INTER ATOLL AIR, LTD.: Maldives (1986-1987). IAI is established at Kadhdhoo Island, in late 1986 to provide interisland shuttle service to vacation resorts in the southern atolls of the Maldives. Revenue flights commence with a single float-equipped de Havilland DHC 6-300 Twin Otter.
The company cannot sustain operations after its aircraft is involved in a nonfatal crash on February 7, 1987.
INTER AUSTRAL, S. A.: Argentina (1993-1995). This third-level operation is established at Buenos Aires in July 1993 as a subsidiary of Austral Lineas Aereas, S. A. Feeder operations by CEO Tomas Han-nach’s concern to a ring of communities around the metropolis commences with a pair of CASA CN-235-200s.
Within a year, a total of 89,700 passengers have been transported.
Inter Austral is renamed Austral Express, S. A. at the end of 1995.
INTER-CANADIAN AIRLINES, LTD. (1): Canada (1988-1989). On January 17, 1988, Quebecair, Ltd., Nordair Metro Express, Ltd., and Quebecair Inter, Ltd. are merged to form Inter-Canadien. The new regional, Canada’s largest, is controlled by the holding companies Quebe-cair and Les Lignes Aeriennes Inter-Quebec which are, in turn, owned by Canadian Airlines International, Ltd. (35%), President/CEO Michel Leblanc (35%), Chairman Marc Racicot (20%), and Marcel Dutil (10%).
The initial fleet comprises 10 Convair CV-580s, 5 Fairchild-Swearin-gen SA-226 Metro IIs, and 2 Fokker F.28-1000s. Revenue services, coordinated with the major, begin on the Montreal-Toronto return route in early February. A CV-580 is withdrawn in March, by which time all of the aircraft have been given new livery. Montreal to Dolbeau and Alma Metro II flights begin that month, followed by frequencies to Charlottetown and Moncton.
Two leased Boeing 737-219s arrive in May and are used in June to fly replacement flights for Canadian between Montreal and Chatham, New Brunswick, via Charlottetown, along with the Fokkers. Orders are now placed for seven Fokker 100s, for which the carrier becomes North American launch customer. Two Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-320s are delivered in December; orders are placed for three more.
The year’s enplanements total 758,857 and a total of 1.83 million FTKs are flown. Revenues are C$88.46 million and costs allow an operating profit of C$2.2 million. Net gain is C$2.6 million.
Late in January 1989, Inter-Canadian becomes Intair, Ltd.
INTER-CANADIAN AIRLINES, LTD. (2): 795 Graham Boulevard North, Dorval, Quebec, H4Y 1E4, Canada; Phone (514) 631-9802; Fax (514) 631-2129; Code QB; Year Founded 1991. After only two years operations, the regional Intair, Ltd. is in severe financial difficulty. Following the March 1991 resignation of President Michel LeBlanc, PWA, Inc.’s new Canadian Regional Airlines, Ltd. division steps forward in June and purchases 70% of Intair’s turboprop operation as well as its routes in Quebec. Under the new name, services are resumed with five leased Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-320s as a “Canadian Partner” affiliate of Canadian Airlines International, Ltd. Traffic and revenue statistics are not revealed.
Operations continue apace in 1992-1993. The remaining 30% shareholding in Intair, Ltd. is acquired on April 27, 1994 and two more ATRs are chartered. The fleet in 1995 includes 7 ATR42-300s and 2 Fokker F.28s, the latter being employed to provide service to several new northern destinations.
Duncan Fischer is president in 1996-1997 as another Fokker Fellowship is acquired. Destinations visited include Bagotville, Saguenay, Baie Comeau, Blanc Sablon, Bonadventure, Chevery, Harrington Harbour, Gaspe, Havre St. Pierre, Iles de la Madeleine, Kegaska, Kuuijuarapik, La Grande, La Romaine Gethsemane, La Tabatiere, Mont Joli, Natashquan, Ottawa, Port Menier, Quebec City, Saint Augustin, Schef-ferville, Sept Iles, Tete a la Baieine, Toronto, Val d’Or, and Wabush. During the latter year, enplanements total 586,312.
Flights continue in 1998. On August 27, it is announced that Canadian Airlines International, Ltd. will terminate its commercial agreement with St. John’s-based Air Atlantic, Ltd. on October 24 and that the small regional will cease all scheduled flight operations. Only half of the carrier’s 118 pilots and 20 flight attendants will be taken on by Inter-Canadian, which will assume the carrier’s 12 routes the next day.
After October 25, IMP International Group, which owns Air Atlantic, maintains that company’s operating certificate and studies the viability of undertaking nonscheduled flights over the winter season.
In the fall interim, Canadian Regional Airlines, Ltd. sells InterCanadian to Canadian Investors Corp. The new owners obtain all of the Inter-Canadian assets, including routes in Quebec and Ontario, plus the Air Atlantic routes in Atlantic Canada. Chairman Michael Cochrane indicates that the company will continue to feed CAI’s hubs at Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto, while also increasing its fleet size.
Passenger boardings accelerate 11.7% to 664,000, while 1.16 million FTKs are also operated.
By the start of 1999, airline employment has been boosted 80.4% to 868. On February 1, the company enters into a major marketing and code-sharing agreement with Air Labrador, Ltd. Under terms of the arrangement, the carriers inaugurate an enhanced schedule of weekday “Canadian Partner” flights. There are now four-times-a-day roundtrips between St. John’s and Goose Bay, daily service from Goose Bay to Deer Lake, and twice-daily departures from Deer Lake to Goose Bay. Also included are twice-daily roundtrips from St. John’s to St. Anthony and from St. Anthony to Goose Bay, as well as daily roundtrips St. John’s to Wabush and Deer Lake, Deer Lake to Wabush and Blanc-Sablon, Blanc-Sabalon to St. John’s, and Blanc-Sabalon to Goose Bay.
The regional enhances its spring and summer “Canadian Partner” schedule on April 4. New offerings include two new direct daily flights between Fredericton and Ottawa; thrice daily roundtrips between Halifax and Iles de la Madeleine and Miramichi as well as from Halifax to Gander. There are also new daily roundtrips between St. John’s and Stephenville and the number of daily roundtrips from Gander to St. John’s grows from one to two. There is also a new daily roundtrip from Gander to Stephenville
Flight 2210, an F.28 with 4 crew and 56 passengers, stops approximately 200 ft. past the end of the runway after landing at St. John’s, Newfoundland, on August 2. Six people with minor injuries are taken to hospital.
With traffic off by 20%, operations are temporarily suspended in late November as the carrier seeks a rescue package. Although associated with the Canadian Airlines, Ltd. regional program, Inter-Canadian is not on the list of assets to be taken over when that major is purchased by Air Canada, Ltd. As a result, it may prove extremely difficult to find investors.
After four months of fruitless efforts to find additional financing, the carrier is declared bankrupt on April 1,2000.
World History
