On a warm Wednesday this month, a cartoon raccoon raised a cocktail glass and sarcastically saluted Air Canada.

The social media image, posted by Porter Airlines, included an accompanying toast from the character: 害羞草研究所淎ir Canada has now joined Porter in offering free beer, wine and snacks to all passengers. Thanks for joining our mission to help everyone actually enjoy economy!害羞草研究所�

Tongue firmly in cheek, the post went on to ask Canada害羞草研究所檚 largest airline, 害羞草研究所淲hat害羞草研究所檚 next, a raccoon mascot?害羞草研究所�

The online jibe marked the latest instance of publicly calling out competitors 害羞草研究所� a recent trend amid a transforming airline market that has companies stepping on each other害羞草研究所檚 wingtips in new ways and on a bigger scale.

In a country traditionally dominated by two national airlines, a new set of aviation rivalries has emerged. Porter is increasingly moving in on Air Canada害羞草研究所檚 home turf of Central Canada as well as cross-country routes, while WestJet seeks to counter the threat of Flair Airlines in a shift from the decades-old industry dynamic of sparring between the two biggest carriers.

Porter, once a regional player hovering around the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal triangle, has over the past 18 months tripled its domestic market share to nearly 10 per cent. Turboprop planes were used when the carrier only covered short distances. Now it has 35 Embraer jets in its fleet and expects 40 more by 2027, up from zero as recently as January of last year.

The rapid expansion overlaps heavily with Air Canada territory in Ontario and Quebec, prompting the country害羞草研究所檚 largest airline to serve up no-charge treats and drinks. Cocktails also now cost $5 per glass, down from $9. Porter has long touted similar offers.

害羞草研究所淚t shows that they害羞草研究所檙e concerned about our market share growth and what we害羞草研究所檙e doing, and that we害羞草研究所檙e a real competitive threat to them,害羞草研究所� said Porter president Kevin Jackson in a phone interview.

害羞草研究所淗ow do I prove that? They did not launch free beer and wine to Mexico and the Caribbean. We don害羞草研究所檛 fly there yet.害羞草研究所�

Air Canada said it continually refines its on-board products. 害羞草研究所淲e take all competition seriously,害羞草研究所� said spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick in an email.

Flair and WestJet have also raised their hackles as the two jostle for market share.

Flair now has a 20-plane fleet 害羞草研究所� still a fraction of WestJet害羞草研究所檚 180 aircraft, but enough to demand a response from the older of the two Alberta-based airlines.

In a bid to attract more price-sensitive customers 害羞草研究所� Flair害羞草研究所檚 core demographic 害羞草研究所� earlier this month, WestJet replaced its basic ticket tier with a new fare category that did away with a free carry-on bag and other perks travellers once took for granted. Customers who choose the 害羞草研究所渦ltra-basic害羞草研究所� option must pay to select a seat even when checking in. Also, they board last 害羞草研究所� despite being relegated to the back of the plane.

Flair joined in on the ribbing that Canadians delivered online, retweeting a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, from satirical news site The Beaverton: 害羞草研究所淲estJet announces SuperUltraBasic fare where customers just stay home and give them money.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 be ultra basic. Fly Flair,害羞草研究所� the budget airline, which offers a nearly identical fare tier, posted a day earlier.

But WestJet may have the last laugh. In its first week, the fare class topped expectations with more than 100,000 tickets sold, the company said.

John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, said WestJet害羞草研究所檚 move marks a competitive thrust against a growing rival.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e basically taking Flair on head-to-head,害羞草研究所� he said.

Flair swooped in to fill the void left by Air Canada when it pulled out of dozens of regional routes west of Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Calgary-based WestJet has cut routes in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada to refocus on its home turf out west. On Toronto-Montreal, it went from about 370 flights per month two years ago to none, according to figures from aviation data firm Cirium.

WestJet retrenched in the East and dug in farther west 害羞草研究所渞ather than go up against Air Canada in a lot of markets,害羞草研究所� said Helane Becker, an aviation analyst at TD Cowen. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 where they were strong,害羞草研究所� she said, referring to British Columbia and the Prairies.

Montreal-based Air Canada has mirrored this move, remaining in Central and Eastern Canada while scaling back in the West. With Porter害羞草研究所檚 ascent, it has replaced WestJet as Air Canada害羞草研究所檚 biggest rival on routes such as Toronto-Halifax, Toronto-Fredericton and Montreal-Moncton, N.B.

The fresh dynamics of the airline world don害羞草研究所檛 necessarily mean more competition, particularly on regional trips.

Lynx Air and Swoop are defunct 害羞草研究所� and Sunwing Airlines is set to fold into WestJet害羞草研究所檚 main operation next year. As surviving airlines set their sights on more lucrative markets abroad and ditch smaller planes in the interest of higher-volume trips, flight numbers on numerous short-haul routes have plummeted over the past five years.

Domestic capacity will likely decrease this year compared to 2023, Becker said. Partly as a result, prices keep rising. Airfares climbed nearly five per cent year-over-year last month, according to the latest consumer price index report.

WestJet and Air Canada remain rivals, as do Porter and WestJet, with all four competing for traffic between Toronto and Vancouver as well as on trips to Florida, among other spots. But the lines on the competition map have been redrawn.

害羞草研究所淎ll carriers are competitors, including U.S. carriers 害羞草研究所� but the airline that we overlap the most with, of course, is Air Canada,害羞草研究所� Porter害羞草研究所檚 Jackson said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e stealing market share.害羞草研究所�

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press