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SkyLink Express is a cargo airline headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.[3] It operates dedicated air cargo / courier feeder flights throughout Canada and the United States and provides on demand air cargo charters from its bases in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Montréal-Mirabel.
The airline was established in February 1994 as QuikAire Cargo Inc.[4] by Dan Rocheleau, founder and president of the airline, started the airline using the Cessna 208 Caravan to meet a specialized demand in the Canadian short-haul air cargo market, but now only uses Beechcraft 1900 aircraft.[2]
In April 1996, QuikAire Cargo Inc. formed a partnership with SkyLink Group of Companies and rebranded itself as SkyLink Express Inc. The new relationship fostered the next stage of growth for the airline as it acquired courier feeder contracts across Canada.[5] In 1996, SkyLink Express also became the first carrier in Canada to operate Raytheon factory-converted, all-cargo, Beechcraft 1900 aircraft. Today, the airline operates the largest Beechcraft 1900C fleet in Canada[2] and second largest in North America.[6]
In July 2009, SkyLink Express entered into a partnership with Cargojet to combine SkyLink Express operational assets and routes with a Cargojet subsidiary, Prince Edward Air, to consolidate regional air cargo operations into Cargojet Regional Partnership.[7][8][9]
In July 2010, SkyLink Express purchased 100% of Cargojet Regional Partnership from Cargojet.[10]
In 2013, SkyLink Express expanded into Western Canada as new flight crew / maintenance bases were launched in Vancouver (August 2013) [11] and Winnipeg (September 2013).[12]
Past and present courier/cargo feeder operations include United Parcel Service (UPS), FedEx, DHL Express, Altimax, Canada Post, Cargojet, Dynamex, Midland Courier, Purolator Inc. and Sameday Worldwide.
In March 2024, Skylink Express filed under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act to restructure their businesses and financial affairs.[13]
SkyLink Express maintains facilities in the following Canadian cities (as of November 2024):[14]
The SkyLink Express fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of November 2024):[2][15]
| Aircraft | In service | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft 1900 | 12 | 10 - 1900C, 2 - 1900D | Payload 5,500 lb (2,500 kg), the 1900D is not listed by SkyLink Express |
| Cessna 208 Caravan | n/a | 208B Grand Caravan | Payload 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg), listed as Cessna Grand Caravan / Super Cargomaster 208B Freighter by SkyLink Express but not registered with Transport Canada |
| Total | 12 | ||
SkyLink Express: SLQ, SKYLINK
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