Published on : Thursday, June 21, 2018
But before that, the carrier took some time Tuesday to celebrate its first journey.
Greenway said John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is where the airline chose to locate its first base, because the city ticks all the boxes in terms of ultra low-cost carriers. It’s a small airport, it’s not congested, it’s simple to operate from, and the team there “wooed” Swoop to Hamilton.
Those are all-important factors in terms of making an overall decision about Hamilton being our first base. There will be multiple bases over the coming years. The instead of flying from Toronto Pearson International, flights will fly out of Hamilton’s lower-cost airport. Other initial cities are Winnipeg, Edmonton, Halifax and Abbotsford.
The additional destinations will be added, including international flights likely by the end of 2018, said Greenway. The name of the airline’s first aircraft — #Hamilton — a name that Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger took a liking to during a speech he made at the launch Tuesday.
The Boeing 737-800NG has 189 seats and boasts an interior with a “pop of colour accents” on the headrests. In terms of the workforce in Hamilton, Greenway said by the time they get to their fourth aircraft in August, just under 200 people will be based in Hamilton. That will predominantly be pilots and cabin crew. The key will be to keep costs down from lower labour costs, cramming 189 seats into Boeing 737-800s, and stimulating demand from people who don’t normally fly because of the high cost.
Initial one-way flights start at $49 tax included from Abbotsford to Winnipeg, $129 between Hamilton and Abbotsford and $99 between Hamilton and Halifax.