New discount airline NewLeaf to offer flights from Kelowna

New no-frills, low-cost airline NewLeaf unveiled routes and prices on Jan. 6, including flights to and from nearby Kelowna to several Canadian cities starting at $89 for an “introductory” price.

At several coordinated media events across Canada, the new carrier displayed routes from Kelowna to Saskatoon ($89), Regina ($89), Winnipeg ($99) and Hamilton ($149). The airline also stops in Abbotsford and Halifax, but not directly from Kelowna.

Company spokespersons talked about their business plan, which is modeled after budget airlines like Ryan Air. The famous Ireland-based carrier offers very cheap tickets in Europe but charges steep fees for ‘extras’ like checked baggage and snacks on the flight.

NewLeaf CEO Jim Young said their strategy is to focus on smaller, secondary airports in Canada.

NewLeaf will start operating on Feb. 12. They will lease planes from a partner company in Kelowna. To save costs, the airline will sell directly through their website at www.newleaftravel.ca.

Much media discussion about the new service focused on expert comment from airline industry watchers, who discussed the viability of the low-cost service. They note that discount airlines have failed before in Canada, and that it is a challenging environment to operate in.

The Kelowna International Airport is the closest airline hub from Revelstoke. Transportation is a key challenge for Revelstoke’s burgeoning tourism sector.

Here is NewLeaf’s proposed 2016 winter schedule:

NewLeaf Winter 2016 Media Schedule