Jazz Air (Halifax) as planned yesterday (November 5) officially launched its flight services agreement with Thomas Cook Canada Inc. Early morning flights departed from Toronto (Pearson) to Montego Bay, Jamaica and Cancun, Mexico.

The five-year flight services agreement, signed earlier this year, has Jazz operating six Boeing 757-200 aircraft on behalf of Thomas Cook (Canada).  The service will operate to various sun destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax under the Thomas Cook (Canada) brand.  Flights will operate during the winter season, November to April, and will feature several product enhancements developed jointly by Jazz, Thomas Cook and its Sunquest Division.

Jazz took delivery of the first two Boeing 757-200 aircraft earlier this week and will see four more aircraft arrive in December at which time service from Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax will commence.  The aircraft are leased to Jazz Air LP from Thomas Cook Airlines Ltd.

Copyright Photo: Roger Cannegieter. Operated by Jazz Air, Boeing 757-25F C-GJZH (msn 30758, ex G-JMCE) visits Curacao on November 7. Other than the Canadian registration and flag, the airliner is being operated in full Thomas Cook colors without any Jazz Air sub-titles.

Jazz Air (Halifax) announced that it has concluded negotiations with Thomas Cook Canada Inc. with respect to their flight services agreement, establishing the pricing for a five-year term ending on April 30, 2015.

Last April, Jazz signed a flight services agreement with Thomas Cook to operate flights on its behalf on Thomas Cook during the winter seasons (November through April). In the initial season, Jazz will operate six Boeing 757-200 aircraft to various destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax under the Thomas Cook Canada brand, subject to Jazz obtaining the required regulatory approvals. Service will commence on November 5, 2010 and will feature several product enhancements developed jointly by Jazz, Thomas Cook and its Sunquest Division.

In 2011, Jazz expects growth in flying under its capacity purchase agreement with Air Canada. Based on the Annual Operating Plan provided by Air Canada which is provided for budget and planning purposes and is subject to change, Jazz anticipates flying approximately five percent more block hours year over year. Jazz estimates the total billable block hours for the year 2011, which include the Thomas Cook flying, to be between 400,000 and 410,000 block hours. Beginning in June 2011, Jazz will introduce the new Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) NextGen aircraft to support the Air Canada service.