Canada Jetlines聽鈥� the Vancouver-based ultra-low-cost air carrier that has been planning to launch for years 鈥� has released new branding and airplane liveries, but the carrier has yet to gain respect from rivals.
When Vancouver-based Canada Jetlines (TSX:JET) first stated an aim to launch flights that had the lowest possible base fare, with fees to cover everything from carry-on bags, to seat selection to cups of coffee,聽.
Canada Jetlines has had plans to launch as an ultra-low-cost carrier since 2014. Photo via jetlines.ca
The airline on June 18 reiterated that its launch date is set for December 17 鈥� a date first聽聽鈥� and it said that advertising agency Cossette has helped it craft its new brand identity.
That Quebec City-based communications agency helped Canada Jetlines create what the airline calls a 鈥渃heeky, rebellious identity system, as well as a brand promise anchored in the unapologetic and honest truth:聽鈥楩lying sucks less when you pay less.鈥欌��
The airline was upfront in saying that 鈥渇lying will still suck. There鈥檚 not much anyone can do about man-spreading seatmates, or tiny toilet stalls. But it will suck less when you pay less.鈥�
That message, the airline believes, will help make it 鈥渄eliberately distinct from the expensive goliath incumbents in Canada,鈥� such as Air Canada and WestJet.
Canada Jetlines鈥� new logo uses the outline of a plane to create part of the likeness of a face, with a curved line聽added to create a smirk.
The new Canada Jetlines logo. Image via jetlines.ca
Its logo is set to be on a wide range of surfaces, including the livery, luggage and airsickness bags.
Investors, and competitors, however, have yet to take Canada Jetlines seriously.
The company鈥檚 shares fell more than 4%, or $0.02, to $0.44, on higher-than-average volume on June 18, and its share price remains far from its $0.75 52-week high.
鈥淚 question very much whether they will ever get in the air,鈥� David Tait, executive chairman of Flair Airlines, told聽Business in Vancouver聽last week. Flair, last summer, transformed its own operations into being an ultra-low-cost carrier from being an air-charter service.
奥丑别苍听BIV聽asked Tait if he thought that the chance of Jetlines launching flights would be less than 50%, he said, 鈥渋n my book, 鈥榊es,鈥� [although] I have been wrong with things before as my wife will be happy to tell you. I think the longer it drags out, the less chance that it is ever going to fly. I鈥檓 surprised that they鈥檝e managed to sustain themselves on coming-next-year promises for as long as they have.鈥�
Tait is not alone in his skepticism.
, the president of the ultra-low-cost carrier Swoop, about Canada Jetlines, and he did not sound concerned.
鈥淔or me, they鈥檒l become serious when they launch,鈥� he said. 鈥淯ntil they actually start flying, it is a moot point for me.鈥�
Canada Jetlines鈥� has entered into a letter of intent with partner SmartLynx Airlines SIA to lease two Airbus A320 planes that will be available for delivery in the fall.
Its plan is to eventually ramp up to operate flights across Canada and provide non-stop service from Canada to the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.
