TORONTO -- COVID-19 has hit the travel industry hard and Canada’s major airlines have been laying off staff and cutting routes as the government warns against non-essential travel.
But ultra-low cost carrier Flair Airlines is betting when restrictions begin to ease, Canadians will want to travel but mostly within our own borders.
Flair is adding aircraft and routes and by the summer will fly to 18 Canadian cities.
Flair President Stephen Jones said Canadians have been overpaying for domestic travel and he believes many will want to take advantage of low fares and be able to travel to various cities in Canada.
"They have been paying too much for too long and that needs to change and Flair’s purpose is to liberate the lives of Canadians by providing affordable travel," Jones said.
In May, Flair will add service to Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo, Halifax and Saint John. In June, it will add Thunder Bay and Charlottetown. It will add Victoria in July and Abbotsford in August.
There will be more non-stop flights to and from Toronto and some one-way fares that start at $39.
Those fares may go fast but Jones says the airline will attempt to keep fares consistently low.
"It's not difficult. It's been done around the world. I don't know why it hasn't happened in Canada but we are about to change that," Jones said.
Non-essential travel is not recommended now, but Flair believes this spring restrictions will begin to lift and many Canadian will feel safe traveling within Canada.
Fares will also include COVID-19 coverage in case passengers need to cancel or change their tickets.
The Tourism Association of Ontario’s President Beth Potter said domestic travel should pick-up over the course of the year, which is good news for resorts, hotels and restaurants.
