Lynx Air
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Predecessor | Enerjet |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Tim Morgan (co-founder) |
| Defunct | 2024-02-26 |
| Fate | Ceased operations after filing for creditor protection |
| Headquarters | Calgary , Canada |
Area served | Canada, United States, Mexico (planned) |
Key people | Merren McArthur (former President and CEO), Vijay Bathija (CCO), James "Jim" Sullivan (COO), Mike Woodward (CFO) |
| Products | Passenger air transport (ultra-low-cost carrier) |
| Parent | 1263343 Alberta Inc. |
Lynx Air, officially registered as 1263343 Alberta Inc., operated as a Canadian ultra-low-cost airline headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. Previously known as Enerjet, the airline underwent a rebranding to Lynx Air on November 16, 2021. The first flight under the Lynx Air name took place on April 7, 2022, connecting Calgary International Airport with Vancouver International Airport.
On February 22, 2024, Lynx Air sought creditor protection and subsequently halted all operations on February 26, 2024.
Enerjet
Established in 2006 by entrepreneurs aiming to fill service voids left by major Canadian carriers like WestJet and Air Canada, Enerjet concentrated on serving "middle Canada." Initially launched as New Air & Tours, the company adopted the Enerjet name on October 20, 2008. Among its founders was Tim Morgan, who had formerly served as senior vice president at WestJet. Enerjet obtained its air operator's certificate on November 28, 2008.
Although the original intention was to operate as a scheduled low-cost carrier (LCC), Enerjet shifted focus to charter services catering primarily to employees in the oil sector and occasional charters for leisure airlines such as Air Transat, due to stiff competition in the leisure travel market dominated by WestJet and others.
By 2012, Enerjet aimed to secure funding to transition into scheduled LCC operations, running some seasonal flights between Calgary and Vancouver, with expansion plans including routes to Kelowna and Edmonton. In 2015, the airline entered into an agreement to acquire 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets (40 purchased and 6 leased). By 2016, proposed names for the LCC initiative included Jet Naked and FlyToo. Towards the end of 2018, with backing from investors like American private equity firm Indigo Partners—which holds interests in multiple LCCs including Frontier Airlines and Wizz Air—Enerjet announced intentions to relaunch as an ultra-low-cost carrier in 2019. However, this rollout was postponed due to the Boeing 737 MAX grounding and the COVID-19 pandemic's adverse effects on aviation.
Lynx Air
On November 16, 2021, the company unveiled its new identity as Lynx Air, aiming for a launch in early 2022. The airline committed to securing up to 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft over a seven-year period to meet anticipated demand, with initial deliveries scheduled for early 2022, operating within a low-cost carrier framework. Initially concentrating on domestic services, Lynx Air had plans for international route expansion. Its inaugural flights began on April 7, 2022, followed by announcements of U.S. destinations slated for early 2023.
Facing financial challenges, Lynx filed for creditor protection with the Court of King's Bench of Alberta on February 22, 2024, and declared it would cease operations effective February 26. The airline attributed this decision primarily to escalating expenses and increased airport fees.
Management
Merren McArthur held the position of president and CEO of Lynx Air until September 2023 after declaring her intention to step down in June that year to facilitate a smooth leadership transition. Her previous executive roles included leadership positions at Tigerair Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, as well as serving as founding CEO of Virgin Australia Cargo. Vijay Bathija acted as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), bringing experience from Etihad Airways and Air Canada Rouge. James "Jim" Sullivan served as Chief Operating Officer (COO), having formerly been Vice President of Flight Operations at JetBlue. Mike Woodward occupied the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) role; his background spans Energy and Banking sectors with prior roles at Campus Energy Partners and BMO Capital Markets.
