Play Airlines pulls out of Canada, leaving customers in dark

Play Airlines is pulling out of Canada less than two years after entering the market.

The discount carrier’s schedule shows that starting in late April it will stop its four flights per week from Hamilton, Ont., to its home base in Reykjavik, Iceland, which it uses as a stopover for trips to Europe.

Hamilton-based Tripcentral.ca founder Richard Vanderlubbe says the updated schedule means Play is making its exit from the Canadian market.

Several trade publications have reported the airline is leaving Canada.

The halt also comes amid a narrowing of the low-cost carrier field after Lynx Air filed for creditor protection last February and WestJet folded Swoop into its mainline operation in 2023.

Play did not respond immediately to questions on why it is leaving or whether customers with bookings beyond April are being refunded.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025