HAMILTON — NewLeaf Travel will take off Feb. 12, operating from Hamilton, Abbotsford, Winnipeg, Halifax, Kelowna, Regina and Saskatoon. Prices start at $89. The company is also planning flights to sun destinations and says it will announce those details in the weeks ahead.

Modelling itself after ultra-low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Spirit Airlines in the U.S., NewLeaf is taking ancillaries to new heights with just about everything charged as an add-on fee.

“Your fare gets you the two essentials: a seat and a seatbelt. The rest is up to you,” says the company’s newly launched website, at flynewleaf.ca.

It also stipulates that a booking fee “will be charged on all channels” except when tickets are purchased at the airport counter, or on the website. “To keep costs down, we sell directly to the customer and a small number of exclusive partners.”

On top of the base fare, add-ons include priority boarding, seat selection, boarding pass print-outs and luggage fees (with seven categories of fee for luggage; there’s no charge for one personal item stowed under the seat). An exit row seat costs an extra $30 when booked at the airport and $25 when booked on the website. For $20 passengers can change their reservation once or postpone their trip (each way, per passenger), with the TravelFLEX option. No-shows forfeit their fare. NewLeaf is also using smaller airports to cut costs. Flights are with Flair Airlines which operates B737-400s.