Swoop (airline)

Last updated

Swoop
Swoop Airlines logo.svg
IATA ICAO Callsign
WOWSW [1] SWOOP [1]
FoundedSeptember 27, 2017 (2017-09-27)
Commenced operationsJune 20, 2018 (2018-06-20)
Ceased operationsOctober 28, 2023 (2023-10-28)
(re-integrated into WestJet)
AOC # Canada 18771 [2]
United States 5OOF541F [3]
Operating bases
Parent company WestJet
Headquarters Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Swoop was a Canadian ultra low-cost airline owned by WestJet. The airline was headquartered in Calgary, Alberta and was named after WestJet's desire to "swoop" (or jump) into the Canadian market with a new business model. It was officially announced on September 27, 2017, [4] and began flights on June 20, 2018. [5] The Airline had bases In Hamilton (ON), Toronto-Pearson, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Abbotsford. However, Swoop’s bases in Winnipeg and Edmonton closed on October 20, 2023; the Toronto base closed a few days later on October 25. Swoop was integrated into WestJet’s mainline operation on October 28, 2023. [6]

Contents

History

In April 2017, WestJet announced that it was planning to launch a new airline to enter the growing ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC) market and compete against NewLeaf (now Flair Airlines). The airline was planned to launch in late 2017, [7] but in August 2017 it was delayed to June 2018 after switching to a lower-cost booking system. The delay also allowed WestJet to reconfigure aircraft for Swoop over the spring 2018 season. [8]

Swoop was officially announced on September 27, 2017, and was expected to have base fares 40% lower than WestJet's fares. It was announced that Swoop would launch with six Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Tickets first became available for sale on February 1, 2018. [4] Following its announcement, WestJet announced that Swoop's flights would not be based in Calgary, but in another nearby market such as Edmonton, Abbotsford, Hamilton or Winnipeg. [9] On February 1, 2018, [5] Swoop officially began selling tickets to the public, announcing John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport as its main base and Edmonton International Airport as its western base. [10]

On June 20, 2018, Swoop officially launched with two Boeing 737-800 aircraft in its fleet. The first flight was from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to Abbotsford International Airport, with passengers paying an average of $103 for the flight. [11] Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, Edmonton International Airport, and Halifax Stanfield International Airport were also launch destinations. [12] The fleet of 2 aircraft was planned to be expanded to 6 by the end of 2018 and to 10 in 2019.

On August 2, 2018, Swoop announced that it was to become the first Canadian ultra low-cost airline to fly to the United States, launching service to Las Vegas, Phoenix (Mesa), Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale throughout the month of October 2018. [13] However, prior to launching service in October, Swoop announced service to four more Mexican and Caribbean destinations launching in December 2018 and January 2019; Puerto Vallarta, Montego Bay, Cancun and Mazatlan. [14] On October 20, 2018, Swoop delayed launch of its flights to the United States until October 27, 2018, due to its lack of U.S. federal approvals. [15] Starting April and May 2019, Swoop began launching service to London and Kelowna. [16] On June 24, 2019, Swoop announced Los Cabos as a new destination, which commenced in November 2019. [17] On December 19, 2019, Swoop announced three new summer seasonal destinations including Victoria, Kamloops, and one U.S. destination, San Diego. [18] On January 9, 2020, Swoop expanded its East Coast network with three new destinations to St. John's, Charlottetown, and Moncton. [19] In October 2020, Swoop switched its eastern base to Toronto Pearson International Airport. [20]

In February 2022, Swoop announced that it would add 6 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to its fleet, [21] subsequently announcing that it planned to begin operating the aircraft during June 2022. [22]

On June 9, 2023 it was announced that Swoop would be integrated and shut down at the end of its current published schedule on October 28, 2023. [23]

Destinations

Prior to October 28, 2023, Swoop's route network consisted of destinations across North America and the Caribbean. The airline focused on point-to-point flying and did not offer connections. The airline additionally had an agreement with Sunwing Travel Group that allowed passengers out of Hamilton, Abbotsford, Winnipeg and Edmonton to book Sunwing vacation packages with Swoop flights. [24]

Fleet

A Swoop Boeing 737-800 at Las Vegas C-FONK Swoop Boeing 737-8CT s n 40835 (39783249613).jpg
A Swoop Boeing 737-800 at Las Vegas

As of 27 October 2023, Swoop operated an all-Boeing 737 fleet composed of the following aircraft: [25] [26]

Swoop fleet
AircraftIn serviceOrdersPassengersNotes
Boeing 737-800 10—189Transferred to WestJet. [27]
Boeing 737 MAX 8 6—189
Total16—

