Ultra-low cost airline Lynx Air is officially shutting down as of Monday, leaving some Canadians in the dark about their travel plans.
On Thursday, the Calgary-based company announced it is ceasing operations as of 12:01 a.m on Feb. 26 after filing for creditor protection.
In a statement posted on X, the airline says it was unable to keep up with compounding financial pressures with inflation, fuel costs, exchange rates, cost of capital, regulatory costs and competition in the Canadian market.
“It is with a heavy heart we announce Lynx Air’s departure from the skies. We hope in our absence that our vision to inspire more Canadians to fly leaves its mark on our passengers,” Lynx Air said.
In response, some customers are angry with the airline for not giving them a proper warning prior to them booking.
Meanwhile, others are sad to see their affordable airline go.
The airline is advising travellers with existing flights to visit its frequently asked questions section on its website.
The airline says it will continue to operate the majority of its flights throughout the weekend and if a traveller’s flight gets cancelled, they will be notified via email.
For those who have an existing flight past Monday, the airline is advising travellers to contact their credit card company for a refund.
In addition, Canada’s transport minister Pablo Rodriguez says his office is working with the airline to ensure passengers are taken care of.
“For any travellers that had a return flight booked with Lynx, I expect Lynx to help you get back home as soon as possible. I expect Lynx to fully refund you if your fare won’t be honoured,” Rodriguez said in a statement on X on Thursday.
WESTJET OFFERING DISCOUNTED FLIGHTS TO LYNX AIR PASSENGERS
On Thursday, WestJet said it is offering a 25 per cent discount for all economy cabin fares on non-stop routes that were previously served by Lynx between Feb. 22 and Oct. 26. This is applicable to all bookings made before Feb. 29.
For transborder repatriation flights, the airline is capping fares at $250 plus taxes and fees on all northbound economy cabin fares until Feb. 29. As for domestic fares, all non-stop WestJet routes previously served by Lynx are capped at $500 plus taxes and fees until Feb. 29.
“We recognize the immediate impact this information has on passengers and employees of Lynx, and we are committed to assisting where we can through a number of actions,” reads a statement from WestJet.
“We are communicating closely with government officials and supporting agencies that are also working to address the needs of those impacted,” it added.
