Latest news with #MaciejWilk
CBC
12-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
New Flair Airlines CEO on the challenges of being a budget airline in Canada
Maciej Wilk was recently promoted to the CEO of Flair Airlines, which is an ultra low cost carrier based out of Edmonton. He spoke to Jason D'Souza, host of CBC's All Points West, about how the airline is working to improve its high rate of traveller complaints and the unique challenges of being a low-cost airline in a country as big as Canada.
Toronto Star
08-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Flair Airlines names permanent CEO
Flair Airlines has officially appointed Maciej Wilk, who served as interim chief executive officer over the past year, as the permanent head of the budget carrier. Wilk, who first joined the company as chief operating officer in 2023, has been at the helm of the Edmonton-based airline while it searched for a replacement for former CEO Stephen Jones, who retired last June.
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘Our best candidate was already doing the job': Flair Airlines names permanent CEO
A familiar name within Flair Airlines was appointed as permanent head of the budget carrier Tuesday after serving the past year as interim chief executive officer. Maciej Wilk has been at the helm of the Edmonton-based airline since June 2024 as the board of directors searched for a replacement for former CEO Stephen Jones, who retired last June. Wilk joined the organization as chief operating officer in 2023. He previously spent six years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where he worked on client projects in corporate finance, valuations, and financial modeling. 'People kept asking if we were still looking. The truth is, we had looked, and it turned out our best candidate was already doing the job,' said Jim Young, Chair of Flair Airlines' Board in a news release. 'Maciej has spent the past year steering through weather disruptions, organizational shifts, and economic headwinds, all while sharpening our focus on reliability, affordability, and performance.' The airline has a fleet of aircrafts connecting travellers to 25 cities across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. The company previously suspended plans to expand as it contends with plane delivery delays and hefty debts. As interim CEO, Wilk introduced an on-time guarantee and the Flair FWD Take Off platform providing in-seat ordering and a customer-first website.'I'm thrilled to make it official,' said Wilk. 'The title may be new, but the work and the mission haven't changed. I believe in Flair, and I believe Canadians deserve air travel that's efficient, accountable, and affordable for all. The past 12 months prove that it can be done, and we're just getting started.' Jones' departure came as the company sought investors to restructure its finances and grow its fleet.
Hamilton Spectator
05-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Leasing companies allege Flair failed to make rent payments, ignored default notices
Plane-leasing companies that seized four aircraft from Flair Airlines in 2023 are seeking damages from the budget carrier, alleging it failed to make rent payments by the deadline and ignored repeated default notices. The allegations were detailed in a statement of defence and counterclaim for US$30.9 million filed in Ontario Superior Court on June 26. In March 2023, Flair Airlines filed a $50-million lawsuit against Irish-based Airborne Capital Inc. and a trio of affiliated leasing corporations, alleging they 'secretly' found a better deal for the Boeing 737 Max aircraft with a third party and then set up Flair for default. Flair said at the time it received no notice over the 'unlawful' seizures, which took place at airports in Toronto, Edmonton and Waterloo, Ont., precluding the airline from alerting or rebooking customers. The airline then found itself down by more than a fifth of its 19-plane fleet, forcing it to cancel multiple flights. 'The lessors sent agents to seize the aircraft in the middle of the night as passengers were boarding planes for spring break vacations,' Flair's statement of claim said. But Airborne Capital has said that Flair 'regularly' missed payments over the previous five months, prompting the plane seizures, and that it had been in regular contact with Flair's representatives about its obligations. None of the allegations in Flair's lawsuit or the countersuit have been tested in court. In new court documents, the lessors deny any breach of contract or duty to act in good faith, saying the seizures were necessary to protect the value of the aircraft. They said the seizures took place at Canadian airports to avoid stranding passengers overseas and were timed overnight to prevent disruption during busier daytime hours. 'Flair's action is an attempt to recover self-inflicted losses arising from its own defaults,' the countersuit stated. 'For months, Flair failed to make rent and other payments when due under the leases. It ignored repeated default notices in which the lessors expressly reserved their rights and remedies under the leases, including to terminate the leasing of the aircraft and repossess the aircraft.' The leasing companies said they 'repeatedly advised that the continuing arrears were unacceptable.' They also denied that the seizures were related to a more profitable deal with a third-party. 'In fact, it took the defendants several months and significant cost ... to re-market and restore the aircraft to a suitable condition before they could be re-leased or sold,' the document stated. 'Two aircraft required major repairs because one or more of their engines were unserviceable due to defects uncovered post recovery from Flair.' In a statement, Flair CEO Maciej Wilk called the counterclaim a 'predictable response' to Flair's lawsuit. 'The company does not comment on active litigation, but would like to point out that the claims in question relate to events that occurred over two years ago,' Wilk said. 'Flair continues to maintain and cultivate productive and positive relationships with all of its stakeholders, including its customers, lessors and other industry partners and remains focused on executing its strategy and commitment to be Canada's most reliable and affordable airline.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025.
