Wardair

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Wardair
IATA
ICAO
Callsign
WD WDA WARDAIR
Founded1952
Ceased operations1989 (acquired by Canadian Airlines)
Frequent-flyer programdefunct (formerly, Reward)
Alliancenone
Fleet size30+
Destinations26
HeadquartersEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
Key peopleMax Ward
WebsiteNone

Wardair Canada was a privately run Canadian

Max Ward in 1952 under the name Wardair Ltd, before formally changing its name to "Wardair Canada" in 1976. The airline was acquired by and folded into Canadian Airlines
in 1989.

History

In 1946,

Yellowknife, NWT. In 1952 the airline was formed as Wardair and operations began on 6 June 1953 using a single engine de Havilland Canada Otter. In 1962, it entered the trans-atlantic charter market and changed its name to Wardair Canada Ltd. On January 1, 1976, the name was changed to Wardair Canada (1975) Ltd and yet again on June 10, 1977, to Wardair International Ltd.[1]

Wardair provided domestic service in

Canadian Airlines International
.

Wardair had its roots in the air charter business in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. From a modest start as Polaris Charter Company in the mid 1940s operating small bi-planes such as the

De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth.[2] With service as a passenger and cargo charter company, the airline expanded into the more populous regions of Canada. And from 1962 onward, was transformed into a holiday charter airline.[citation needed
]

Wardair was not a discount airline but an airline providing good service at lower-than-average prices. They were known for high quality meals and friendly staff. "Steak & Champagne" flights was a popular advertising tag line in the 1980s, and won various awards from magazines for their service (Holiday Which? magazine charter airline of the year 1985, and scheduled carrier of the years 1986 and 1987). Flight attendants served food on Wardair-branded Royal Doulton china on tray-table tablecloths on the passenger tray. The seats featured generous pitch.[citation needed]

This Wardair Boeing 707, seen at London's Gatwick Airport, served the airline from 1969 until 1978.

The operations from the early 1950s were small bush-type runs based in

Honolulu, Hawaii, became a significant winter destination, with London Gatwick becoming a major summertime destination with direct flights from Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Toronto.[4]

In 1970, the mainline fleet consisted of two 707s and one 727. By 1980, the fleet had grown to include four

McDonnell Douglas MD-88s, and 12 Fokker 100s
which represented an exponential expansion of operations that would ultimately prove to be financially unsustainable. The MD-80 and 100 jetliners were never delivered or operated by the airline.

Only the first 12 Airbus A310s had been delivered — the remaining A310s as well as all of the MD-88 and 100 deliveries were cancelled after the takeover.[5]

The airline added scheduled passenger service to its charter service flights in 1986. Rapid expansion, problems with their computer booking system, and failure to attract business customers, who had developed customer loyalty to frequent flier programs on competing airlines, led the airline into financial difficulties, ultimately resulting in Wardair Canada being sold to Canadian Airlines (which operated as

Canadian Airlines International
) in 1989.

Destinations

Wardair DC-10 landing

Wardair served the following destinations at various times during its existence:

Domestic

International

Scheduled service destinations in 1989

According to its 1989 scheduled service route map, Wardair was serving the following destinations with scheduled passenger flights:[6]

Charter service destinations in 1989

According to its 1989 charter service route map, Wardair was serving the following destinations with charter passenger flights:[7]

Historical Fleet

Fleet in 1970

Wardair Canada fleet in 1970[13]
Aircraft Total Orders Notes
Boeing 707-320 (B707-311C & B707-396C) 2 0
Boeing 727-100
 1 0
Bristol Freighter 3 0
de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter 1 0
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 2 0
Douglas DC-6B 1 0
Total 10 0

See also

References

  1. ISBN 0946141029
    .
  2. ^ http://www.airliners.net, photo of Wardair de Havilland DH-83C Fox Moth
  3. ^ "Airliners.net | Aviation Photography, Discussion Forums & News". Airliners.net. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  4. ^ "Wardair Route Map". 1.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  5. ^ jp airline-fleets international 89/90
  6. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, 1989 Wardair scheduled service route map
  7. ^ "index". www.departedflights.com. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Airlines Remembered". ruudleeuw.com.
  9. ^ "Bristol Transports". 1000aircraftphotos.com.
  10. ^ "Bristol Transports". 1000aircraftphotos.com.
  11. ^ "Airliners.net | Aviation Photography, Discussion Forums & News". Airliners.net. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  12. ^ "Passenger Airlines - Wardair". abheritage.ca.
  13. ^ "1970 - 0559 - Flight Archive". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 22 June 2016.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wardair.
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