Swoop (airline)
{{Short description|Defunct ultra low-cost airline of Canada (2017–2023)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Swoop
| logo = Swoop Airlines logo.svg
| IATA = WO
| ICAO = WSW{{CanICAOD|Swoop|WSW|SWOOP|7|2023-02-26}}
| founded = {{start date|2017|09|27}}
| commenced = {{start date|2018|06|20}}
| ceased = {{end date|2023|10|28}}
{{small|(re-integrated into WestJet)}}
| aoc = Canada 18771{{TCAOC|2019-08-28|187-71|Swoop}}
United States 5OOF541F{{Cite web|url=https://av-info.faa.gov/detail.asp?DSGN_CODE=5OOF&OPER_FAR=129&OPER_NAME=SWOOP+INC|title=Airline Certificate Information - Detail View|website=Federal Aviation Administration|access-date=2019-06-27}}
| headquarters = Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| key_people =
| bases = {{ubl|class=nowrap
| Edmonton
| Winnipeg}}
| frequent_flyer =
| fleet_size =
| destinations =
| alliance =
| parent = WestJet
| num_employees =
| website =
| image =
}}
Swoop was a Canadian ultra low-cost airline owned by WestJet. The airline was headquartered in Calgary, Alberta and was named after WestJet's desire to "swoop" (or jump) into the Canadian market with a new business model. It was officially announced on September 27, 2017,{{cite press release|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2017-09-27/meet-swoop|title=Meet Swoop|date=2017-09-27|work=Swoop|publisher=Bloomberg News|access-date=2019-04-01|df=mdy-all}} and began flights on June 20, 2018.{{cite press release|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/news/swoop-is-on-sale|title=Swoop is on sale|date=2017-02-01|work=Swoop|access-date=2019-04-01|df=mdy-all}} The airline had bases In Hamilton (ON), Toronto–Pearson, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Abbotsford. However, Swoop’s bases in Winnipeg and Edmonton closed on October 20, 2023; the Toronto base closed a few days later on October 25. Swoop was integrated into WestJet’s mainline operation on October 28, 2023.{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2023 |title=WestJet shutting down discount airline Swoop |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-swoop-1.6871478 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=CBC.ca}}
History
In April 2017, WestJet announced that it was planning to launch a new airline to enter the growing ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC) market and compete against NewLeaf (now Flair Airlines). The airline was planned to launch in late 2017,{{cite news|title=WestJet plans to launch new discount airline|url=http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/westjet-plans-to-launch-new-discount-airline/|access-date=2017-04-21 |work=Maclean's|date=31 August 2018 |df=mdy-all}} but in August 2017, it was delayed to June 2018 after switching to a lower-cost booking system. The delay also allowed WestJet to reconfigure aircraft for Swoop over the spring 2018 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-discount-airline-1.4230251 |title=WestJet delays launch of discount airline until 2018 |date=31 August 2018 |df=mdy-all |work=CBC News}}
Swoop was officially announced on September 27, 2017, and was expected to have base fares 40% lower than WestJet's fares. It was announced that Swoop would launch with six Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Tickets first became available for sale on February 1, 2018. Following its announcement, WestJet announced that Swoop's flights would not be based in Calgary, but in another nearby market such as Edmonton, Abbotsford, Hamilton or Winnipeg.{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3653321/new-westjet-discount-airline-may-be-based-outside-of-calgary/ |title=New WestJet discount airline 'may be based outside of Calgary' |date=2017-08-07 |access-date=2017-11-30 |df=mdy-all |last=Tucker |first=Erika |work=Global News}} On February 1, 2018, Swoop officially began selling tickets to the public, announcing John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport as its main base and Edmonton International Airport as its western base.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/where-we-fly/|title=Where We Fly, Destinations, Route Map|work=Swoop|access-date=2018-02-01|df=mdy-all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802192949/https://www.flyswoop.com/where-we-fly/|archive-date=August 2, 2018}}
On June 20, 2018, Swoop officially launched with two Boeing 737-800 aircraft in its fleet. The first flight was from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to Abbotsford International Airport, with passengers paying an average of $103 for the flight.{{cite web |title=Low-cost airline Swoop's maiden flight lands in Abbotsford |date=June 19, 2018 |url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/low-cost-airline-swoop-s-maiden-flight-lands-in-abbotsford-1.3980254 |access-date=31 August 2018}} Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, Edmonton International Airport, and Halifax Stanfield International Airport were also launch destinations.{{cite press release|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/swoops-wheels-are-up-inaugural-flight-departs-hamilton-ontario-686005402.html|title=Swoop's wheels are up: Inaugural flight departs Hamilton, Ontario|work=Swoop|publisher=Cision|date=June 20, 2018|access-date=June 15, 2022}} The fleet of 2 aircraft was planned to be expanded to 6 by the end of 2018 and to 10 in 2019.
