Airline offers 10% discount to members of military, RCMP

Flair Airlines, which will start flying between Kelowna and Edmonton and Vancouver on Dec. 15, is offering a permanent 10 per cent discount to all Canadian Armed Forces members and their immediate families.

Through the Canadian Forces Appreciation Program, the Kelowna-based airline will offer the 10 per cent discount to active and retired members of the army, active and retired RCMP, and members of the Extended Defence Team and spouses and dependent children.

The deal is only available to those who qualify and access a discount code at CFAppreciation.ca.

However, codes won’t be generated until nearer the end of the month.

“We are proud of our Canadian Forces community and the sacrifices they make for the sake of our country and communities,” said Flair vice-president Chris Lapointe.

“We count this as our privilege to extend this offer to them.”

The discounts can be used for any flights, including reuniting after long absences, visiting family or vacation.

Currently, Flair flies between eight cities: Hamilton, Edmonton, Vancouver, Kelowna, Winnipeg, Toronto, Halifax and Abbotsford.

It is expected to announce some winter routes from Canadian cities to sun destinations in the coming weeks.

When Flair starts flying four times a week to Vancouver from Kelowna, the starting fare will be $99 one way.

Flights between Kelowna and Edmonton will also be $99 and will be offered three times per week.

The plane that flies to Edmonton from Kelowna continues on to Toronto, giving Kelowna passengers the option to stay on the plane and arrive in Toronto for fares starting at $235 one way.

Being a low-cost airline, the fare covers a seat on the 737 jet and that’s about it.

Flair charges both for carry-on ($31) and checked ($26.25) bags.

Before buying the operations of New Leaf (the low-cost ticket reseller for which Flair did the flying), Flair flew charters to the oilpatch in northern Alberta and to sun destinations from Canadian cities, but not Kelowna.

Flair will continue to do so, but has added the low-cost model under its own brand.