Canadian Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier Lynx Air to Ground Operations, Cites Many ‘Significant Headwinds’

Toronto Pearson International Airport
Lynx Air, a Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier based in Calgary, Alberta,, said it will stop flying Sunday night.
The airline was granted creditor protection in the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act on Thursday.
“Over the past year, Lynx Air, has faced a number of significant headwinds including rising operating costs, high fuel prices, exchange rates, increasing airport charges, and a difficult economic and regulatory environment,” the airline said in a statement announcing the move.
Founded in 2006 as New Air and Tours by a group that included former WestJet senior vice president Tim Morgan, the airline began to carry passengers in 2008 as Energjet and rebranded in 2021 as Lynx Air.
The airline served a number of airports in Canada including Calgary International, Edmonton International, Montréal-Trudeau International, Québec City-John Lesage International, and Toronto Pearson International. It also served Cancún International Airport as well as nine U.S. destinations including Boston’s Logan International Airport, Fort Myer’s Southwest Florida International Airport, Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport.
Lynx Air’s investors include Stephen Bronfman’s Claridge, Torquest Partners, and Indigo Partners, the U.S. private equity company run by Bill Franke, whose discount airline investments includes Frontier Airlines and Wizz Air.
On Friday, airline management told employees in a memorandum that it was unable to secure enough financing to stay in business.
In a court filing, Lynx said it is unable to repay its loans, faces unspecified enforcement actions from suppliers and barely has enough cash to operate day to day.
Lynx’s shutdown comes just prior to the busy spring break travel season.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)