On August 2, 2018, Swoop announced that it was to become the first Canadian ultra low-cost airline to fly to the United States, launching service to Las Vegas, Phoenix (Mesa), Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale throughout the month of October 2018.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/blog/us-gets-swoop-service.html|title=U.S. gets service from Canada's ultra-low-fare airline, Swoop|website=Swoop|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803044509/https://www.flyswoop.com/blog/us-gets-swoop-service.html|archive-date=August 3, 2018}} However, prior to launching service in October, Swoop announced service to four more Mexican and Caribbean destinations launching in December 2018 and January 2019; Puerto Vallarta, Montego Bay, Cancun and Mazatlan.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/news/swoop-announces-service-to-mexico.html|title=Swoop announces service to Mexico|website=Swoop|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}} On October 20, 2018, Swoop delayed launch of its flights to the United States until October 27, 2018, due to its lack of U.S. federal approvals.{{cite web |title=Swoop airlines waiting on U.S. approval |url=http://www.chch.com/swoop-airlines-waiting-u-s-approval/ |website=CHCH |access-date=20 October 2018}} Starting from April and May 2019, Swoop began launching service to London and Kelowna.{{cite press release|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/news/swoop-summer-routes-kelowna/|title=Swoop lifts-off with three more inaugural summer routes|date=May 24, 2019|website=Swoop|access-date=January 30, 2020}} On June 24, 2019, Swoop announced Los Cabos as a new destination, which commenced in November 2019.{{cite press release|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/news/2019-winter-schedule-los-cabos-added|title=Swoop releases its 2019 Winter schedule, adds Los Cabos to its network|website=Swoop|access-date= 1 July 2019}} On December 19, 2019, Swoop announced three new summer seasonal destinations including Victoria, Kamloops, and one U.S. destination, San Diego.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/news/2020-summer-schedule-release/|title=Swoop Continues North American Expansion with Release of 2020 Summer Schedule|date=December 13, 2019|website=Swoop|access-date=January 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130170235/https://www.flyswoop.com/news/2020-summer-schedule-release/|archive-date=January 30, 2020}} On January 9, 2020, Swoop expanded its East Coast network with three new destinations to St. John's, Charlottetown, and Moncton.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/news/swoop-grows-its-east-coast-network/|title=Swoop grows its East Coast network|date=January 9, 2020|website=Swoop|access-date=January 30, 2020}} In October 2020, Swoop switched its eastern base to Toronto Pearson International Airport.{{cn|date=June 2024}}
In February 2022, Swoop announced that it would add 6 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to its fleet,{{cn|date=June 2024}} subsequently announcing that it planned to begin operating the aircraft during June 2022.{{cite web|url=https://aeroroutes.com/eng/220606-wo7m8jun22|title=Swoop lists Boeing 737 MAX 8 June 2022 operations|last=Liu|first=Jim|website=AeroRoutes|date=June 5, 2022|access-date=June 15, 2022}}
On June 9, 2023, it was announced that Swoop would be integrated and shut down at the end of its current published schedule on October 28, 2023.{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2023 |title=WestJet shutting down discount airline Swoop |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-swoop-1.6871478 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=CBC.ca}}
Destinations
{{main|List of Swoop destinations}}
Prior to October 28, 2023, Swoop's route network consisted of destinations across North America and the Caribbean. The airline focused on point-to-point flying and did not offer connections. The airline additionally had an agreement with Sunwing Travel Group that allowed passengers out of Hamilton, Abbotsford, Winnipeg and Edmonton to book Sunwing vacation packages with Swoop flights.{{cite press release |title=Sunwing partners with Swoop to offer customers even more travel options this winter |url=https://www.flyswoop.com/news/sunwing-partners-with-swoop/ |website=Swoop |date=September 27, 2019 |language=en}}
Fleet
File:C-FONK Swoop Boeing 737-8CT s n 40835 (39783249613).jpg at Las Vegas]]
{{As of|2023|10|27}}, Swoop operated an all-Boeing 737 fleet composed of the following aircraft:{{TCregister|SWOOP|Swoop|2018-06-20}}{{cite web|url=https://www.flyswoop.com/our-fleet/|title=Our Fleet|website=Swoop|access-date=June 15, 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center;margin:auto;"
|+ Swoop fleet |
| style="background:#DF1995; color:white" | Aircraft
! style="background:#DF1995; color:white" | In service ! style="background:#DF1995; color:white" | Orders ! style="background:#DF1995; color:white" | Passengers ! style="background:#DF1995; color:white" | Notes |
|---|
| Boeing 737-800
|10 |— | rowspan="2" |189 | rowspan="2" |All aircraft transferred to WestJet.{{cn|date=June 2024}} |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8
|6 |— |
| Total
!16 !— ! colspan="2" | |
= Livery =
Swoop's fleet of aircraft was painted with the Swoop logo large across the fuselage, and a pink tail with a white line leading up to a silhouette of an aircraft. The winglets were painted in a similar pattern to the tail, pink with a white stripe through it. This pattern was the same on the inside and outside of the winglets. Each aircraft was given a name painted in pink below the windows of the cockpit on both sides of the aircraft.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{official website}}
{{Defunct airlines of Canada}}
Category:Defunct low-cost airlines of Canada
Category:Airlines established in 2017
Category:Airlines disestablished in 2023
Category:2017 establishments in Alberta
Category:2023 disestablishments in Alberta
Category:Companies based in Calgary