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| Founded | August 1974; 50 years ago (1974-08) | ||||||
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| AOC # | 2569[2] | ||||||
| Operating bases | |||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Aeroplan[3] | ||||||
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 55 (21 PAL Airlines,[4] 23 PAL Aerospace,[5] 11 Air Borealis[6]) | ||||||
| Destinations | 22 and 7 by Air Borealis[7] | ||||||
| Parent company | Exchange Income Corporation | ||||||
| Headquarters | St. John's International Airport St. John's,Newfoundland and Labrador | ||||||
| Website | |||||||
PAL Airlines (formerlyProvincial Airlines and stylized asPALairlines) is a Canadianregional airline with headquarters atSt. John's International Airport inSt John's,Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.[8] PAL operates scheduled passenger, cargo,air ambulance and charter services. PAL is the commercial airline arm of the PAL Group of Companies. In addition to its head office, it also has bases inHalifax,Nova Scotia (Halifax Stanfield International Airport),Happy Valley-Goose Bay (CFB Goose Bay), andMontreal,Quebec (Montréal–Trudeau International Airport). PAL is the second largestregional airline operator inEastern Canada next toJazz Aviation.
The airline was established in August 1974 as a flight training and charter operator. Scheduled airline operations began in 1980. In the 1980s, the company also developed its airbornemaritime surveillance division, which operated until 1989 as Atlantic Airways. In 1988, it acquiredEastern Flying Service (established in 1956 and operating an extensive air courier network and charter services). From 1995 to 1997 it used the brand Interprovincial Airlines to operate scheduled regional airline services in a commercial agreement withAir Nova.[9] The Provincial Airlines brand was restored in 1997 to enhance network growth and focus on regional air transport needs. In 1988 PAL Airlines joined with theInnu Development Limited Partnership, to establishInnu Mikun Airlines, which grew to be the largestLabrador based air carrier providing charter services throughout Labrador and scheduled airline services to coastal Labrador communities.[10] In 2017 PAL Airlines, Innu Development LP, and NGCNunatsiavut establishedAir Borealis through a merger of Innu Mikun Airlines andAir Labrador to enhance indigenous aviation, expand and improve regional transportation infrastructure, and foster community economic growth.
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In its early years, the company operated light aircraft such as thePiper Navajo and theBritten-Norman Islander aroundAtlantic Canada. In 1988, the company introducedFairchild Metroliners, initially for courier services and in 1989 in scheduled passenger services, eventually building one of the larger Metro fleets through the success of the aircraft in building regional air passenger traffic. From 1996 to 1998, it operated aConvair 580 for courier and cargo services. In 1995 the firstDHC-6 Twin Otters were purchased for services in Labrador. In 2001, PAL took the delivery of its firstSaab 340 aircraft. This meant that PAL Airlines had become a 705 carrier, as per theCanadian Aviation Regulations, maintained byTransport Canada, and thus the first class of flight attendants were trained at this time. The airline added to its 705 fleet three years later when the company was awarded theVale Canada contract for theVoisey's Bay Mine in Labrador. This contract required the use ofDe Havilland Canada Dash 8s which began to arrive in 2004. Provincial eventually added more Dash 8s as part of the airline's scheduled air service.
On March 12, 2009, one of PAL Aerospace's Maritime Patrol Aircraft was first on the scene ofCougar Helicopters Flight 91's ditching, flying "top cover" until other help could arrive, leading to the rescue of the sole survivor.[11]
Between 2011 and 2012, the company divided into two operating segments. Remaining under the same ownership, two separate corporate divisions were formed: PAL Aerospace and PAL Airlines. Provincial Aerospace remains as the parent company. PAL Aerospace is an international aerospace and defence contractor with maritime patrol and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations in Canada,Curaçao, under contract to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence, and theUnited Arab Emirates. TheCessna Citation jets, and the charter andMEDIVACKing Airs are also operated by PAL Aerospace. PAL Aerospace is a specialty operator (Part 702, 703, and 704). PAL Aerospace has the MRO operations providing integration, modification, and maintenance and overhaul services. PAL Airlines is focused on regional airline operations with 704 and 705 aircraft which in 2011 consisted of Dash-8s, Twin Otters, and a Metroliner, at four bases in St. John's, Halifax, Goose Bay, and Montreal.
In November 2014, the company was purchased byExchange Income Corporation, aToronto Stock Exchange (TSX)-listed stock that owns regional airlines and several manufacturing companies, for a combination of cash and stock worth about $246 million.[12]
In June 2017, PAL Airlines established Air Borealis LP in partnership with theInnu, theFirst Nations people of Labrador (through Innu Development LP) and the government ofNunatsiavut (through the Nunatsiavut Group of Companies). Air Borealis operates a large fleet of Series 300 Twin Otter in regional airline and charter operations in Labrador. In 2020, Air Borealis established a rotary wing division providing charter helicopter services throughoutLabrador.
