Lynx Air

Lynx Air, legally incorporated as 1263343 Alberta Inc.,[1] is a Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier based in Calgary, Alberta. It previously operated as Enerjet and was rebranded as Lynx Air on November 16, 2021. The first flight under the Lynx Air name took place on April 7, 2022, operating from Calgary International Airport to Vancouver International Airport.

Lynx Air
IATA ICAO Callsign
Y9 DAT[1] DAUNTLESS[1]
Founded
  • 2006 (2006)
    (as New Air & Tours)
  • October 20, 2008 (2008-10-20)
    (as Enerjet)
  • November 16, 2021 (2021-11-16)
    (as Lynx Air)
Commenced operationsApril 7, 2022 (2022-04-07)
(as Lynx Air)
AOC #15852[2]
Operating basesCalgary International Airport
Fleet size9[3]
Destinations16
HeadquartersCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Key peopleMerren McArthur (President & CEO)
Websitewww.flylynx.com/en

History

Enerjet

Enerjet was originally formed in 2006 by a small group of entrepreneurs addressing what they perceived to be a gap in the service provided by Canada's major airlines, WestJet and Air Canada in "middle Canada".[4] It was initially known as New Air & Tours until October 20, 2008, when New Air & Tours revealed its name and corporate logo to be styled as Enerjet.[5] Enerjet was founded by nine individuals, including Tim Morgan, the former senior vice president of WestJet.[6] On November 28, 2008, Enerjet received an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and Air Operators License issued by the Canadian Transportation Agency.[7] While the airline initially planned to launch as a scheduled low-cost carrier (LCC), the airline focused instead on charter operations involving the transport of employees of oil companies, such as for Suncor Energy, as well as ad-hoc charter services for Air Transat, deeming the leisure travel market to be competitive following the collapse of Zoom Airlines, as well as the presence of leisure carriers such as WestJet.[8]

By 2012, the airline was still seeking investment to expand into scheduled LCC operations, and had operated some flights between Calgary and Vancouver during peak holiday travel periods, with plans to expand the services to Kelowna and Edmonton.[9] By 2016, the airline had gone through two tentative names for its LCC project, consisting of Jet Naked and FlyToo.[10] In late 2018, the airline announced it had attracted investors in order to transition from chartered flights to scheduled operations, one of which included Indigo Partners, which had notably invested in other LCCs including Frontier Airlines, JetSmart, Volaris, and Wizz Air, and Enerjet subsequently planned to relaunch as an LCC during 2019.[11]

Lynx Air

On November 16, 2021, the company revealed its new name as Lynx Air, with plans to begin flying in the first quarter of 2022.[12] During the announcement, the airline made commitments for up to 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft over the next seven years to meet the anticipated demand, with deliveries starting in early 2022, and that it would follow the low-cost carrier model for its operations.[13] The airline additionally announced it would initially operate domestic routes with plans to later add international destinations. On April 7, 2022, Lynx Air's first flights launched.[14] The airline announced its first international destinations on September 28, 2022, with flights to the United States beginning in early 2023.[15]

Management

Merren McArthur was the airline's president and chief executive officer (CEO). She announced her departure in June 2023 but would remain in her role until September 2023 to allow the company time to find her replacement.[16] She previously served as CEO for both Tigerair Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, and founding CEO of Virgin Australia Cargo.[12]

Vijay Bathija is the airline's Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), with prior experience at Etihad Airways and Air Canada Rouge.[12]

Tim Morgan is the airline's Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Founder. He previously served as Senior Vice President of WestJet, with additional prior experience at Morgan Air LLP/Air Partners/Aircraft Works, and Lynx's predecessor Enerjet.[12]

Michael Holditch is the airline's Chief Financial Officer (CFO),[12] having previously been the CFO of Enerjet.[17]


Destinations

Lynx Air operates to destinations in Canada and the United States.

Fleet

Current

As of August 2023, Lynx Air operates the following aircraft:[3]

Lynx Air fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers[18] Notes
Boeing 737 MAX 8 9 48 189
Total 9 48

Previous

As Enerjet, the airline previously operated the following aircraft:[19][20]

Enerjet former fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Boeing 737-700 7 2008 2017
Boeing 737-800 1 2011 2011 Leased from Transavia
1 2013 2014
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 2 2018 2020
Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche 1 2011 2012

Fleet development

As Enerjet, the airline operated a fleet of Boeing 737-700 aircraft for its charter operations, with a single 737-800 leased from Transavia on occasion, before the 737-700s were retired by 2017. After retiring its 737-700s, Enerjet subsequently retained an inactive DHC-6 Twin Otter fleet in order to keep its AOC, while the airline underwent its subsequent transformation from chartered to scheduled operations in the coming years. When the airline eventually announced its rebranding as Lynx Air in November 2021, the airline announced that it had ordered 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft for delivery through 2028.[13] In March 2022, the airline announced it had ordered an additional 11 737 MAX 8s.[21]

See also

References

  1. "ICAO Designators for Canadian Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services" (PDF). Nav Canada. May 4, 2023. p. 5. Retrieved February 26, 2023. Lynx Air: DAT, DAUNTLESS
  2. Transport Canada (July 20, 2022), Civil Aviation Services (CAS) AOC. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca.
  3. "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: Quick Search Result for Lynx Air". Transport Canada. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  4. Jang, Brent (November 24, 2008). "Will Enerjet fly". The Globe and Mail.
  5. "NewAir and Tours reveal new name, Enerjet!". Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
  6. "Enerjet airline set to launch in Canada". Financial Post. Archived from the original on October 22, 2008.
  7. "Enerjet Achieves Regulatory Approvals". Enerjet (Press release). Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  8. Sobie, Brendan (July 8, 2009). "Canada's Enerjet further postpones plans for leisure flights". FlightGlobal. DVV Media Group. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  9. "Charter airline Enerjet looks to offer public flights". CBC News. November 16, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  10. "Canada's Enerjet revises ULCC project name to FlyToo". ch-aviation. March 10, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  11. "Charter flight company Enerjet plans to relaunch as ultra-low-cost carrier in 2019". Financial Post. December 20, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  12. "Watch the sky". Lynx Air. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  13. Stephenson, Amanda (November 16, 2021). "New ultra-low-cost carrier, Lynx Air, will launch from Calgary". CP24. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  14. Klisaukaite, Vyte (April 8, 2022). "Canada's new low-cost airline Lynx Air launches operations". AeroTime Hub. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  15. Pearson, Charles (September 28, 2022). "International Expansion: Canada's Lynx Air Adds Its 1st US Routes". Simple Flying. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  16. "Lynx Air president and CEO Merren McArthur to step down in September". Global News. June 29, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  17. "Charter Airline Enerjet Names New Chief Financial Officer" (Press release). Aviator. December 16, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  18. "Lynx Air Fleet". Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  19. "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register Historical Search". Transport Canada. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  20. "Enerjet Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  21. Waldron, Greg (March 2, 2022). "BOC Aviation buys 11 737 Max 8s headed to Canadian start-up Lynx". FlightGlobal. DVV Media Group. Retrieved May 19, 2022.

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