Flair Airlines’ website malfunctions on weekend, in another blow to the discount carrier

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Flair Airlines’ flight-booking functions on its website were down over the weekend, preventing would-be travellers from buying seats.

Flair said in an e-mail on Sunday night it worked overnight Saturday on a solution, and hoped the website would be working again “within the next few hours.” Flair did not address questions about the cause.

The site remained down into Sunday evening.

The problem, which apparently took hold on Saturday, appeared to affect the seat purchase function on the website. Destinations and prices were displayed as usual, but the booking and payment functions failed.

“We are currently experiencing a service interruption,” a message read. “Please check back soon.”

Flair’s travails have made news recently.

In January, The Globe and Mail reported the airline owes $67-million in tax repayment for imported aircraft. Flair said it has a repayment agreement with the federal government and is following the schedule.

Financial services company Peoples Trust, meanwhile, recently withheld $25-million from Flair, the airline said. Peoples, a payment processor, declined to address questions about the money. Speaking generally, Peoples said in a statement it boosts the size of a payment reserve fund according to the risks posed by a merchant.

“Should a flight be cancelled and not rebooked by an airline and the airline cannot refund the money, cardholders are entitled to request a refund, or chargeback, from their card-issuing bank,” Peoples said the statement.

“When a chargeback is received, the airline’s payment acquirer [Peoples or another processor] must refund the purchase from a reserve account,” Peoples said.

Flair said Peoples acted improperly and promised unspecified legal action.

Flair is Canada’s lone discount airline after the failure of Lynx Air in February. Lynx was granted court protection from creditors, and its leased fleet will be auctioned off. Flair’s fleet was reduced by four last year, when the Boeing 737 Max aircraft were seized for non-payment of rent.

The Globe reported on Friday that Flair reduced its spring schedule by about 600 flights. Flair spokeswoman Gabrielle Poirier said the reductions were made months before Lynx shut down, and are unrelated to its financial position.

“We acknowledge we have faced financial challenges, but these are not impacting operations, now or in the future,” she said in an e-mail on Friday. “We are actively managing our finances and fulfilling our obligations, guided by principles of compliance, stability and transparency.”