travelers in Canada.
“Flair Airlines stands ready, willing, and able to add additional flights. We hope this measure will help WestJet passengers who otherwise could not travel due to the pilots’ strike. Our teams are eager to help and the first of the extra flights went out for sale last night with a starting fare of $99.”
The Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) is the union that represents more than 1,500 pilots at Calgary-based WestJet and its subsidiary Swoop. Last week, the union notified the pilots that they were allowed to issue a strike notice of 72 hours to take place on Saturday, May 13th. The pilots officially filed the notice early Tuesday morning, meaning a legal walkout will occur on Friday if a favorable agreement cannot be reached. The strike would ground all flights and shut down the airline’s operations.
Photo: Flair Airlines
Flair indicated on Tuesday that it is developing plans to help passengers should the strike last for a long time.
the carrier said in a statement.
Three days until the strike could happen
WestJet’s pilots have been seeking an improved contract that is aligned closer to the pilot contracts of other airlines in North America. 95% of the carrier’s pilots voted in favor of going on strike in April. After six months of negotiations, the pilots participated in an informational picket at Calgary International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport earlier this month.
Photo: Boeing
The 72-hour strike notice comes after the ALPA and WestJet were in a 21-day cooling-off period that expired on May 13th. The strike should not surprise the airline’s executives since ALPA indicated that the pilots would be on May 16th.
Several pilots have already exited the airline. According to Jason Roberts, an ALPA executive council member, the pilots have been leaving the airline daily. Roberts said that the failure to come to an agreement for so long would eventually lead to a mass departure of WestJet’s pilots.
Coming on success
As Flair prepares to add extra flights, the airline said it saw an increase in flight bookings since the strike notice was filed, in addition to positive load factors seen in April.
the carrier stated.