Four years after initially announcing a possible move to Waterloo Region, Hub Airlines Has started using YKF as a base for charter and maintenance operations.
The company announced the change of ownership on Monday and announced that its flights will eventually land at Waterloo International Airport.
“We have long been interested in relocating our maintenance base and commencing scheduled air service from Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF), and this transaction provides us with the opportunity to do so for the first time,” said CEO Eric Edmondson.
“Our market research showed that there is an unmet need for reliable scheduled airline service in the Waterloo Region. While Waterloo is not the only airport we intend to operate from in Southern Ontario, the experienced local maintenance staff ready to join Pivot’s team and the hangar facilities available from Fliteline made this an easy decision.”
Four years ago, the airline's plans to use Breslau Airport were shelved, partly due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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“Pivot is focused on providing essential services during the pandemic and is expanding that offering with today’s announcement of the addition of CRJ aircraft to serve our charter market, as we focus on serving remote communities and essential service flights,” a company spokesperson told Global News in an email.
The company has flown dozens of flood and fire evacuation flights over the past few years.
But as part of Tuesday's announcement, Pivot said it would add three Dash8-400 aircraft to its fleet.
“With the addition of the Dash 8-400, we believe we will be better able to provide commercial service to YKF and other Southern Ontario airports.”
When it was first announced that it would move to Waterloo Regional Airportthe company said it would offer service from YKF and Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor and Montreal, but those plans appear to have changed.
“We believe YKF has great potential for success in its commercial services focussed on both the business and leisure markets,” the spokesman said.
While the company noted that its essential service flights made headlines in 2022, when Several crew members on one of the company's planes were detained for months after cocaine was found on board.
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