Off we go: CTA gives OWG green light to operate Canada-U.S. flights

OWG, a subsidiary of Nolinor Aviation, has been approved by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to operate flights between Canada and the United States.

According to a March 23 notice posted to the CTA’s website, OWG applied for a licence to operate “scheduled international service” between the two countries on board large aircraft in accordance with the Air Transport Agreement.

The CTA, which has approved a licence, noted that it was “satisfied that the applicant meets all the applicable requirements of subsection 69(1) of the CTA.”

“The Agency also finds that the pertinent terms and conditions of the Agreement have been complied with,” the CTA wrote.

The licence is subject to conditions prescribed by the Air Transportation Regulations.

PAX contacted Marco Prud'Homme, president of Nolinor Aviation, for further information and, in response, Prud'Homme said there was "nothing official" to announce just yet. 

Off We Go 

OWG, under Nolinor Aviation, is a Canadian airline based in Quebec that was first announced in July of 2020.

The airline's plan was to offer links from Montreal and Toronto to Cuba starting in November 2020, but that was postponed to December due to pandemic-related challenges and travel restrictions.

On Jan 25, 2021, OWG (which stands for “Off We Go”) temporarily suspended its flights due to drops in demand stemming from Canada’s new measures aimed at discouraging non-essential air travel.

While launching an airline in the middle of a global pandemic is bound to encounter challenges, the brand reported positive customer reviews from its first series of flights.

The company’s launch included a strategic alliance with Hola Sun Holidays (and sister company Caribe Sol in Quebec) to offer direct and dedicated flights to Cuba on board modern Boeing 737-400s.

The OWG team says it is making improvements to its in-flight experience while waiting for flights to resume.

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