Flair Airlines Launches On-Time Guarantee Program

DALLAS – Flair Airlines (F8) has launched Canada's first On-Time Guarantee (OTG) program, which promises flight punctuality or a C$60 voucher instead.

The airline is able to offer this guarantee due to the fact that it has demonstrated impressive on-time performance in recent months. In September 2024, F8 achieved the top spot as Canada's most on-time airline with an 83.4% on-time performance (OTP). This placed F8:

#1 in Canada for on-time performance
#6 across all of North America for OTP

Additionally, F8 outperformed other major Canadian airlines in September, including:

WestJet (82.1% OTP)
Porter Airlines (80.8% OTP)
Air Canada (77.1% OTP)

For the full year 2023, Flair reported strong operational metrics:

98.2% completion rate (best among Canadian airlines)
68.8% average on-time performance (second most on-time airline in Canada)
4.5 million passengers transported
86% average load factor

How Does the OTG Work?

Flair customers who booked directly on flyflair.com on or after October 29, 2024, get a C$60 e-voucher if any of the following happen:

‍Delayed Flight — Applies when the eligible flight is delayed for any reason by more than 60 minutes from the arrival time as stated on your itinerary. You can check this out in your reservation confirmation email, your boarding pass, and on flyflair.com/flight-status.‍
Cancelled Flight — Applies when the eligible flight is cancelled for any reason within 72 hours before the departure time as stated on your itinerary.

Flair says the e-voucher is non-transferable and must be used by the passengers named on the original reservation. Additionally, the e-voucher is good for one-way or roundtrip flights and applies to the base fare only. Travelers can’t use it for extras like baggage fees or seat selection.

Only passengers aged 18 or older are eligible for On-Time Guarantee e-vouchers, and only one e-voucher can be applied per booking, and it must be redeemed on flyflair.com.

History of OTGs in North America

While F9's introduction of an on-time guarantee is notable in the Canadian market, similar programs have existed in North America, particularly in the U.S. Here's an overview of comparable initiatives:

JetBlue (B6) has offered a similar program called the 'JetBlue Promise Program':

Introduced in 2007
Offered compensation for delays of 3 hours or more
Provided travel credit ranging from US$50 to US$200, depending on the length of the delay

Alaska Airlines (AS) has had a '20-Minute Baggage Guarantee':

Promised that checked bags will arrive at the carousel within 20 minutes of the plane's arrival at the gate
Offered 2,500 bonus miles or a US$25 travel voucher if the guarantee is not met

Frontier (F9) previously offered an 'On-Time Arrival Guarantee':

Introduced in 2008 but later discontinued
Provided a US$50 travel voucher if a flight arrived more than 30 minutes late

While not a guarantee, Spirit Airlines (NK) has experimented with incentives:

In 2019, offered bonus miles to customers if flights arrived early

It's worth noting that F8's guarantee appears to be more comprehensive and applies to shorter delays (60 minutes) compared to some of these other programs. Additionally, Flair's guarantee covers flight cancellations within 72 hours of departure, which is a unique feature.