In July 2023, PAL Airlines became a service provider forAir Canada Express for flights inEastern Canada. On October 1, 2024, PAL Airlines completed its inaugural transborder Air Canada Express flight, having departedHalifax Stanfield International Airport forNewark Liberty International Airport andLogan International Airport.[13][14]
St. John's International Airport: PAL operates Dash 8s, King Airs,Beechcraft 1900s as well as aircraft from the aerospace side of the company out of St. John's. PAL Airlines operates two hangars in St. John's and shares one, Hangar 2, with the aerospace division. Hangar 2 houses Dash 8s and the Metroliner; Hangar 3 holds Dash 8 maintenance. Hangar 4 previously housed a number of departments, however, in August 2023, PAL began leasing the previousZellers andTarget Canada building, located on Stavanger Drive in St. John's. This building is now occupied by a majority of PAL's departments, including accounting, finance, IT, reservations, Human Resources, crew scheduling, training and dispatch. Building maintenance, PAL Cargo, chief pilot andFisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) of PAL Airlines, flight attendant management, System Operational Control Centre (SOCC), and aShell Canada, a PAL ownedfixed-base operator (FBO), still operate from Hangar 4. Hangar 4 can also be rented to store aircraft.
Halifax Stanfield International Airport: PAL operates one hangar in Halifax, which houses a Dash 8. This hangar is shared with the Aerospace Division and its aircraft as well. PAL also operates anEsso Avitat FBO at this hangar. The hangar also has management offices and a crew room.
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Goose Bay Airport: Goose Bay is home to PAL Airlines Twin Otter operation under the name of Air Borealis. PAL owns two hangars in Goose Bay. Hangar 14 houses the aircraft groomers, aircraft maintenance for Twin Otters (all PAL aircraft can be serviced in Goose Bay), crew room and dispatch. Hangar 18 in Goose Bay houses the Voisey's Bay check-in desk for the daily charter the Dash 8 provides toVoisey's Bay Aerodrome at theVoisey's Bay Mine inVoisey's Bay, northern Labrador. PAL Cargo, Air Borealis charters and management offices are also in Hangar 18.
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport: PAL Airlines operates from theStarlink Aviation hangar at Montreal's Trudeau airport. The hangar houses Dash 8s for scheduled and charter service throughoutQuebec.
PAL Airlines offers cargo service to all of its destinations. St. John's and Goose Bay each operate a full cargo facility. The Metroliner is PAL's dedicated cargo aircraft and operate daily cargo flights throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The Twin Otters also are used for cargo flights along the Labrador Coast. For destinations in the Maritimes and Quebec, cargo is moved on scheduled flights. The Dash 8-100's are also capable of being converted to fly as a passenger/cargo combination.
Provincial Aerospace has three aircraft dedicated to charters. The aircraft in the PAL Airlines fleet are also often used for larger charters. PAL has flown charters all over North America and to Africa. Air Borealis also has its own charter division which flies charters along the coast of Labrador and Northern Quebec and specializes in off-strip charters and float operations.
PAL Aerospace is an international aerospace and defence company. It is responsible for providing theRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with in-service support for theEADS CASA C-295 (CC-295 Kingfisher)search and rescue fleet.[15]
PAL Aerospace is working withBombardier Aviation in offering a Canadian-built solution, Bombardier Global P-6, to replace theLockheed CP-140 Aurora as the RCAF'smaritime patrol aircraft.[16] According to PAL they have marketed theDe Havilland Canada Dash 8-based P-4 MPA (DHC-8 MPA-D8) to smaller militaries and coast guards requiring maritime patrol capability.[17]
PAL Airlines and Air Borealis serve 24 communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario as of June 1, 2023.[7]
As of February 10, 2025 the following aircraft are listed byTransport Canada as being registered to Air Borealis,[6][18] PAL Airlines,[4][19] and PAL Aerospace:[5]
ICAO airline designator: LBR.Telephony (callsign): NORTHLIGHT.[20]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Variants | Passengers[18] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 | 11 | — | Series 300 | 19 | |
| Total | 11 | — | |||
ICAO airline designator: PVL.Telephony (callsign): PROVINCIAL.[1]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Variants | Passengers[19] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 21 | — | 2 -Series 100 (102, 106) 4 -Series 300 (311, 314, 315) 15 -Q400 (402) | 37 50 76 | Seven of the Q400 are operated forAir Canada Express[21] |
| Total | 21 | — | |||
ICAO airline designator: SPR.Telephony (callsign): SPEEDAIR.[22]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Variants | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft 1900 | 2 | — | 1900D | ||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | 12 | — | 9 -200 series 3 -300 series | ||
| Bombardier Challenger 600 series | 1 | — | CL-604 | ||
| Cessna Citation II | 1 | — | Citation S/II (S550) | ||
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 6 | — | 5 -Series 100 (102, 106) 1 -Series 300 (315) | Operated in MPA and ISR operations | |
| Gulfstream G280 | 1 | — | — | ||
| Total | 23 | — | |||
Former aircraft flown include:[23]
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Pal Airlines: PVL, PROVINCIAL
Air Borealis: LBR, NORTHLIGHT
Pal Aerospace: SVR, SPEEDAIR
