Canada’s newest low-cost carrier, Canada Jetlines, has once again delayed its launch. The startup airline announced August 15th as the day it would launch commercial operations, but the date has now been pushed back by two weeks. Canada Jetlines has cited regulatory and licensing hurdles as the reason for this latest delay.

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Eddy Doyle, CEO of Canada Jetlines, said,

“We’ve made the difficult decision to change our launch date as we continue to work with the regulatory authorities in Canada to secure our AOC. We greatly appreciate the effort and diligence that TC [Transport Canada] goes through to approve new airlines and remain optimistic throughout the process. We will continue to build strategic partnerships with destinations, travel agencies, and airports as we build out our five-year strategy.”

Delayed launch

Canada’s newest leisure airline has been gearing up for its market entry since 2014, but its plans never materialized due to a myriad of reasons. Canada Jetlines first had trouble complying with the country’s foreign control regulations, followed by more trouble trying to lease aircraft to begin operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help either, leading the airline to suspend its launch to an unspecified date in 2019. However, 2022 brought with it a new ray of sunshine for the upcoming Canadian carrier. Jetlines received its first leased aircraft: a 12.5-year-old Airbus A320 complete with a fresh coat of paint and refurbished interiors. With its first airframe and hopes of getting an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from Canadian authorities by early August, Jetlines announced the start of revenue flights from August 15th.

Unfortunately, the AOC hasn’t come in time, forcing the airline to postpone its launch. The new launch dates are also subjected to final licensing approval. Canada Jetlines said it is working with Transport Canada and the Canadian Transport Association to finalize the AOC soon. Relevant government authorities are still evaluating the carrier’s documentation, and a decision is expected soon.

Planned routes

While announcing the August 15 launch a few months ago, Canada Jetlines said it would initially start operations on two domestic routes from its hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). The first route was to and from Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) in Manitoba, while the second service connecting Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM) in New Brunswick.

Flights on both routes were expected to start from August 15th, but now stand suspended until at least the 29th later this month. Canada Jetlines will use its sole Airbus A320-200 (registration C-GCJL) aircraft for these flights and eventually expand its fleet with more units of the type. The carrier expects to have 15 A320s within the next 2.5 years.

Originally announced plans included expanding operations to international leisure destinations in the United States, and the Caribbean, including the Bahamas, Antigua, Cuba, and Jamaica, among others. However, judging by how things are going now, it will be a long time before these plans ever see the light of day.

What do you make of Canada Jetlines delaying its launch once again? Do you think it will be able to meet the new deadline? Please, let us know your thoughts in the comments.