Lynx Air has named aviation executive Jim Sullivan Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Sullivan brings more than 30 years of airline operations experience to the role, as both a pilot and an airline executive, most recently as VP of Flight Operations at JetBlue Airways.

Previously based out of Huntington, New York, Sullivan will move to Calgary to join the executive team at Lynx Air.

Sullivan joins Lynx at a critical time in the airline’s development, with the low-cost airline planning to expand its network to the United States and grow its fleet to 10 aircraft over the next 12 months. He will lead a team of nearly 200 pilots, cabin crew and other airline professionals and will have accountability for all aspects of the airline’s operations, including flight operations, cabin crew, airport operations, technical operations and safety and security.

“I’ve had a passion for flying and aviation for my entire life. There is a lot of potential in the Canadian aviation market right now and I am incredibly excited by the opportunity to join a start-up airline like Lynx,” says Sullivan.

Lynx CEO Merren McArthur says Sullivan was the “stand-out” candidate in its global search and provides “an ideal blend of airline operations experience, spanning a start-up to ultra-low cost carrier,” adding, “He has a reputation for empowering teams through his collaborative leadership style and we know he will be a great cultural fit for Lynx.”

Lynx is now in its seventh month of operations, and currently operates six brand new Boeing 737 aircraft. The airline currently flies to 10 destinations across Canada. Later this winter, Lynx will expand its network to the US, with services to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Los Angeles.