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Skyservice Airlines

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Not to be confused with Skyservice Air Ambulance.
Skyservice Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
5G SSV SKYFINDER/SKYTOUR
Founded1986
Ceased operationsMarch 31, 2010
Operating basesToronto Pearson Airport
Montreal Trudeau Airport
Fleet size18
Destinations78
Parent companyGibralt Capital Corporation, Vancouver
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario[1]
Key peopleRob Giguere, President and CEO
Ronald Patmore, former President of Skyservice
Russell Payson, former CEO and President
Websitewww.skyservice.com (redirects to current Business Aviation site)

Skyservice Airlines Inc. was a charter airline (Skyservice Airlines) based in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[2] It employed more than 2,000 people. Skyservice Airlines Inc. flew within Canada and to the United States, Caribbean, Mexico, Venezuela, Israel and Europe. During the summer, Skyservice sold tickets to Europe from Toronto using a Boeing 757-200WL. It also used an Airbus A330-300 for other chartered flights to Europe from Canada. Scheduled services to some destinations were offered during the summer season. Skyservice offered online-booking for those who wished to travel on Skyservice's scheduled destinations in the summer. Skyservice Airlines began operations in 1994.[3]

Skyservice was forced into receivership on March 31, 2010, as a result of a near $9 million debt to its long-term partner Sunquest Vacations. As a result, Skyservice abruptly ceased operations. Roughly 860 jobs were expected to be lost.[4]

History

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Skyservice Airbus A320.

The airline was started in 1986. On May 2, 2005, Skyservice introduced the first of two Boeing 767-300 aircraft to its fleet, the first of which entered service on that date with a flight from Toronto to Puerto Vallarta. The aircraft (both formerly with MyTravel Airways) operated summer charters from Toronto to the United Kingdom and Europe for Sunquest Vacations, and in the winter flew from Vancouver to the Caribbean and Mexico.[5] It was one of the few discount airlines operating in Canada which still offered full meal service.

On August 28, 2007, it was announced that Skyservice had sold a majority interest in its airlines business to Vancouver-based private equity company Gibralt Capital Corp. No changes in senior management, operations or staffing levels were planned.

In March 2009, Skyservice partnered with Inflite Media to offer tray table advertising across its fleet of aircraft, the first such advertising network available in Canada.

Skyservice was forced into receivership on March 31, 2010, as a result of an $8.8 million debt to its long-term partner Sunquest Vacations. The last Skyservice flight, from Punta Cana to Winnipeg, took place on the same day.[6]

The private charter portion of the airline continues to operate today under Skyservice Business Aviation[7] with fixed base operations in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary.

In December 2024, Skyservice Business Aviation announced its designation as an Authorized Starlink Dealer. This partnership aims to enhance the availability of Starlink's high-speed and reliable in-flight connectivity solutions for business aircraft owners and operators, broadening access to advanced connectivity technologies in the aviation sector.[8]

Fleet

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The Skyservice fleet consisted of the following aircraft on 20 November 2009:[9]

Skyservice fleet
Aircraft Total Passengers
(Class Superiore/Star Class/Economy) 		Registrations Notes
Airbus A320-200 11 180 (0/0/180) C-GTDP, C-GTDH, C-FZAZ, C-FRAA Used on North/South American flights.
Boeing 757-200 10 233 (0/0/233)
197 (0/36/161) C-GMYH 		C-GTSJ, C-GTBB, C-GMYH, C-FLOX, C-FFAN C-GMYH & C-GTBB were equipped with winglets and used on
North/South American and European flights.
C-FLOX was leased to Arkefly during summer 2009.
Total 21
Skyservice B757-200 with winglets in Signature Vacations livery at Regina International Airport

Historical fleet

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Classes

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  • Economy Class
  • Star Class
  • Superior Class
  • Premier Class

Awards and recognition

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Skyservice was recognized for its exceptional safety record during its 25 years of operation, distinguishable by the highest Platinum rating awarded to Skyservice by the Aviation Research Group/US - North America's most rigid rating for operational safety.

Skyservice Business Aviation

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While the airline ceased operations, the business aviation section remains in operation today in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Montreal.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Skyservice Corporate Brochure Archived 2008-09-20 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "skyservice.corporatebrochure.pdf." Skyservice. September 20, 2008. Retrieved on September 4, 2012. "SKYSERVICE AIRLINES 31 Fasken Drive, Etobicoke Ontario, Canada M9W 1K6"
  3. ^ "CNW Group | SKYSERVICE AIRLINES INC. | Gibralt Capital Corporation purchases majority interest in Skyservice Airlines". www.newswire.ca. Archived from the original on 2008-12-30.
  4. ^ Skyservice forced into receivership Archived April 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Air International, July 2005
  6. ^ Skyservice forced into receivership Archived 2010-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Skyservice Business Aviation - Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal & Calgary". Skyservice Business Aviation. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  8. ^ "Skyservice, Starlink partner to offer BizAv connectivity solutions". Globalair.com. 2024-12-05. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  9. ^ Skyservice Fleet - CH Aviation
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