by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:25 AM ET, Mon August 25, 2025
Flair Airlines’ new chief commercial officer, Eric Tanner, says the ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) model “doesn’t apply” to Flair — or to the Canadian market.
Speaking on the Time On The Wing podcast ahead of his recent promotion, Tanner argued that competition in Canada and North America forces airlines to offer more than the typical service associated with ULCCs, while still keeping fares affordable.
RELATED: ‘Momentum is Only Growing’: Flair Rounds Out C-Suite
“Flair’s aircraft have the same number of seats as WestJet and its baggage policies are akin to that of Porter Airlines,” Tanner said in the interview.
He pointed out that while WestJet has introduced an “Ultra Basic” fare class to compete on price, Flair’s approach is focused on offering affordability with more reliable service.
"You will actually never hear us refer to ourselves as a ULCC," Tanner said.
According to Simple Flying, he argued that competition in Canada and the broader North American market drives airlines to provide a higher-quality experience compared to the “bare-bones” style of Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, and Avelo in the United States.
In a LinkedIn post, Tanner stated, “As Canada’s only affordable airline left, Flair Airlines plays an essential role in keeping air travel affordable."
The podcast traces Tanner's lifelong passion for aviation while exploring the challenges and strategies of airline operations—from network planning and revenue management to airport dynamics, competition, and the realities of running a low-cost carrier in North America.
"What I love is how aviation sort of connects the world, and how the human population is developed, in part, due to aviation," Flair's new CCO said.
Service Initiatives
The airline has distinguished itself with customer-focused policies such as its On-Time Guarantee (OTG), which compensates passengers if they arrive more than 60 minutes late.
Flair also launched its FWD platform in April 2025, offering services like “Immfly” in-seat ordering, “iCoupon” meal credit redemption, and duty-free shopping. Tanner noted that the buy-on-board experience is comparable to that of Air Canada.
RELATED: Flair Airlines Takes a Step FWD
Flair serves dozens of cities across Canada, the U.S., Jamaica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.
On April 22, 2025, the airline operated all 79 scheduled flights with zero delays or cancellations, achieving 100% on-time arrivals—a milestone in Canadian aviation.
Topics From This Article to Explore
