'Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier' Flair Airlines Could Get Shut Down For Not Being Canadian Enough

Canada's "ultra-low-cost carrier" Flair Airlines could be shut down for not being Canadian enough and that could ground travel plans.

Flair could lose its right to operate in Canada because of concerns that too much of its operations are controlled by a U.S. partner, according to a preliminary review from the Canadian Transportation Agency obtained by Global News.

The review is said to be largely about 777 Partners, a major partner in Flair's operations that is Miami-based, which invested in the airline in 2018.

The American company also owns the fleet of planes that Flair leases for its flights and has members on the airline's board of directors, according to Global News.

On March 3, 2022, the Canadian Transportation Agency issued a preliminary determination that Flair might not be controlled by Canadians and therefore might not actually be "Canadian."

"Flair holds licenses authorizing domestic, scheduled international, and non-scheduled international air services. Pursuant to the [Canada Transportation Act], Flair must be Canadian to provide these air services," the agency said in its preliminary determination.

Flair has been given 60 days from when the determination was issued to respond.

At the end of the review process, the Canadian Transportation Agency will put out a final public determination.

The decision on whether or not the airline's operating licence will be suspended could come at the beginning of May.

If that happens, that would mean Flair is no longer allowed to operate in Canada and any plane tickets people have would be invalid.

Currently, the airline has flight routes to more than 30 Canadian and North American destinations including Cancun, Nashville, Las Vegas, Hollywood, Chicago, New York, Orlando and Los Cabos.

According to Global News, Flair is seeking an exemption to the rule set out in the Canada Transportation Act.