Boeing 737-300 | The Beginning of meridian | 2008

The year is 2008, it was supposed to be a normal year for the citizens of Canada, yet it was not. The recession of 2008-2009 took a big blow to the economy of Canada, especially in the prairies. Saskatchewan's fragile economy was one of the victim of the recession when potash prices went to a steep dive. The unemployment started to rise and the necessary budget of the province has been slashed numerous time to coup with their annual spending. But for one company, the recession is one of their kickstater of their birth.

SaskAir, a government-owned airline, was put up for sale in the Canadian airline market. The budget cuts has severly affected the crown airline making it virtually unprofitable for inter-provincial service, thus the government has stated to close its doors for good on December 4th of 2006 and to sell its assets and its lone plane, a Boeing 737-300. Due to the economic situation on that time, no bidders or buyers was found.

But on February 10th of 2007, The meridian aviation group composes of 10 former laid-off pilots of the former crown airline, has bought SaskAir's assets and its plane and has created a plan to restore SaskAir's inter-provinicial flights from Saskatoon and Regina to Alberta and Manitoba with the pricing and service model of RyanAir and Delta.

After a year of preparation of the proper permits from the Government of Saskatchewan and Canada, modernizing the plane, re-educating the pilots, and hiring people, the first meridian inagural flight took place on Gate 5 at Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport on May 12th, 2008 Several news teams, aviation enthusiasts, and the former Premier of Saskatchewan was present on the inagural flight.

On 3.02pm CST, meridian's Boeing 737-300 departed from Saskatoon and en-route to Regina. In-flight, flight stewardess starting giving out complementary gifts and snacks to the passengers of the flight and the former Premier of Saskatchewan has given his simple speech for the passengers to commemorate meridian's first flight and a sign of the province's recovering economy.

At 3.40pm CST, the Boeing 737-300 has landed on Regina International Airport with a water salute as it arrives on its gate.

On that very day, May 12th of 2008, meridian flight 001 has opened the airline's network to expand across the prairies and further.