London

New budget flights to Halifax and Vancouver taking off from London, Ont.

Cost-conscious air travellers who like direct flights from London International Airport in Ontario will have two new options to both Canadian coasts starting in June.

Flair Airlines will offer 3 weekly flights to each destination starting in June

Flair Airlines starts flights between Tuscon, Ariz., and London, Ont., in December. The airline has also announced non-stop flights from London to Vancouver and Halifax starting in June. (flyfair.com)

Cost-conscious air travellers who like direct flights from London International Airport in Ontario will have two new options to both Canadian coasts starting in June.

Flair Airlines announced non-stop flights to Vancouver and Halifax, each leaving three times per week. Prices start at $49 per ticket to the East Coast and $59 to Western Canada. 

"London is one of the fastest-growing cities east of Vancouver, and we see an emerging tech hub, we see a college town with a lot of people who want to travel at low fares," said Eric Tanner, vice president of network planning and revenue for Flair.

Earlier this year, the airline announced direct flights between Tucson, Ariz., and London starting on Dec. 5. It has also expanded service in Kitchener and Windsor. 

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) had been reviewing whether Flair met the requirements of Canadian ownership since it issued a preliminary ruling in March, noting the airline "may not be controlled in fact by Canadians and may, therefore, not be 'Canadian,' as defined in the Canada Transportation Act.

In June, the CTA determined Flair is a Canadian airline. The company said Wednesday that Flair is now the third largest carrier in the country and employs more than 1,000. 

Flights to Vancouver start on June 7 and to Halifax on June 8.