New ultra-low cost Canadian airline Lynx Air has announced major expansion plans for Canada, adding five new routes and four new destinations to its network out of the Toronto region.

At an event at The Drake Hotel in Toronto on March 17, Lynx CEO Merren McArthur gathered with travel media to discuss and share the new details of upcoming inaugural flights and expansion plans at Lynx.

“We are excited to be announcing this major expansion of our network, providing Toronto residents with more choice and competition as they seek to reconnect with loved ones and to rediscover this beautiful country. By the end of July, we will be flying 92 flights per week in and out of the Toronto area, which is more than 17,000 seats per week,” said McArthur.

“We see opportunity here in this market and we want to make sure travellers feel safe and optimistic about flying. We hope our fares will attract our customers and our great customer experience will earn their loyalty,” she added.

Like many ULCCs, Lynx Air does not pay commission to travel agents. “We are an ultra low-cost carrier with very low fares,” Lynx CCO, Vijay Bathija, told Travelweek. “We do not pay commissions, but we are happy to work with agents in innovative ways like offering a block of seats at the lowest fares. We also offer a groups desk that anyone can contact to secure seats at a great price.”

Lynx flights will operate out of both Toronto Pearson Airport and John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, using B737s, to six destinations: Halifax, St. John’s, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

The new routes are as follows:

• Toronto Pearson – Halifax: Three flights per week, commencing June 30, 2022, and increasing to five per week from July 30, 2022
• Toronto Pearson – St. John’s: Two flights per week, commencing June 28, 2022, and increasing to seven flights per week from July 28, 2022
• Toronto Pearson – Edmonton: Seven flights per week, commencing July 28, 2022
• Hamilton – Calgary: Two flights per week, commencing June 29, 2022, and increasing to four flights per week from July 29, 2022
• Hamilton – Halifax: Two flights per week, commencing June 29, 2022

From June 28, 2022, Lynx will also be increasing its frequencies between Toronto Pearson and Calgary from seven flights per week to 12 flights per week.

Also in attendance at the Lynx event was Cathie Puckering, VP and Head, Canadian Network, Vantage Airport Group and President and CEO, John Munro Hamilton International Airport. “The domestic program did extremely well last summer, and we are very excited for that first Lynx flight and a big welcome on behalf of the Hamilton International family,” says Puckering.

Lynx’s inaugural flight from Calgary to Vancouver on April 7 comes perfectly timed to the federal government’s announcement of removing the pre-arrival COVID testing requirement for fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Canada effective April 1, 2022.

Source: Travelweek