In a little more than two weeks, NewLeaf Travel will take flight.
The company will take Canadians to destinations around the country, for less.
However, the company is already experiencing some turbulence, as some of its vendors have said they have not been paid.
Hessie Jones said her firm, Arcompany, had been waiting for payment since April of 2015.
Jones said she thought she had been paid this past April, when NewLeaf co-founder, Bob Jones, copied her on an email sent to other executives.
The email said, "I suggest you guys send Hessie a note acknowledging the outstanding invoice for prior work done…I think you should also describe the process/timing for payment, once the investment funds are realized."
"When Bob sent that email to both Jim and Brian, I believed I was [getting paid]." Jones said.
These allegations are deeply disturbing to airline passenger rights advocate Gabor Lukacs.
"For a respectable company that does business as an airline, 130 thousand dollars should be small change,” Lukacs said. "If paying 130 thousand dollars to the people who built this brand is an issue, then the company is very close to insolvency."
However, NewLeaf said it is not having any financial problems.
"We are 100 per cent funded," said Dean Dacko, chief commercial officer. “We have all the resources, including all of our relationships, to deliver those services."
NewLeaf said bookings have already exceeded all of the forecasts the company put in place.
Dacko said it is aware of accusations from the two venders about unpaid work, but he said there is more to the story.
These disputes happen in business, and they will be resolved directly with the companies, Dacko added.
