Flair Airlines

Julia Haywood elected as Chair of the Board of Directors of Flair Airlines

Canadian Aviation News
  • The experienced airline and travel business executive joined Flair’s board in 2021.
  • Haywood is the first female airline board chair in Canadian history.

EDMONTON, AB, March 23, 2023 /CNW/ – Flair Airlines today announced that Julia Haywood was elected as chair of the company’s board of directors. She succeeds Bill Hardy, Flair Airlines’ long-time chair of the board of directors and former Chief Operating Officer, who passed away in early 2023.

Haywood joined Flair’s board in July 2021. Her 20-year career includes roles of increasing responsibility, including serving as Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer of United Airlines, as Partner at The Boston Consulting Group, and in various capacities at other startup travel companies. Haywood spent her childhood in Arnprior, Ontario. She studied business at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, and earned her MBA from Melbourne University in Australia and UCLA in California. She has a young family and understands first-hand the high cost of travel in Canada.

“It’s an honour and privilege to be elected as chair of the board of directors of Flair Airlines, whose mission is to bring the lowest fares on offer in Canada,” said Haywood. “I’ve grown to know the airline and its more than 1,000 employees across Canada, who are proud of their work and the service they provide to Canadians. I’m excited to serve with my fellow directors at this transformational point in Canada’s airline industry.”

Said Stephen Jones, CEO of Flair Airlines: “Julia was a powerhouse addition to our board in 2021, and we are thrilled to have her lead the board as chair. She believes in our vision and will bring her strong business experience to bear as chair. We are proud she is the first female board chair of a major Canadian airline. She succeeds Bill Hardy, who had a lasting impact on Flair Airlines. I worked closely with Bill and look forward to the same working relationship with Julia.”

Through our impact on airfares across the board, Flair Airlines saved Canadians over CAD$252M in 2022, offering a nearly 60% reduction to the market average of the same routes prior to the pandemic. With more than 80% of Canadians deeming lower-cost flights as an important contributor to the national interest, our founding mission remains resolute: we proudly serve as Canada’s leading low-fare airline.

About Flair Airlines

Flair Airlines is Canada’s leading low-fare airline and its greenest airline, on a mission to provide affordable air travel that connects them to the people and experiences they love. With an expanding fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, Flair is growing to serve over 35 cities across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. For more information, please visit www.flyflair.com.

Flair Airlines Statement Regarding Recent Events

Canadian Aviation News

EDMONTON, Alberta, March 15, 2023. Since our launch in 2017, Flair Airlines has championed a relentless mission to bring affordable airfare to all Canadians. We believe air travel should be accessible to the entirety of the Canadian population, yet it remains unserved by Big Air. Since our inception, we have faced significant resistance in challenging the status quo of an industry weighted by monopolistic practice. We accept that resistance will continue, as will our response.

Airborne Capital’s unlawful and immeasurably destructive actions were taken on the first weekend of many of our customers’ school breaks. This is profiteering on the backs of Canadians and was entirely unexpected and unwarranted. As a result, on March 14th 2023, Flair Airlines filed a lawsuit against Airborne Capital with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

Airborne Capital’s actions have caused enormous disruption to the customers Flair serves. We have implemented every recovery measure possible to help our customers. We have deployed a dedicated team who have taken steps to ensure affected passengers can conclude their journeys with minimal disruption, rebooking hundreds of travellers on flights with Flair Airlines, or another airline, at no additional cost. Additionally, customers can rebook their own travel and receive a reimbursement within seven days. We want to firmly reiterate that Flair Airlines will continue to fly its schedule. We have brought four additional planes into service. All customers can book future travel with us with confidence.

Our customers will remain our number one priority. Through our lower airfares, and our impact on airfares across the board, Flair has saved Canadians over $252M in 2022, offering a nearly 60% reduction to the market average of the same routes prior to the pandemic. We take great pride in employing more than 1,000 people across the country, with a tangible economic impact to the communities we serve and the more than 35 destinations where we fly. We continue to offer one of the lowest cost structures of any airline in Canada, meaning a significant proportion of the national population that could not afford air travel previously, now can. With more than 80% of Canadians deeming lower-cost flights for the nation as an important contributor to the national interest, our founding mission remains resolute: we proudly serve as Canada’s leading low-fare airline and are firmly supported by our investment partners in this endeavour.

We are here to stay, and we will keep flying.

About Flair Airlines

Flair Airlines is Canada’s leading low-fare airline and its greenest airline, on a mission to provide affordable air travel that connects them to the people and experiences they love. With an expanding fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, Flair is growing to serve over 35 cities across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. For more information, please visit www.flyflair.com.