Flair Airlines today announced that Julia Haywood has been elected as chair of the company’s board of directors. The airline said that makes her the first female airline board chair in Canadian history.
Haywood succeeds Bill Hardy, Flair Airlines’ long-time chair of the board of directors and former Chief Operating Officer, who passed away in early 2023.
Haywood joined Flair’s board in July 2021. Her 20-year career includes roles of increasing responsibility, including serving as Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer of United Airlines, as Partner at The Boston Consulting Group, and in various capacities at other startup travel companies. Haywood spent her childhood in Arnprior, Ontario. She studied business at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, and earned her MBA from Melbourne University in Australia and UCLA in California. She has a young family and understands first-hand the high cost of travel in Canada.
Julia Haywood is the new chair of the board of Flair Airlines.
“It’s an honour and privilege to be elected as chair of the board of directors of Flair Airlines, whose mission is to bring the lowest fares on offer in Canada,” said Haywood. “I’ve grown to know the airline and its more than 1,000 employees across Canada, who are proud of their work and the service they provide to Canadians. I’m excited to serve with my fellow directors at this transformational point in Canada’s airline industry.”
Said Stephen Jones, CEO of Flair Airlines: “Julia was a powerhouse addition to our board in 2021, and we are thrilled to have her lead the board as chair. She believes in our vision and will bring her strong business experience to bear as chair. We are proud she is the first female board chair of a major Canadian airline. She succeeds Bill Hardy, who had a lasting impact on Flair Airlines. I worked closely with Bill and look forward to the same working relationship with Julia.”
“Through our impact on airfares across the board, Flair Airlines saved Canadians over CAD$252M in 2022, offering a nearly 60% reduction to the market average of the same routes prior to the pandemic,” officials said. “With more than 80% of Canadians deeming lower-cost flights as an important contributor to the national interest, our founding mission remains resolute: we proudly serve as Canada’s leading low-fare airline.”
Flair made the news recently when four of its planes were seized by a creditor just as March Break was getting underway.
