Thoughts on Lynx Air Demise – No Refunds

At the beginning of the year, I predicted that we will see more competition within the Canadian airline industry. We are clearly not off to a good start.

Only a week or two ago, there was news that discount carriers Flair Airlines (“Flair”) and Lynx Air (“Lynx”) were in merger talks. Fast forward to today, Lynx airlines will cease operations tomorrow (February 26, 2024). Seems like they were unable to come to an agreement to make it work. I was really hoping that they could make it work as it was going to be a long shot for both to coexist in Canada at the same time. Pulling resources actually made a lot of sense to have one stronger discount airline. Looks like Lynx was too much of a lost cause of Flair to merge with.

On the flip side, I hope that Flair does inherit most of the discount airfare business because WestJet came out very aggressive immediately after the announcement that Lynx Air is under creditor protection by offering a new bookings 25% discount. While Air Canada announced it will cap fares and add more than 6,000 seats in select markets operated by Lynx. If Lynx’s business is going to be spread out to the other major airlines, it’s not helping the discount carrier business models. 

In the meantime, Lynx set up an FAQ page. I copied the questions here for reference as their website may come to an end soon, so it might be useful to some to capture the information now.

In short, today is the last day Lynx will be flying. Even if you have a flight today, be sure to monitor the flight to ensure that it is not cancelled. Do not expect much for Lynx in terms of refunds, they are already warning everyone to look elsewhere for that. Keep in mind that they are under creditor protection, so they cannot give out money just like that, creditors will have priority to any remaining assets that they have and not passengers who have a future flight booking.

Everything You Need to Know About Lynx Air’s Departure

When is Lynx Air ceasing flight operations? Lynx Air will cease flight operations as of 12:01 a.m. MT on Monday, February 26. For details about what to do if you have future travel with Lynx, please read through the questions below.

When did Lynx know they would be ceasing operations? Ceasing operations was a very difficult decision for Lynx to make. We worked tirelessly to find a solution to keep our operations going, but encountered several challenges in allowing us to do just that. It become the only path we could take, we kept our passengers and staff in mind, and knew the effects of this decision would touch many. The decision was made quickly to wind down operations while leaving enough time to get our crews and as many of our passengers as possible home.

Why is Lynx Air ceasing operations? Tremendous work was put into the growth and expansion of Lynx Air over the past two years, offering Canadians a low-cost, seamless travel experience for Canadians. However, the compounding financial pressures associated with inflation, fuel costs, exchange rates, cost of capital, regulatory costs and competitive tension in the Canadian market have ultimately proven too steep a mountain for our organization to overcome. It is with a heavy heart we leave the skies. We hope in our absence that our vision to Inspire More Canadians to Fly leaves its mark on our passengers.

I have a flight booked with Lynx Air this weekend up to Sunday February 25. What should I do next? Our passengers are our priority, and to ensure we bring as many of our travellers home as possible, we will continue to operate the majority of our flights through this weekend. If your flight is cancelled, you will be notified via email. For the most up to date information, please refer to Flight Status Information | Lynx Air (flylynx.com).

Why is my flight cancelled this weekend? What should I do next? As we wind down our operations, we are unable to facilitate many of the flights scheduled over the weekend as we work to bring aircraft, crews, and as many passengers as possible home. Those who have been affected by a cancellation over the weekend prior to cease of operations will need to contact their credit card provider for a refund. Lynx Air will not be able to assist with refunds or accommodations.

I have a flight booked with Lynx Air for travel on or after Monday February 26 . What should I do next? If your flight is for travel from Monday, February 26 onward, you can contact your credit card company and they will refund your flight. Please note: Lynx Air’s contact centre will not be available to assist with refunds.

I am partway through my journey and need to get home. What should I do? First, check your flight status as we will be operating most flights through to Monday, February 26. If your flight is scheduled for after February 26, you will receive a flight cancellation notification and you will be able to get a refund for your flight through your credit card company. If you would like to move to a flight this weekend, reach out to our contact centre and they will do their best to assist you.

I have a friend / family member who is currently travelling with Lynx. What should I do? Please check the status of their flight Flight Status Information | Lynx Air (flylynx.com)., as most flights will be operating through February 26. If they are travelling after February 26, they should have their flight refunded and make alternate arrangements.

I have a Lynx travel voucher or flight voucher. Can I still use it? Unfortunately, travel vouchers and flight vouchers will no longer be accepted once Lynx ceases operations.

Is Lynx still operating out of airports? Lynx will cease all flight operations on February 26, 2024 at 12:01 AM MT.

Why do I need to contact my credit card company regarding my refund? Any future travel booked and paid for, the monies are held by your financial institution prior to travel, your credit card will be able to reverse the charge and refund your payment.

I really liked flying Lynx. Why is this happening? Our passengers were a big part of our purpose and drive to build our airline. Offering low fares to inspire Canadians to fly more and to spend more enjoying time with loved ones in beloved destinations was a great privilege. Thank you for supporting us in our journey, we are as disappointed as you are. We are thankful for the loyalty of our passengers who valued our ultra low-cost carrier model. We know this is a shock to many and our goal is to make the wind down of our operations as seamless as possible. It has been a privilege to serve you.