Flair Airlines Announces Rehiring of All Employees at Full Salaries

Inspired and assisted by the Canadian Government's Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program, Flair Airlines is rehiring all 130 employees previously laid-off due to the Covid-19 pandemic at 100% of their wages. The airline is also fully restoring the salaries of employees who had faced reductions. In announcing the program last week, Finance Minister Morneau put out a call to action to Canadian businesses saying, "my message to Canada's employers is this: get ready to rehire." Flair has heeded that call by going above and beyond CEWS's benefit which subsidizes up to 75% of a wage to ensure its employees have financial security during a time of economic uncertainty.

"In response to this crisis, the Government of Canada has demonstrated moral and fiscal leadership by taking decisive action to support the Canadian worker first," said Richard Williams, Flair's Vice-President of Human Resources. "Flair is the airline of the hard-working, everyday Canadian. We resolved at the outset of the outbreak to uphold our civic responsibility to our passengers, employees and the communities we serve. We are proud that, with the help of the Canadian government, we can continue to meet the moment."

Despite a sharp drop in revenue resulting from rationalizing April and May flying by approximately 90%, Flair has sustained close to 70% of its overall staff by pivoting to new areas of operation including cargo and charter. Flair has also worked closely with vendor partners, many of which are small Canadian businesses, to help secure those businesses by meeting their cash-flow needs. Flair continues to lean heavily on the guidance of government officials and health authorities and takes into account its vital role in facilitating the essential movements of Canadians to be appropriately responsive in dynamic circumstances.

"When we emerge on the other side of the crisis, Flair will be vital to the pace of the economic and social recovery, by providing reliable and low-cost air travel for Canadians, as well as additional competition in the market." said Jim Scott, Flair CEO. We are grateful to Prime Minister Trudeau, Minister Morneau, Minister Ng, and Minister Bains for putting us in position to accelerate that rebound when it occurs."