Nordair


Nordair was a Quebec-based airline in Canada founded in 1947 from the merger of Boreal Airways and Mont Laurier Aviation.

History

The airline operated from the 1940s to the 1980s. Initially, most of its business was international and transatlantic passenger and freight charters and other contracts. It also operated scheduled flights to a number of destinations in eastern Canada and the Northwest Territories. Nordair flew out of Montreal's two airports: initially from Dorval Airport and later from Montréal-Mirabel International Airport as this latter airfield did not open until 1975. It was headquartered in Montreal.
Nordair was operating scheduled passenger services in July 1959 utilizing Douglas DC-3 and Douglas DC-4 prop aircraft with routings of Montreal - Frobisher Bay - Cape Dyer Airport; Montreal - Roberval - Fort Chimo - Frobisher Bay; and Montreal - Quebec City - Roberval - Chibougamau.
The airline was still operating scheduled passenger flights 20 years later. According to Nordair's July 1, 1979 system timetable and route map, jet service was being operated as far west as Winnipeg and as far north as the Resolute Bay Airport in the Canadian Arctic with a number of destinations in Ontario and Quebec in Canada being served including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, ON and Windsor, ON as well as Pittsburgh in the U.S., primarily with Boeing 737-200 jetliners but also with Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprop aircraft. The airline was also operating scheduled passenger flights in 1975 with Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft primarily to destinations in Quebec province. Nordair was continued to operate scheduled passenger flights in 1986 primarily with Boeing 737-200 jets.

Introduction of Boeing 737 jet aircraft

The airline was operating Boeing 737-200 passenger jet service in 1969 in both scheduled and charter operations according to the June 15, 1970 Nordair system timetable which contained the following marketing message concerning its leisure charter flights: SUNNY HOLIDAYS - BLUE TAIL JET CHARTER FLIGHTS TO THE SUN....BARBADOS - JAMAICA - BAHAMAS - FLORIDA - MEXICO This same timetable also lists scheduled passenger service operated by Nordair with the Boeing 737-200 between Montreal Dorval Airport and Fort Chimo, Frobisher Bay, Great Whale, Hamilton and Resolute.

Merger and aftermath

Nordair was purchased by Canadian Pacific Air Lines which had operated as CP Air. On March 27, 1987, Pacific Western Airlines purchased Canadian Pacific Air Lines and then emerged as Canadian Airlines. The jet operation was absorbed into Canadian Airlines, while the turboprop operations were absorbed into Inter-Canadien. In 2000, that airline was acquired by Air Canada.
Intair, a scheduled passenger airline that was based in Canada and operated jet and turboprop aircraft, used Nordair's two letter "ND" airline code for its domestic flights in eastern Canada in 1989 until it ceased operations and went out of business.
Another company called Nordair Quebec 2000 Incorporated operated in 2000 as a domestic regional carrier and cargo operator in Quebec, but the licence and licence applications for the airline were suspended in 2006 by Transport Canada, and again the Nordair name disappeared from the airline industry

Destinations

The following destinations in Canada were served by Nordair with scheduled passenger flights during the airline's existence:

Canada

Most of the flights to the U.S., the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe were charter flights, as Nordair operated only few scheduled passenger services outside of Canada.
Nordair served as an air service contractor to the Canadian Forces and United States Air Force (USAF support flights to DEW Line stations from Alaska to Baffin Island.

Fleet


Aircraft
Boeing 737-242 and 2Q8, 2H4, 212, 296, 2T4, 242C, 2Q9, 2E1
Convair 990-30A-5 '
C-46-1CU Commando
Douglas DC-6B
Douglas DC-3/C-47
Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-8-52, Super DC-8-61CF, Super DC-8-71 '
Fairchild Hiller FH-227D, 227B, 227E
Lockheed L-1049H-03 Super Constellation
Lockheed L-188C Electra
BAC One-Eleven
Short SC.7 Skyvan
Total about 24 aircraft


The Boeing 737-200 fleet included the combi aircraft version for mixed passenger/freight operations.
Nordair also operated de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL capable turboprop aircraft during the early and mid 1970s in scheduled passenger service between the community of Frobisher Bay and various local destinations in this region of the Canadian Arctic.
Another type operated by the airline was the Grumman G-73 Mallard amphibious aircraft which had been converted with turboprop engines and was capable of landing on both land and water.
In addition, a division of Nordair, Nordair Metro, was operating Convair 580 turboprop aircraft in 1986.

Accidents and incidents