Lessor re-markets aircraft seized from Canada's Flair

Korea's Eastar Jet again takes delivery of B737 MAX 8

Eastar Jet (ESR, Seoul Gimpo) took delivery of a B737-8 from BOC Aviation, marking the type's return to operations with the LCC following its extended restructuring and suspension of operations.

"We had experienced the operational efficiency of Boeing 737-8 by operating it for the first time in South Korea. Starting with this Boeing 737-8, we will expand our routes and initiate substantial business expansion," Chief Operating Officer Sang-Jong Yoo said.

The lessor and the airline did not disclose the identity of the aircraft. The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows that BOC Aviation owns thirty-two B737-8s, of which one - 2-FLKS (msn 62881), formerly placed with Flair Airlines - is currently without an operator. The lessor also has outstanding orders for 71 new B737-8s.

Eastar Jet currently operates just three B737-800s. The South Korean LCC suspended all flight operations in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started and subsequently lost its AOC. It has since undergone business restructuring, ownership change, and recertification, before finally restarting operations in March 2023...

Canada's Flair Airlines grows fleet ahead of strong summer

Canada's Flair Airlines opens new base at Calgary

Flair Airlines (F8, Kelowna) has announced it is establishing a new base at Calgary comprising three aircraft, a maintenance facility and hangar, and jobs for about 150 people by July 2023.

The ultra-low-cost carrier will also add four new routes from Calgary, upping its seats from the city by 46% in 2023 compared to 2022, with 15 routes on sale. New routes include:

• London, ON, Ontario (Canada), launching in July; and
• Las Vegas Harry Reid, Nevada (US);
• Phoenix Sky Harbor, Arizona (US); and
• Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), each launching this autumn.

The airline, in a statement, said it has plans for continued expansion but did not elaborate.

Calgary is the home base for WestJet (WS, Calgary), which holds nearly 60% of weekly airline seat capacity at the airport, with Air Canada (AC, Montréal Trudeau) holding another 19% of the market share, compared to Flair Airlines' more modest 7.6% current share of the pie, ch-aviation capacities data reveals.

As reported,...

Australia's Bonza loses B737-8 to Flair Airlines

A B737-8 earmarked for Australian startup Bonza (AB, Sunshine Coast) is instead going to Flair Airlines (F8, Kelowna) to plug a capacity gap there after Airborne Capital recently repossessed four aircraft from the carrier. Private equity entity 777 Partners owns both airlines.

VH-UDV (msn 43973) was to be Bonza's fifth aircraft and serve as a spare, however, the aircraft was recently re-registered as C-FLBG and is now flagged to go to the Canadian budget airline. Bonza says the non-delivery won't impact its rollout, which continues apace and this week included the start of the Melbourne Tullamarine - Rockhampton and Paraparaumu - Sunshine Coast routes. "It’s not uncommon for this to happen as part of fleet planning," a Bonza spokesperson said.

Bonza began flying in February 2023 and says it expects to have eight 777 Partners-supplied aircraft in its fleet within the first 12 months. According to ch-aviation fleets advanced data, 777 Partners has 67 aircraft either placed across five airlines, in storage, or unassigned. Included in...