Two Canadian discount airlines, Westjet with its strongest bases in the west and Lynx, whose home is in Toronto, are planning major expansion on routes to U.S. cities, and ramping up their fleets to match. Both airlines have hubs in Calgary.
Lynx, the newer of the two, has not had U.S. routes until now; its first will be Toronto to Orlando, starting in late January. That route will be followed by Calgary to Phoenix, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, all in service by late February. The startup has six 737 Max 8 planes in its fleet and is waiting for more.
WestJet is a far larger carrier, with nearly 100 737s, 18 of them Max 8s and the rest 737-700, as well as a half-dozen 787s it flies in services to Europe. Its expansion is focused for the moment on ‘sun markets,’ routes that connect Canada with warmer destinations, reflected in its new routes.
In addition to expanding routes, WestJet has recently acquired an eastern-based carrier, Sunwings, and has bumped up its order with Boeing for new 737 Max 10 planes, the largest member of that family. It just added 42 planes to its order, and expects 65 new 737s within the next five years, at least 50 of them the Max 10. One potential obstacle to the plans: Certification of the Max 10 is still on hold by the FAA.