Destinations
As of its scheduled closure in February 2024, Lynx Air had either been serving or planned to serve the destinations listed below, excluding charter-only routes from its Enerjet era.
| Country | Region | City | Airport | Commencement Date | Termination Date | Remarks | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Alberta | Calgary | Calgary International Airport | April 7, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | ||
| Edmonton | Edmonton International Airport | July 14, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | ||||
| British Columbia | Kelowna | Kelowna International Airport | April 15, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | |||
| Vancouver | Vancouver International Airport | April 7, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | ||||
| Victoria | Victoria International Airport | May 12, 2022 | January 14, 2023 | ||||
| Manitoba | Winnipeg | Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport | April 19, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | |||
| New Brunswick | Fredericton | Fredericton International Airport | June 12, 2023 | February 26, 2024 | |||
| Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's | St. John's International Airport | June 28, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | |||
| Nova Scotia | Halifax | Halifax Stanfield International Airport | June 29, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | |||
| Ontario | Hamilton | John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport | June 29, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | |||
| Ottawa | Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport | May 17, 2024 | |||||
| align=center| | |||||||
| Toronto | Toronto Pearson International Airport | April 11, 2022 | February 26, 2024 | align=center| | |||
| "Prince Edward Island" | "Charlottetown" | "Charlottetown Airport" | "May 30, 2024" | ||||
| align=center| | |||||||
| Quebec" | "Montreal" | "Montréal–Trudeau International Airport" | "June 5, 2023" | "February 26, 2024" | "" | " | |
| "Quebec City" | "Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport" | "June 6, 2024" | |||||
| align=center| | |||||||
| "Saskatchewan" | "Regina" | "Regina International Airport" | "June 20, 2024" | ||||
| align=center| | |||||||
| "Mexico" | "Quintana Roo" | "Cancún" | "Cancún International Airport" | "February 15, 2024" | "February 26, 2024" | "" | " |
| United States" | "Arizona" | "Phoenix" | "Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport" | "February 7, 2023" | "February 26, 2024" | "" | |
| California" | "Los Angeles" | "Los Angeles International Airport" | "February 16, 2023" | "February 26, 2024" | "" | ||
| "San Francisco" | "San Francisco International Airport" | "May 3, 2024" | |||||
| 'Scheduled' | |||||||
| Florida' | 'Fort Myers' | 'Southwest Florida International Airport' | 'December 14, 2023' | 'February 26, 2024' | |||
| 'Orlando' | 'Orlando International Airport' | 'January 27, 2023' | 'February 26, 2024' | ||||
| 'Tampa' | 'Tampa International Airport' | 'November 16, 2023' | 'February 26, 2024' | ||||
| 'Massachusetts' | 'Boston' | 'Logan International Airport' | 'March 28, 2024' | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Current
At the time of its closure, Lynx Air's fleet consisted of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | In Service | On Order | Seating Capacity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 9 | 17 | 189 | A portion acquired by Air Canada for use with Air Canada Express. |
| Boeing 737 MAX 200 | — | 20 | TBA | Not received prior to cessation of operations. |
| Total | 9 | 37 | ||
Previous
During its tenure as Enerjet, the airline's fleet included:
| Aircraft | Quantity | Entry Into Service | Withdrawal Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-700 | 7 | 2008 | 2017 | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 1 | 2011 | 2011 | Operated under lease from Transavia. |
| 1 | 2013 | 2014 | ||
| De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 2 | 2018 | 2020 | |
| Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche | 1 | 2011 | 2012 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | (summer) 2023 | (summer) 2023
Leased from Global Crossing Airlines. |
Fleet development
Enerjet primarily operated Boeing 737-700 aircraft for charter services, occasionally supplementing the fleet with leased Boeing 737-800s, before retiring all 737-700s by 2017. The airline maintained two inactive DHC-6 Twin Otters to preserve its Air Operator Certificate during its transition from charter to scheduled flights. Following its rebranding as Lynx Air in November 2021, the carrier placed an order for 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes slated for delivery through to 2028. Additionally, in March 2022, it secured leases on eleven more 737 MAX 8 aircraft from BOC Aviation.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Defunct low-cost airlines of Canada
- Airlines established in 2006
- Airlines disestablished in 2024
- 2006 establishments in Alberta
- 2024 disestablishments in Alberta
- Canadian companies established in 2006
- Canadian companies disestablished in 2024
- Companies based in Calgary
- Companies that have filed for bankruptcy in Canada