| Airline | SkyLink Express |
|---|---|
| Destinations | North America |
| Icao | SLQ[1] |
| Callsign | SKYLINK[1] |
| Founded | 1994 (age 32) |
| Ceased | March 2025[citation needed] |
| Headquarters | Mississauga, Ontario, Canada |
| Hubs | |
| Website | SkyLink Express |
SkyLink Express was a cargo airline headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.[2] It operated dedicated air cargo / courier feeder flights throughout Canada and the United States and provided on demand air cargo charters from its bases in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Montréal-Mirabel.
History
The airline was established in February 1994 as QuikAire Cargo Inc.[3] 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.[4]
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[4] 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]
Facilities
SkyLink Express maintained the following facilities in Canada.
Fleet
SkyLink Express fleet consisted of the following aircraft:[4][14]
| 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 | ||
References
- ^
- ^ "Contact Us". Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "Skylink Express". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived 9 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ^
- ^ "About | SkyLink Express". www.skylinkexpress.com. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ "FAA Registry - Aircraft - Make / Model Inquiry". Registry.faa.gov. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "Aviation.ca - Your Number One Source for Canadian Aviation News, Jobs and Information! - Cargojet Enters into a Partnership with SkyLink Express to extend its Regional Brand". Archived 19 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- ^ "AMERICAS: Cargojet + SkyLink = Cargojet Regional | Payload Asia". Archived 10 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Canada's Cargojet buys all Prince Edward Air for US$898,109 - Shipping News - Shipping Online". Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- ^ "SkyLink expands regional air cargo operations". Newswire.ca. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "BC Success for Skylink Express!". Skylinkexpress.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "SkyLink Express Inc. | LinkedIn". Archived 22 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Skylink Express Inc., CCAA". 18 March 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Ratheon Beechcraft 1900C Freighter". Retrieved 25 November 2024.
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