Canada 3000

File:Boeing 757-28A, Canada 3000 AN0827336.jpg at Lisbon Airport in 1991]]

File:Airbus A330-202, Canada 3000 AN0170340.jpg operator in April 1998]]

File:C-GZIA 1 A340-313X Canada 3000 MAN 30SEP01 (6939319184).jpg at Manchester Airport in 2001]]

File:Canada 3000 Boeing 737-200 Davies.jpg at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport in 2001]]

The airline was created in 1988 by British airline Air 2000, initially for charter service to lease some of its airplanes for Canadian charter travel (dubbed as Air 2000 Airline Ltd).{{cn|date=June 2024}} The airline was denied license to operate by the National Transport Agency (NTA) because of the control and ownership of the UK firm. Air 2000 dropped out of an ownership position, and the airline started operations in December 1988. On May 1, 1989, by order of the NTA, it changed its name to Canada 3000.{{cite news

|work=The Globe and Mail

|title=Air 2000 Airlines becomes Canada 3000 Airlines Ltd.

|date=May 10, 1989

|last=Foster |first=Cecil

|page=B3}} The next year the airline acquired Vacationair and a subsidiary was created in Mexico with the name Aerofiesta (not to be confused with the similarly named Aero Fiesta Mexicana, which was founded in 1993). The company's owners were the Deluce family (25%), chairman John Lecky (45%) and Adventure Tours (30%). Following the demise of Wardair, the company's goal was to become Canada's largest charter carrier, a position it attained in 1991.

The cover of the Canada 3000 summer of 1997 flight schedule stated the airline was serving destinations in Belgium, Denmark, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland and the U.S. as well as Canada.http://www.timetableimages.com, March 31, 1997 Canada 3000 timetable cover

In 1998, co-founder and CEO Angus Kinnear was the recipient of the Tony Jannus Award for his contributions to commercial air transportation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tonyjannusaward.com/legacy/|title=List of recipients of the Tony Jannus Award|access-date=2012-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717072412/http://www.tonyjannusaward.com/legacy/|archive-date=2011-07-17|url-status=dead}} As of 1998, the airline carried over 2.5 million passengers annually, and had destinations in 22 countries.{{cite book|title=Fly the Most Modern Fleet in America [brochure]|date=1998|publisher=Canada 3000}} In April 1998, Canada 3000 became the launch customer and first commercial operator of the Airbus A330-200.{{cite web|url=https://www.dvbbank.com/~/media/Files/D/Dvb-Bank-Corp/dvb-in-press/2011/simonfinn-afm-sep-oct-2011.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjElMer3tbPAhWIFT4KHREtBPkQFgghMAI&usg=AFQjCNHMQIU9KlMgDlMHspic5LoeSdG50A&sig2=96hNEkUb0NyBQSLBoo9M_g|title=Air Fleet Management|publisher=UBM Aviation|access-date=22 October 2020}}

In 1999, Canada 3000 purchased Holiday Travel Consultants based out of Vancouver from Richard and Shelley Carlin, which expanded to become Canada 3000's retail division under the name Canada 3000 Tickets. By the time it closed its doors, Canada 3000 had expanded its retail division to include 40 branch offices as well as three call centers in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

File:Airbus A310-304, Canada 3000 AN0181735.jpg at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2001. It was carrying a Canada 3000/Royal Aviation hybrid livery after they purchased the latter]]

In 2000, Canada 3000 went public, raising $30 million in an IPO. In January 2001, Canada 3000 bought charter carrier Royal Aviation of Montreal, Quebec for $84 million. The company also acquired Royal Cargo Airlines' cargo division, renaming it to Canada 3000 Cargo. In March 2001 it also took over CanJet for $7.5 million in stock.{{cite news|work=Vancouver Sun|title=Airline started in 1988 with 2 planes: After bumpy start, Canada 3000 soared with charter business|date=November 10, 2001|last=Barrett|first=Tom|page=F3}} In May 2001, following the merger of Canadian Airlines International with Air Canada, Canada 3000 also started operating scheduled flights. In October 2001, one month before its demise, Canada 3000 became the first airline to operate non-stop service from North America to India.{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011011/biz.htm|title=Canada 3000 Flight Lands in India|work=The Tribune|date=October 11, 2001|access-date=May 20, 2009}}

On November 8, 2001 the company suddenly collapsed with no warning for travelers or employees. The company filed for bankruptcy, citing a downturn in air travel during the weeks following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.{{cite news|work=Guelph Daily Mercury|date=November 9, 2001|title=Canada 3000 grounds planes|page=A1}} The fleet was left grounded at various airports around the world, leaving 50,000 vacationers stranded.{{cite news|title=The Canada 3000 grounding: Travellers seek new ways to get home|work=Vancouver Sun|last=Ward|first=Doug|date=November 10, 2001|page=F1}} September 10, 2001 was a record booking day, but within a few days air traffic declined by 50%. The airline was offered a $75 million loan guarantee from the Canadian government under the condition of a 'viable business plan' being produced. By November 7, 2001, the airline had $260 million in debt, and only had $1.49 million in cash. In secret, it had applied to the Canada Labour Board for permission to cut labour costs by 30% by closing its Royal division immediately. The Board would not approve without union agreement. Union offers to cut 700 pilot and flight attendant positions did not provide enough savings immediately and the airline applied for bankruptcy protection on November 8, while it planned to continue flying.{{cite news|work=Toronto Star|title=Air sickness; 50,000 passengers scramble as ailing carrier Canada 3000 is grounded|date=November 10, 2001|page=E1|last=Pigg|first=Susan}} By the end of the day, airport authorities in Toronto and St. John's, Newfoundland had seized planes under court authority and the company directors decided to cease operations.{{cite news|work=National Post|location=Toronto, Ontario|title=Scramble to seize airplanes spelled end: Overnight talks were fruitless once airports moved in|date=November 10, 2001|page=A1|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Peter}}

Out of bankruptcy, the Canada 3000 Cargo operation, which was still operating, was sold off and became Cargojet Airways, run by former Canada 3000 executive Ajay Virmani.{{cite news|work=Calgary Herald|title=Cargojet Airways buys Winnport Logistics|date=July 5, 2002|page=D5}} In 2002, Michel Leblanc, the former owner of Royal Airlines and later a director with Canada 3000 went on to form another scheduled discount airline, Jetsgo, which lasted almost three years before it too collapsed and filed for bankruptcy protection on March 11, 2005.

The CEO, Robert Deluce continued in the airline business with the successful Porter Airlines out of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.{{cite news|work=The Record|location=Kitchener, Ontario|title=How about a great big hmmm for Leblanc and Jetsgo?|date=March 12, 2005|page=F1|last=Coates|first=Al}}

In 2005, a group of investors had planned to launch a new Canada 3000, with two Boeing 757-200s.Flight International, April 2005

File:Canada 3000 Airbus A319 Unterspann.jpg at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport in 2002]]

During its 13-year existence, Canada 3000 operated the following aircraft:{{Cn|date=January 2025}}

• List of defunct airlines of Canada

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Canada 3000}}

• [https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.canada3000.ca Canada 3000] (archive)

{{Defunct airlines of Canada}}

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Category:Defunct low-cost airlines of Canada

Category:Airlines established in 1988

Category:Airlines disestablished in 2001

Category:Companies based in Etobicoke

Category:1988 establishments in Ontario

Category:2001 disestablishments in Ontario