Livery

Swoop's fleet of aircraft was painted with the Swoop logo large across the fuselage, and a pink tail with a white line leading up to a silhouette of an aircraft. The winglets were painted in a similar pattern to the tail, pink with a white stripe through it. This pattern was the same on the inside and outside of the winglets. Each aircraft was given a name painted in pink below the windows of the cockpit on both sides of the aircraft. [26]

Related Research Articles

WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a major Canadian airline headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, near Calgary International Airport. It is the second-largest airline based in Canada, behind Air Canada, operating an average of 777 flights and carrying more than 66,130 passengers per day. In 2018, WestJet carried 25.49 million passengers, making it the ninth-largest airline in North America by passengers carried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmonton International Airport</span> International airport serving Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Edmonton International Airport, officially branded YEG Edmonton International Airport since 2022, is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of the Canadian province of Alberta. Designated as an international airport by Transport Canada and operated by Edmonton Airports, it is located 14 nautical miles south southwest of Downtown Edmonton in Leduc County on Highway 2 opposite of the city of Leduc. The airport offers scheduled non-stop flights to major cities in Canada, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copa Airlines</span> Flag carrier of Panama

Compañía Panameña de Aviación, S.A., is the flag carrier of Panama. It is headquartered in Panama City, Panama, with its main hub at Tocumen International Airport. Copa is a subsidiary of Copa Holdings and a member of the Star Alliance. The airline is also the main operator and owner of Colombian airline AeroRepública, currently known as Wingo, previously known as Copa Airlines Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wardair</span> Defunct Canadian airline (1952–1989)

Wardair Canada was a privately run Canadian airline, founded by Max Ward in 1952 under the name Wardair Ltd, before formally changing its name to "Wardair Canada" in 1976. The airline was acquired by and folded into Canadian Airlines in 1989.

CanJet was a Canadian low-cost air carrier headquartered in Enfield, Nova Scotia and based at Halifax International Airport. In addition to initially flying scheduled passenger service, CanJet operated charter flights using its own brand as well as flying contract and ad hoc charters for other tour operators and airlines throughout Canada and the United States. CanJet was wholly owned by IMP Group International and had 572 employees as of March 2007. The airline ceased operations in 2015.

Pacific Western Airlines Ltd (PWA) was an airline that operated scheduled flights throughout western Canada and charter services around the world from the 1950s through the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina International Airport</span> Airport in Saskatchewan, Canada

Regina International Airport is an international airport located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, located 2 nautical miles south-west and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) west-southwest of the city centre. It is run by the Regina Airport Authority. In 2022, it was the 16th busiest airport in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbotsford International Airport</span> Airport in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

Abbotsford International Airport is located in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, 2.2 nautical miles southwest of the city centre. It is the second largest airport in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, after Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and is in close proximity to British Columbia Highway 1, and the US border. It is located about 65 kilometres (40 mi) from downtown Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Region of Waterloo International Airport</span> International airport serving the Regional Municipality of Waterloo

Region of Waterloo International Airport or Kitchener/Waterloo Airport is an international airport serving the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Woolwich, Ontario, Canada, west of Toronto. It has year round daily flights to Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg, Calgary, Orlando, Halifax, Fort Lauderdale and Kelowna through Flair Airlines and WestJet. It also has seasonal flights to Cancun through Sunwing Airlines and Flair Airlines. In 2022, the airport ranked seventh-busiest in Canada by total aircraft movements and twentieth-busiest by passenger traffic.

Air BC was a Canadian regional airline headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It later became part of Air Canada Jazz. This regional airline primarily flew turboprop aircraft but also operated jets as well as an Air Canada Connector carrier on behalf of Air Canada via a code share feeder agreement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zip (airline)</span> Defunct low-cost airline of Canada (2002–2004)

Zip was a Canadian discount airline headquartered in Hangar 101 at Calgary International Airport, Calgary, Alberta. It was launched by Air Canada as a no-frills subsidiary in September 2002. It operated a fleet of 12 Boeing 737 aircraft, each painted in a bright, neon colour with a single class of service. The subsidiary was headed by former WestJet CEO, Steve Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nolinor Aviation</span> Charter airline of Montreal, Canada

Les Investissements Nolinor Inc., trading as Nolinor Aviation, is a charter airline based in Mirabel, a suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It operates passenger charter and cargo services within Canada and to the United States Its main base is Montréal–Mirabel International Airport. It has 200 employees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport</span> Airport in Yukon, Canada

Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport is an airport of entry located in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. It is part of the National Airports System, and is owned and operated by the Government of Yukon. The airport was renamed in honour of longtime Yukon Member of Parliament Erik Nielsen on December 15, 2008. The terminal handled 294,000 passengers in 2012, representing a 94% increase in passenger traffic since 2002. By 2017, this number had risen to 366,000. Air North is based in Whitehorse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Springs International Airport</span> International airport in Palm Springs, California, United States

Palm Springs International Airport, formerly Palm Springs Municipal Airport, is an airport two miles east of downtown Palm Springs, California, United States. The airport covers 940 acres and has two runways. The facility operates year-round, with most flights occurring in the fall, winter, and spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunwing Airlines</span> Ultra low-cost airline of Canada (2005)

Sunwing Airlines Inc. is a Canadian low-cost airline headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. On May 1, 2023, WestJet announced that it had completed the acquisition of Sunwing Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transair (Canada)</span>

Transair was an airline based in Canada. It was purchased by Pacific Western Airlines in 1979. Transair's operational headquarters was located at the Winnipeg International Airport in Manitoba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flair Airlines</span> Ultra-low-cost airline of Canada

Flair Airlines is a Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The airline operates scheduled passenger and chartered services with a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. The company slogan is Plane and Simple. The airline promotes itself as being Canada's leading independent ULCC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynx Air</span> Defunct ultra-low-cost airline of Canada (2006–2024)

Lynx Air, legally incorporated as 1263343 Alberta Inc., was a Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier based in Calgary, Alberta. It previously operated as Enerjet and was rebranded as Lynx Air on November 16, 2021. The first flight under the Lynx Air name took place on April 7, 2022, operating from Calgary International Airport to Vancouver International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GetJet Airlines</span> Lithuanian charter airline

GetJet Airlines is a Lithuanian airline company that has been providing ACMI and Charter services since 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 "ICAO Designators for Canadian Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services" (PDF). Nav Canada. May 4, 2023. p. 7. Retrieved February 26, 2023. Swoop: WSW, SWOOP
  2. ↑ Transport Canada (2019-08-28), Civil Aviation Services (CAS) AOC. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca.
  3. ↑ "Airline Certificate Information - Detail View". Federal Aviation Administration . Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Meet Swoop". Swoop (Press release). Bloomberg News. September 27, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Swoop is on sale". Swoop (Press release). February 1, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  6. ↑ "WestJet shutting down discount airline Swoop". CBC.ca. June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  7. ↑ "WestJet plans to launch new discount airline". Maclean's . August 31, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ "WestJet delays launch of discount airline until 2018". CBC News. August 31, 2018.
  9. ↑ Tucker, Erika (August 7, 2017). "New WestJet discount airline 'may be based outside of Calgary'". Global News. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Where We Fly, Destinations, Route Map". Swoop. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Low-cost airline Swoop's maiden flight lands in Abbotsford". June 19, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Swoop's wheels are up: Inaugural flight departs Hamilton, Ontario". Swoop (Press release). Cision. June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  13. ↑ "U.S. gets service from Canada's ultra-low-fare airline, Swoop". Swoop (Press release). Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Swoop announces service to Mexico". Swoop (Press release). Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Swoop airlines waiting on U.S. approval". CHCH. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Swoop lifts-off with three more inaugural summer routes". Swoop (Press release). May 24, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Swoop releases its 2019 Winter schedule, adds Los Cabos to its network". Swoop (Press release). Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Swoop Continues North American Expansion with Release of 2020 Summer Schedule". Swoop (Press release). December 13, 2019. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Swoop grows its East Coast network". Swoop (Press release). January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  20. ↑ Singh, Jay (October 25, 2020). "Swoop Officially Begins Operations Out Of Toronto Pearson". Simple Flying. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  21. ↑ Mehta, Davansh (February 9, 2022). "Canadian LCC Swoop to Add 6 Boeing 737 MAXs to Its Fleet". Simple Flying.
  22. ↑ Liu, Jim (June 5, 2022). "Swoop lists Boeing 737 MAX 8 June 2022 operations". AeroRoutes. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  23. ↑ "WestJet shutting down discount airline Swoop". CBC.ca. June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Sunwing partners with Swoop to offer customers even more travel options this winter". Swoop (Press release). September 27, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: Quick Search Result for Swoop". Transport Canada . Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  26. 1 2 "Our Fleet". Swoop. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Swoop Conducts Final Flight As it Merges With WestJet". SimpleFlying. Retrieved October 29, 2023.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Swoop at Wikimedia Commons Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.