Quebec-based Nolinor Aviation has launched a new airline at a time when many existing airlines are hanging by a thread. The company has purchased 10 Boeing 737-400s, some of them retired by Kelowna-based Flair Air in its fleet modernization, to operate OWG, a vacation airline. The company is planning to start service in September. Nolinor has been operating charter flights to the North for 27 years using 737s, including legacy 200 models. OWG will fly to more convivial climes, including the Caribbean. The company got its Transport Canada authorizations on July 6.
Nolinor says it’s been working on the new airline since 2018 and bought the new aircraft earlier this year. The planes were refitted with new interiors, including lightweight seats. They carry 158 passengers each in a single class configuration. The aircraft have also received new avionics and satellite tracking systems. OWG says it will concentrate on customer service. “Flying to your destination should be an extension of your vacation,” said OWG President Marco Prud’Homme. “Traditional airlines have cut the quality of their services year after year, without considering the passenger experience.”