Flair reroutes strategy to lure corporate travellers — without a business class

A Flair Airlines plane is shown in this undated handout photo. The Canadian Press/HO-Fair Airlines

Flair Airlines is revamping its ultra-low-cost brand in a bid to attract more business travellers, despite the lack of frills on board.

In a phone interview this week, CEO Maciej Wilk said Flair is attempting a strategic shift away from a pure-play budget airline and toward what he dubbed a “value carrier.”

The goal is to attract more work travellers — mainly from small businesses — via affordable fares and to plug Flair into networks linked to travel agents, booking sites and hotels.

Wilk says Canadians’ turn away from U.S. travel has been tough for a company that staked its expansion on that market — particularly sun destinations — less than two years ago.

But he says Flair’s handful of routes to Mexico and the Caribbean along with its first bundle of vacation packages mean it hasn’t lost out on sun revenue.

The push for more business clients on top of its base of budget leisure travellers comes as the line between low-cost carriers and legacy airlines blurs, with Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat all adopting aspects of the discount model.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2026.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press