PAL Airlines
PAL Airlines 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, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and Montreal, Quebec. PAL is the second largest regional airline operator in Eastern Canada next to Jazz Aviation.
History
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. 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.File:C-GPAU Dash 8 Provincial Airlines.jpg|thumb|Provincial Airlines Dash-8 departs Montréal–Trudeau International Airport in 2010
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. 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 -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 and the government of Nunatsiavut. 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.
Bases and operations
PAL Airlines bases
Halifax Stanfield International Airport: PAL operates one hangar in Halifax, which houses a Dash 8. This hangar is shared with the Aerospace Division and its aircraft as well. PAL also operates an Esso Avitat FBO at this hangar. The hangar also has management offices and a crew room.Goose Bay Airport: Goose Bay is home to PAL Airlines Twin Otter operation under the name of Air Borealis. PAL owns two hangars in Goose Bay. Hangar 14 houses the aircraft groomers, aircraft maintenance for Twin Otters, crew room and dispatch. Hangar 18 in Goose Bay houses the Voisey's Bay check-in desk for the daily charter the Dash 8 provides to Voisey's Bay Aerodrome at the Voisey's Bay Mine in Voisey's Bay, northern Labrador. PAL Cargo, Air Borealis charters and management offices are also in Hangar 18.
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport: PAL Airlines operates from the Starlink Aviation hangar at Montreal's Trudeau airport. The hangar houses Dash 8s for scheduled and charter service throughout Quebec.
PAL Aerospace bases
- St. John's International Airport: Hangars 1 and 6 in St. John's are owned by Provincial Aerospace. Hangar 2 houses the Cessna Citation II MEDIVAC, and four Maritime Surveillance. It also accommodates a Shell FBO and executive offices. The training department for both Aerospace and Airlines is also located in Hangar 1. Hangar 6 is home to PMMD, Provincial's internationally known modification division. This hangar contains a variety of aircraft that PAL is contracted to modify or restore). The accounting department is located from the hangars in the Prince Charles Building.
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport: Provincial Aerospace and PAL Airlines share a hangar in Halifax which houses one of PAL Aerospace's King Air 200 Maritime Surveillance aircraft, another King Air 200 MEDIVAC aircraft and two King Air 350 charter aircraft. Provincial Aerospace also has a training base located from the hangar in Halifax for the radar operators of two Dash 8s being operated in the Middle East and the King Air radar operators in Canada. The charter department, which operates the King Air 350's, Citation X and other Provincial Airlines aircraft at its disposal, is also located at the Hangar in Halifax.
- CFB Comox: The hangar in Comox, British Columbia is part of CFB Comox and is the base of one of Provincial Aerospace's King Air 200 maritime surveillance aircraft and its pilots.
- Curaçao International Airport: Provincial has a maritime surveillance base in Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands, where it operates two Dash 8s under contract for the Dutch Government. PAL aircraft in Curaçao use the call signs "Coast Guard" and "SAM".
- Abu Dhabi, UAE: Provincial has pilots and maintenance of two Dash 8s modified by PMMD in the Middle East based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The crews are not based permanently in Abu Dhabi: they operate on a rotation from Canada. The UAE aircraft use the call sign "Sea Lord".
Cargo
Charters
Provincial Aerospace has three aircraft dedicated to charters. The aircraft in the PAL Airlines fleet are also often used for larger charters. PAL has flown charters all over North America and to Africa. Air Borealis also has its own charter division which flies charters along the coast of Labrador and Northern Quebec and specializes in off-strip charters and float operations.Aerospace and defence company
PAL Aerospace is an international aerospace and defence company. It is responsible for providing the Royal Canadian Air Force with in-service support for the EADS CASA C-295 search and rescue fleet.PAL Aerospace is working with Bombardier Aviation in offering a Canadian-built solution, Bombardier Global P-6, to replace the Lockheed CP-140 Aurora as the RCAF's maritime patrol aircraft. According to PAL they have marketed the De Havilland Canada Dash 8-based P-4 MPA to smaller militaries and coast guards requiring maritime patrol capability.
Destinations
, PAL Airlines and Air Borealis serve 21 communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Quebec.On August 8, 2025, CBC News reported that PAL, along with the Government of Canada and the provincial governments of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, had signed an agreement to resume air service connecting Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Charlottetown, Fredericton and Moncton. At the time of the announcement no start date had been set.
| Province | Community | Airport | Notes |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Churchill Falls | Churchill Falls Airport | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Deer Lake | Deer Lake Regional Airport | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Gander | Gander International Airport | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Happy Valley-Goose Bay | Goose Bay Airport | , both airlines |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Hopedale | Hopedale Airport | Air Borealis only |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Makkovik | Makkovik Airport | Air Borealis only |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Nain | Nain Airport | Air Borealis only |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Natuashish | Natuashish Airport | Air Borealis only |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Postville | Postville Airport | Air Borealis only |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Rigolet | Rigolet Airport | Air Borealis only |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | St. Anthony | St. Anthony Airport | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's | St. John's International Airport | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Wabush | Wabush Airport | |
| New Brunswick | Moncton | Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport | |
| Quebec | Blanc-Sablon | Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon Airport | |
| Quebec | Gaspé | Michel-Pouliot Gaspé Airport | |
| Quebec | Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Îles-de-la-Madeleine Airport | |
| Quebec | Mont-Joli | Mont-Joli Airport | |
| Quebec | Montreal | Montréal–Trudeau International Airport | |
| Quebec | Quebec City | Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport | |
| Quebec | Sept-Îles | Sept-Îles Airport |