PAL Airlines

PAL Airlines (formerly Provincial Airlines and stylized as PALairlines) is a Canadian regional airline with headquarters at St. John's International Airport in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. 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 in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Halifax Stanfield International Airport), Happy Valley-Goose Bay (CFB Goose Bay), and Montreal, Quebec (Montréal–Trudeau International Airport). PAL is the second largest regional airline operator in Eastern Canada next to Jazz 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 airborne maritime surveillance division, which operated until 1989 as Atlantic Airways. In 1988, it acquired Eastern 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 with Air Nova. 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 the Innu Development Limited Partnership, to establish Innu Mikun Airlines, which grew to be the largest Labrador based air carrier providing charter services throughout Labrador and scheduled airline services to coastal Labrador communities. In 2017 PAL Airlines, Innu Development LP, and NGC Nunatsiavut established Air Borealis through a merger of Innu Mikun Airlines and Air Labrador to enhance indigenous aviation, expand and improve regional transportation infrastructure, and foster community economic growth.

In its early years, the company operated light aircraft such as the Piper Navajo and the Britten-Norman Islander around Atlantic Canada. In 1988, the company introduced Fairchild 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 a Convair 580 for courier and cargo services. In 1995 the first DHC-6 Twin Otters were purchased for services in Labrador. In 2001, PAL took the delivery of its first Saab 340 aircraft. This meant that PAL Airlines had become a 705 carrier, as per the Canadian Aviation Regulations, maintained by Transport 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 the Vale Canada contract for the Voisey's Bay Mine in Labrador. This contract required the use of De 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 of Cougar Helicopters Flight 91's ditching, flying "top cover" until other help could arrive, leading to the rescue of the sole survivor.

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 the United Arab Emirates. The Cessna Citation jets, and the charter and MEDIVAC King 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 by Exchange Income Corporation, a Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)-listed stock that owns regional airlines and several manufacturing companies, for a combination of cash and stock worth about $246 million.

In June 2017, PAL Airlines established Air Borealis LP in partnership with the Innu, the First Nations people of Labrador (through Innu Development LP) and the government of Nunatsiavut (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 throughout Labrador.

In July 2023, PAL Airlines became a service provider for Air Canada Express for flights in Eastern Canada. On October 1, 2024, PAL Airlines completed its inaugural transborder Air Canada Express flight, having departed Halifax Stanfield International Airport for Newark Liberty International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport.