Next Jet departs from regional airport after failed flights

BRESLAU — Upstart charter Next Jet barely got off the ground in early June with flights to Peterborough and Gatineau and has discontinued operation at the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

After more than a week of operation, Next Jet shut down, said Chris Wood, airport general manager.

“I think their business plan wasn’t really thought thoroughly through and they couldn’t make it work, so they suspended for the summer,” he said. “I know that (Next Jet) does have some plans to resurrect things, but so far I

haven’t seen that materialize.”

NextJet landed on the local scene in January, saying it would launch private charter flights from the Breslau airport to Peterborough, Gatineau and Montreal.

The charter flights were different than regular passenger flights out of the airport. Instead, NextJet was to use one of the airport’s fixed base operators for fuel and other services in a private arrangement that does not involve the region.

Flights were set to launch flights here May 30.

Wood said he was aboard the inaugural flight, which was halffull leaving Breslau. The rest of the seats were filled in Peterborough.

Wood said he was the only passenger on the way back from Ottawa that day.

Regional Coun. Geoff Lorentz said it was unfortunate NextJet couldn’t make a go of it.

“I think it’s great that people try to create something, to offer service to our community. But it’s certainly disappointing that they weren’t able to get off the ground so to speak,” he said. “People at the airport are willing to work with anybody to give it a try and I think that’s what happened and unfortunately it didn’t work out.”

He gave NextJet credit for trying.

“I applaud them for actually trying,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of people talk to me about the idea but never really try, so they did.”

In May, regional councillors pledged $15,000 to help NextJet with marketing and startup.

According to that deal, the region would pay NextJet up to $7,500 after three months of service and again after six months of service to help with marketing and startup. The amount was to depend on the number of passengers flown.

The financial agreement was for one year.

NextJet didn’t receive any money because it didn’t meet the terms of the deal.

The region was expecting to get $35,000 in passenger processing fees by filtering charter passengers through the airport’s terminal building.

The regional airport will have just one daily passenger offering as of October.

That’s when American Airlines discontinues flights to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, leaving WestJet’s daily flights to Calgary.

WestJet offers seasonal flights to Orlando, Fla., from December to April. Sunwing Airlines also provides seasonal service to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Earlier this year, Arctic charter Nolinor announced it was pulling out of the airport, taking about $350,000 in revenue with it. The company blamed the move on noise restrictions, though politicians disputed that claim.

Bearskin Airlines cancelled flights to Ottawa in 2014.

Wood said he’s hopeful a new carrier will start offering Ottawa service, one of several requested flights here.

NextJet did not respond for this story.