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First Air to start codeshare cooperation with Canadian North, Calm Air

Codeshare is a standard practice within the airline industry where cooperating airlines can sell and market seats and cargo space on codeshare flights. A seat can be purchased through each airline, but the flight is operated by only one of the cooperating airlines, or what is called the ‘operating carrier’. The term ‘code’ refers to the two-character airline designator code, such as ‘7F’ for First Air.

The benefit of codesharing is that all parties can continue to operate independently, set competitive prices and offer seats and cargo space to their respective customers.

“A codeshare agreement is much less complex than a merger agreement where airlines combine to form a single organization. However, many of the benefits of a merger can still be realized,” said Dr. Brock Friesen, President & CEO of First Air.

“Introducing codeshare will allow for significantly improved flight schedules and greater choice for our customers. It also improves the sustainability of the scheduled services of each individual airline,” said Bert van der Stege, VP Commercial at First Air. “Canada’s North needs airline consolidation. We are pleased to work with our two new airline partners and build on this proven and successful airline
cooperation model.”

Along with joint flight numbers, schedules are coordinated to ensure seamless travel and improved connections. Highlights of the new schedule are as follows:

Iqaluit – Ottawa
• From Ottawa, First Air will operate every day at 9:15 and Canadian North will operate at 12:45. Return flights to the South depart Iqaluit at 13:45 and 17:00.

Iqaluit – Baffin
• First Air will add flights from Iqaluit to Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Pangnirtung and Qikiqtarjuaq, operated in codeshare with Canadian North.

Yellowknife – Cambridge Bay
• Daily Boeing 737 flights between Yellowknife and Cambridge Bay will be implemented, operated by Canadian North.

Yellowknife-Kugluktuk
• ATR 42 flights between Yellowknife and Kugluktuk will be implemented daily, operated by First Air.

Edmonton, Yellowknife and the Mackenzie Valley
• Daily jet service up and down the Mackenzie Valley will continue and a Monday and Friday non-stop flight will be added between Yellowknife and Inuvik, operated by Canadian North.
• First Air will operate a peak-day Monday and Friday service between Yellowknife, Norman Wells and Inuvik.

Iqaluit-Rankin Inlet-Yellowknife
• Combined service will continue with service three days per week. First Air will operate two frequencies and Canadian North will operate one frequency.

Winnipeg- Rankin Inlet
• First Air will operate 13 flights per week. In each direction, one of the two flights will stop in Churchill.

Rankin Inlet- Kivalliq
• Calm Air will operate double daily services between Rankin Inlet and all Kivalliq communities. These flights are conveniently scheduled to connect with the First Air flights to and from Winnipeg.

First Air and Canadian North will commence codeshare cooperation in August, as soon as alignment of the airlines’ reservation systems is complete. The codeshare cooperation between First Air and Calm Air will be implemented next month.