CanJet

Infobox_Airline
airline=CanJet Airlines
logo=Canjet-logo.svg
logo_size=169
fleet_size=3
IATA=C6
ICAO=CJA
destinations=31
callsign=CANJET
parent=I.M.P. Group International Inc.
founded=June 20, 2002
hubs=Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Québec/Jean Lesage International Airport
headquarters=Halifax, Nova Scotia
key_people=Kenneth C. Rowe (CEO)
website=http://www.canjet.ca/

CanJet Airlines is a low-cost chartered airline based in Enfield, Nova Scotia, Canada at the Halifax International Airport in the Halifax Regional Municipality. It operates contract and ad hoc charters throughout Canada and the USA. CanJet is wholly owned by IMP Group International and has 572 employees (as of March 2007) [cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 60 | date= 2007-04-03] .

Before September 10, 2006, CanJet served 15 cities in Canada and the United States as a discount passenger airline. On September 5, 2006, CanJet announced it would cease scheduled flights but would continue to operate as a chartered airline. [ [http://www.canjet.com/en_view_press_release.aspx?NewsID=145 CanJet website - Press Release] ]

History

1999-2001: before merger with Canada 3000

The airline was established in 1999 and started operations on 5 September 2000. It was launched as a division of IMP Group and merged with Canada 3000 in May 2001 shortly before Canada 3000's bankruptcy.

2002-2006: scheduled operations

CanJet was successfully relaunched on June 20 2002 as an independent airline. Originally the airline flew to three destinations, but quickly expanded. Currently Canjet operated a fleet of nine Boeing 737-500 — eight of which were formerly operated by United Airlines — and one Boeing 737-300. These airframes date back to the early 1990s. There were plans to expand the airline's fleet of Boeing 737-500 aircraft to 20 by 2006; however, this did not materialize.

In April 2004, CanJet launched services at Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport, Hamilton to fill a void left after WestJet shifted its eastern Canada hub to Toronto Pearson International Airport.

In May 2005, the company began to expand into the western Canadian market with a flight between Calgary and Toronto, with plans to slowly expand to other western markets. In the wake of the bankruptcy of Jetsgo, the company hoped to fill some of that company's market share, but also hoped to expand slowly to avoid the fate of other companies such as Canada 3000. In June 2005, two weeks after Air Canada Jazz announced new service to Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport from Montreal and Ottawa, CanJet announced it would end its service to Hamilton. In August 2005, CanJet announced new service to Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Toronto.

In May 2006, CanJet and Harmony Airways signed a marketing pact to allow greater cross country service. CanJet would end flights west of Toronto, and focus more on Atlantic flights. This pact allowed consumers to book flights with both companies and have their luggage transferred between the two airlines.

2006-present: charter operations

On September 5, 2006, CanJet announced that as of September 10, 2006, it would cancel all regularly scheduled service and focus instead on charter service because of the highly competitive nature of the airline industry in Canada, and the resulting slim profit margins. Ken Rowe, IMP Chairman and CEO, said, "with the rising business risks of operating a scheduled airline, IMP has decided to suspend year-round scheduled airline service and focus on their increasing charter business." CanJet stated that any passengers who had bought tickets for travel dates after September 10, 2006 would either be provided with a full refund, or be provided with alternate travel arrangements.

On September 27, 2006, CanJet announced that it would be rehiring a few of their pilots and flight attendants to work these charters; about 20% of the number initially laid-off on September 10, 2006.

Destinations

The following destinations were served by CanJet as of January 2008:

Canada

* Alberta
** Fort McMurray (Fort McMurray Airport)
* New Brunswick
** Fredericton (Greater Fredericton Airport)
** Moncton (Greater Moncton International Airport)
* Newfoundland and Labrador
** Deer Lake (Deer Lake Airport)
** St. John's (St. John's International Airport)
* Nova Scotia
** Halifax (Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport)
** Sydney (Sydney Airport (Nova Scotia))
* Ontario
** Thunder Bay (Thunder Bay Airport)
** Toronto (Toronto-Lester B. Pearson International Airport)
** Ottawa (Macdonald-Cartier International Airport)
* Prince Edward Island
** Charlottetown (Charlottetown Airport)
* Quebec
** Montreal (Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport)
** Quebec City (Québec/Jean Lesage International Airport)

USA
* Florida
** Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport)
** Orlando (Orlando International Airport) "Seasonal"
** St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport)

International
*Aruba
**Oranjestad (Queen Beatrix International Airport)
* Bahamas
** Nassau (Lynden Pindling International Airport)
** San Salvador (San Salvador Airport)
* Cuba
** Cayo Coco (Jardines del Rey Airport)
** Holguín (Frank País Airport)
** Santa Clara (Abel Santa María Airport)
** Varadero (Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport)
* Dominican Republic
** La Romana (La Romana International Airport)
** Puerto Plata (Gregorio Luperón International Airport)
** Punta Cana (Punta Cana International Airport)
** Samaná (Samaná El Catey International Airport)
* Jamaica
**Montego Bay (Sir Donald Sangster International Airport)
* Mexico
** Manzanillo (Playa de Oro International Airport)
** Cancún (Cancún International Airport)
* Netherlands Antilles
** Philipsburg (Princess Juliana International Airport) "Seasonal"
* Turks and Caicos Islands
** Providenciales (Providenciales International Airport)

Fleet

The CanJet fleet consisted of the following aircraft (as of 23 June 2008):

*1 Boeing 737-300
*2 Boeing 737-800

As of May 2008, the average age of the CanJet fleet is 13.1 years ( [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Canjet%20Airlines.htm] ).

Historical fleet

*Boeing 737-200
*Boeing 737-500

External links

* [http://www.canjet.com/ CanJet]
* [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=CJA&al_op=1 CanJet Fleet]
* [http://www.flyforless.ca/canjet.html Canjet information, news and company headlines]
* [http://news.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/CanJet+will+rehire+100+pilots+attendants+says+CEO/Business/ContentPosting.aspx?isfa=1&newsitemid=ns-canjet&feedname=CBC-BUSINESS-V2&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc CanJet rehires 100 pilots and flight attendants]

References