EDMONTON — It’s official: Flair Airlines will now be known as Edmonton’s Hometown Airline.

The low-fare airline has announced that after extensive analysis, it will build on the success of Edmonton International Airport as its main transfer hub. As such, it will relocate its operations and executive base to Edmonton, and continue to expand its network to/from the city by growing its frequency and network, both domestic and trans-border.

In addition, Flair is also expected to announce new low-fare routes in the coming weeks.

“Just last week Flair doubled its frequency out of Edmonton and, as one of the fastest growing cities in the country, the community and the airport are uniquely positioned to support our ongoing growth,” said David Tait, Flair’s Executive Chairman. “Already, of Flair’s almost 200 flights per week, 65% of them fly to/from Edmonton. We are also looking forward to tapping into Edmonton’s professional talent pool, as we progressively establish our headquarters here over the coming months.”

Rom Ruth, President and CEO of Edmonton International Airport, extended his congratulations to Flair on its success. “Over the past year of operation, not only has Flair introduced new destinations and increased route frequencies, it has successfully expanded Edmonton into its main transfer hub for Canada. This reflects Flair’s strong confidence in the Edmonton Metro Region, and has proven this market’s support for Flair’s growing list of nonstop and ULCC value.”

According to Flair, cities from which it operates benefit with dramatically lower airfares as a direct result of the carrier’s market presence. Airports also report an increase in first-time travellers.