In economics , a virtual airline is an airline that has outsourced as many possible operational and business functions as it can, but still maintains effective control of its core business. Such an airline focuses on operating a network of air services, and outsourcing non-core activities to other organizations. Contracting out services within the aviation industry has reportedly become so common that many carriers could be classed as having features of a virtual airline, although it is arguable whether any current carriers meet a strict definition of the term.
5-608: OWG , standing for Off We Go , is a Canadian virtual airline and division of charter airline Nolinor Aviation . It operates flights to leisure destinations from Montréal Trudeau and Toronto Pearson airports. On July 6, 2020, Nolinor Aviation announced OWG as its new airline. The airline planned to operate a fleet of Boeing 737-400 aircraft in an all-economy configuration of 158 seats, targeting leisure travel to southern destinations. On July 13, 2020, OWG announced that it would partner with Canadian travel operator Hola Sun Holidays to operate dedicated flights to Cuba on behalf of
10-623: A regulatory standpoint, the aircraft may display the virtual airline's livery , and may be owned or leased by that company. Virtual airlines originated in the United States following the drastic changes brought about by the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 . During the hyper-competitive years immediately following deregulation, major airlines found it increasingly unprofitable to compete against start-up carriers on many routes they currently served. Instead of forfeiting
15-648: The 737-800 did not enter service until 2022. As of July 2022, OWG has operated to the following destinations: The OWG fleet, which is operated by Nolinor Aviation under its air operator's certificate (AOC), comprises the following aircraft as of March 2024: Virtual airline (economics) The term is often used to describe travel companies and ticket agencies that market themselves as airlines, but do not possess an air operator's certificate and contract with one or more certificated operators to fly and maintain aircraft, often under an air charter or wet lease arrangement. Although operated by others from
20-694: The company. Its inaugural flight to Cuba departed on December 18, 2020, having originally been planned for August 31, 2020, while the airline operated charter flights within Canada for an interim period beginning on October 18, 2020. The company ceased its flights to the Caribbean in 2021 at the request of the Canadian government, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . The company planned to restart flights in late 2021 using one Boeing 737-800 aircraft, although
25-413: The routes entirely, the larger carriers often made marketing arrangements with smaller airlines to fly under the "banner", or livery, of the larger airline. These regional airlines , mimicking the well known major airlines in adverts and purporting to make connections as seamless as possible, soon abandoned their own local service routes. In most cases, the regional airlines found it more profitable to serve
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