64 Facts About WestJet

WestJet provides scheduled and charter air service to more than 100 destinations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

WestJet is owned by Kestrel Bidco Inc, a subsidiary of Onex Corporation,.

WestJet was based on the low-cost carrier business model pioneered by Southwest Airlines and Morris Air in the United States.

In mid-September 1996, WestJet's fleet was grounded due to a disagreement with Transport Canada over maintenance schedule requirements.

In 2001, WestJet's expansion continued with routes to Fort McMurray and Comox.

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WestJet entered into a two-year agreement with Air Transat in August 2003 whereby WestJet aircraft would be filled by Transat's two main tour operators, World of Vacations and Transat Holidays.

Air Canada accused WestJet of accessing Air Canada confidential information via a private website in order to gain a business advantage.

On May 29,2006, WestJet admitted to the charges leveled by Air Canada and agreed to pay C$5.

In January 2004, WestJet announced that it was moving the focus of its Eastern operations from Hamilton to Toronto the following April, fully moving into the lucrative Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal triangle and tripling the total number of its flights out of Toronto Pearson International Airport.

In late August 2005, WestJet flew to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, transporting members of a Vancouver-based urban search and rescue team to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

WestJet's first scheduled service outside Canada and the United States began in 2006, to Nassau, Bahamas.

On October 26,2006, WestJet announced that it had its best quarterly profit to date, of C$52.

In 2007, WestJet announced that it would begin flights from Deer Lake in Newfoundland, Saint John in New Brunswick and Kitchener-Waterloo in Ontario.

In June 2007, WestJet added seven new international seasonal flights to Saint Lucia, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Mexico as well as a third Hawaiian destination, Kona.

The first employees moved in during the first quarter of 2009, and the building officially opened the following May The WestJet Campus building was certified as LEED Gold standard in October 2011.

The next month, WestJet commenced seasonal service between Calgary and New York City via Newark Liberty International Airport.

In late April 2009, WestJet temporarily suspended service to several of its destinations in Mexico due to the outbreak of influenza A in the country.

In July 2009, WestJet announced 11 new international destinations for its winter schedule.

In November 2009, WestJet announced service to the British island territory of Bermuda, which commenced in May 2010.

WestJet resumed seasonal service to Windsor, Ontario that same month.

WestJet was replaced by Gregg Saretsky, a former executive at Canadian Airlines and Alaska Airlines and previously Vice-President of WestJet Vacations and Executive Vice-President of Operations.

In July 2010 WestJet announced service to Santa Clara, Cuba, New Orleans and Grand Cayman bringing the total number of destinations to 71.

In late 2010 WestJet announced it was wet-leasing a Boeing 757 aircraft to expand service between Calgary to Honolulu and Maui and Edmonton to Maui, on a seasonal basis.

On January 26,2011, after Air Canada terminated California service, WestJet announced plans to enter service to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, from Vancouver and Calgary starting May of that year.

In November 2011 WestJet won an auction for time slots at New York's LaGuardia Airport ushering in a return to service to New York.

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Details of WestJet's scheduled service to LaGuardia were officially announced in January 2012.

On July 7,2014, WestJet announced that it was in the "advanced stages of sourcing" four wide-body aircraft that would begin flying by the fall of 2015.

WestJet took delivery of the first of these aircraft on August 27,2015.

On June 16,2015, WestJet announced the launch service to London's Gatwick Airport which began on May 6,2016.

On May 14,2018, WestJet announced new Premium Economy seats to replace the Plus seats, its current premium economy offering.

On May 31,2018, WestJet operated its first flight to mainland Europe with the inaugural flight from Halifax Stanfield International Airport to Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport.

WestJet changed its slogan from Owners Care to Love where you're going, announced a new logo, announced the Boeing 787 routes and launch dates, and an overall new brand image.

On May 13,2019, WestJet announced it had reached an agreement to be purchased by Onex Corporation for $5 billion Canadian dollars.

The purchase price of WestJet was slashed heavily due to the grounding of the MAX aircraft.

On March 17,2020, WestJet shut down all international flights, and on March 24 WestJet laid off 6,900 employees, about half of all staff.

On June 24,2020, WestJet laid off a further 3,300 employees as part of a restructuring plan, leaving only 4,500 employees still on payroll at the company.

WestJet employed over 14,000 people prior to the start of the pandemic.

On February 6,2021, WestJet laid off 250 more staff, citing recent travel restrictions.

On September 29,2022, WestJet announced it had placed an order for an additional 42 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft to strengthen its presence in Western Canada.

Completion of the acquisition was announced on December 11,2019, after the regulator had determined that WestJet will continue to meet Canadian ownership and control requirements if Onex amends its bylaws to ensure any matters voted on by the board of directors are done with a majority of Canadian directors present.

WestJet Encore was granted its separate Air Operator Certificate from Transport Canada, on June 12,2013.

WestJet Link is a subsidiary of WestJet launched in June 2018.

WestJet provides the most Canadian flights to Las Vegas and Orlando, offering non-stop routes from nine Canadian cities to Las Vegas and eleven to Orlando.

Since 2008, WestJet is the largest international carrier, by volume of passengers, flying into Las Vegas.

WestJet serves 20 destinations in the Caribbean and seven in Mexico, some on a seasonal basis.

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In July 2015, WestJet announced flights to London Gatwick Airport operated by Boeing 767 aircraft, which had not previously been part of the airline's fleet, starting spring 2016.

WestJet started flying between Halifax and Paris in May 2018.

WestJet is using its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to fly these new routes.

WestJet is the only carrier operating a direct route between Calgary and Atlanta.

In June 2021, WestJet announced the opening of a new route from Calgary to Amsterdam.

In 1999, WestJet was in talks regarding a possible 'feeder' arrangement for Air Canada's network.

In 2005, WestJet began a limited interline agreement with Taiwan-based China Airlines, in part to test the company's capability to partner with other carriers.

In 2006, WestJet announced it has been in talks with 70 airlines around the world interested in an interline or codeshare agreement.

Durfy said that, if a deal with Oneworld were reached, it would allow WestJet to maintain its scheduling flexibility; Durfy was later quoted in 2007 saying that a deal for WestJet to join the Oneworld alliance was unlikely.

In July 2008, WestJet announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding to build a distribution and codeshare agreement with US -based Southwest Airlines.

However, in April 2010 WestJet announced that the airline partnership with Southwest Airlines was terminated and in October 2010, WestJet partnered with American Airlines instead and later added Delta Air Lines.

However, in November 2020, Delta Air Lines and WestJet agreed to scrap their plans for a joint venture, as the demands of the United States Department of Transportation were seen "unreasonable and unacceptable" by both airlines.

Delta and WestJet have agreed to reciprocal elite member benefits for their respective frequent flyer programs.

Boeing confirmed on August 2,2007 that WestJet had placed an order for 23 Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft.

In May 2014, CEO Gregg Saretsky announced that WestJet was considering acquiring wide-body aircraft to operate long-haul international routes.

WestJet's aircraft are painted white except for the lettering on the fuselage, wings and vertical stabilizer, except for special examples as noted below.

In May 2018, WestJet unveiled a new livery, the first significant change since the inception of the company.

On flights four hours and more, WestJet offers complimentary beverages and snacks, and a buy-on-board meal service in economy on all aircraft.

WestJet opened its flagship business lounge, Elevation Lounge, in 2020, at Calgary International Airport.