Canadian airline selling plane tickets that may be 'the lowest ever offered from Toronto'

An ultra-cheap Canadian airline is selling plane tickets at a price the CEO says might be the lowest ever offered out of Toronto.

Ultra-low-cost carrier, Flair Airlines, is now selling tickets that could even cost less "than ride share to the airport itself,” CEO of Flair Stephen Jones told CTV News Toronto.

The independent Canadian airline, which follows a similar flight model to that of RyanAir, boasts “more accessible” and “more affordable” travel both within the country, and to the United States and Mexico.

The Edmonton-based airline has been expanding over the last year and a half, and now flies out of 36 airports with 85 routes and a fleet of 18 aircraft.

“These fares are probably the lowest ever offered from Toronto. I mean, it’s cheaper to go from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale, Nashville or Palm Springs, than it is to take a ride share to the airport itself,” Jones said.

“Yes, you do need to act fast and watch our website or subscribe to our newsletter to get notice of the best deals, but I just checked and see plenty on sale at super lower prices.”

Out of Toronto International Pearson Airport, as of Thursday afternoon, there are a few deals to Montreal and Halifax starting at $49.

There are also less than $50 one-way tickets to Thunder Bay, Saint John, Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg. To Vancouver, flights begin at $69.

Outside of Canada, travellers can even hop on board a flight to Palm Springs for as low as $99, or, starting at $94, jet off to New York City.

A one-way ticket to Cancun, Mexico, can be a bit pricier, starting at $200. The current prices, however, only account for the “bare bundle”, which allows passengers to bring a personal item with them, and nothing else.

Fliers can opt for a "basic bundle," which includes a personal item, a carry-on bag, and one checked luggage. There is also the "big bundle," which adds on priority boarding and the option to modify or cancel your flight.

Without the bundles, passengers must pay for additional bags online or at the airport.

While Flair airlines offer the occasional promotion, the airline says it has prices that “are often 50 per cent less than the same flight on other airlines.”

According to Rick Erickson, a Calgary-based independent aviation analyst, the pandemic has made it possible for startup airlines to get inactive planes at a good price and pass those savings onto customers.

“I think the ones who survive are going to be the ones who have the deepest pockets. It generally takes anywhere from 18 to 24 months for new airlines to start turning a profit, so with all of these new players coming onto the market, the question is ‘who has the deepest and who has the best business plan?’” Erickson said.

With files from The Canadian Press