The sky's the limit for WestJet

When it comes to WestJet’s incoming fleet of B787 Dreamliners, “the world is our oyster,” said Jane Clementino, WestJet’s director of agency sales.

The airline brought its 2018 Travel Trade Expo to the Greater Toronto Area last night (May 2 - fittingly on Travel Agent Day), welcoming approximately 500 Toronto-area travel agents to meet with dozens of suppliers at Mississauga’s International Centre, along with plenty of news updates for the trade, part of the airline’s See It 2022 campaign.

“We’re making sure everyone understand the journey that we’re on and that they’re a part of it,” Clementino told PAX. “The agents need to know that we’re continuing to grow and becoming a global airline.”

New routes, new lounges

While the official announcement will take place later this fall, the carrier’s new B787s will enable WestJet to greatly expand its current flight offerings, adding approximately 500,000 seats to its network: a map showing the potential new route map for WestJet shows several potential long-haul destinations including those in Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, as well as an expanded number of European cities (WestJet will launch flights from Halifax to London-Gatwick and Paris later this month) plus several in South America along with Dubai and Delhi.

According to Clementino, the official routes will be revealed in October or November ahead of launching in spring 2019. An unveiling for the aircraft, including a new livery, will take place on May 8.

Also in 2019, WestJet will be opening three lounges each – one for domestic, trans-border and international flights - in its major Canadian hubs of Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto, described by Clementino as “state-of-the-art, personalized and comfortable” spaces with some high-tech touches.

“You’ll be able to order a latte before going through security and have it ready in the lounge when you arrive,” she joked.

Matt Djorsev, business development manager for the Toronto area & Jane Clementino, director of agency sales

In Canada

A new capacity purchase agreement with Pacific Coastal will greatly expand WestJet’s Western Canada domestic operations out of Calgary, said Matt Djorsev, business development manager for the Toronto area, adding that the model will eventually come to Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax, connecting smaller regional airports to its major hubs.

Djorsev added that with the arrival of the new Dreamliners, Canada travel packages will become available through WestJet Vacations.

“There’s a lot of growth and these are exciting times for us,” he said, “and we look forward to you continued support.”