Category Archives: WestJet Encore

WestJet launches WestJet Encore

WestJet DHC-8-400 C-FHEN (95)(Grd) YYC (WestJet)(LR)

WestJet (Calgary) yesterday (June 24) launched WestJet Encore,ย Canada’s newest regional airline, with service to Fort St. John, Nanaimo,ย Vancouver, and Victoria, British Columbia and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. WestJet Encore features a new fleet of two Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) NextGen aircraft.

Calgary will also be the home of its WestJet Encore operations.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE:

Flight Departing Arriving Effective
3109 Calgary at 11 a.m. Nanaimo at 11:45 a.m. June 24, 2013
3108 Nanaimo at 12:30 p.m. Calgary at 2:56 p.m. June 24, 2013
3101 Calgary at 3:50 p.m. Fort St. John at 4:35 p.m. June 24, 2013
3103 Fort St. John at 5:05 p.m. Vancouverย at 6:48 p.m. June 24, 2013
3103 Vancouver at 7:20 p.m. Victoria at 7:50 p.m. June 24, 2013
3246 Calgary at 4:50 p.m. Saskatoon at 6:09 p.m. June 24, 2013
3247 Saskatoon at 6:35 p.m. Calgary at 7:59 p.m. June 24, 2013
3102 Victoria at 7:15 a.m. Vancouver at 7:44 a.m. June 25, 2013
3102 Vancouver at 8:15 a.m. Fort St. John at 10:01 a.m. June 25, 2013
3100 Fort St. John at 10:30 a.m. Calgary at 1 p.m. June 25, 2013

Copyright Photo: WestJet. Employees wave goodbye to the first WestJet Encore flight as it departs Calgary bound for Nanaimo with Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) C-FHEN (msn 4441).

WestJet:ย AG Slide Show

Video: WestJet Never Sleeps:

Video: A previous April’s Fools “Kargo Kids”:

Bombardier delivers the first Q400 to WestJet for WestJet Encore

WestJet DHC-8-400 C-FOEN (95)(Flt) YTZ (WestJet)(LR)

Bombardier Aerospace (Montreal) and WestJet (Calgary) today (June 6) announced the delivery of the first of 20 DHC-8-402 (Q400) NextGenย turboprop airliners ordered by WestJet. The aircraft will be operated by the new regional carrier, WestJet Encore (Calgary) and will serve multiple destinations, beginning in Western Canada in its first year of service. WestJet also holds options for 25 additionalQ400 NextGenย aircraft.

Earlier this year, WestJet announced plans to begin service with Encore on June 24, 2013, opening new routes to Fort St. John and Nanaimo, British Columbia, as well as Brandon, Manitoba, on September 3, 2013. Flights to points in Alberta and Saskatchewan are to be added later this year, along with additional flights to cities already served by WestJet.

Today, Bombardier Aerospace hosted a special delivery ceremony in Toronto alongside more than 100 WestJetters, including Gregg Saretsky, President and Chief Executive Officer, WestJet and Ferio Pugliese, President, WestJet Encore, and Executive Vice-President, WestJet. Also on site in Toronto, where theย Q400 NextGenย airliners are manufactured, were Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, Simon Roberts, Vice-President and General Manager, Turboprop Programs and the Toronto Site, Bombardier Aerospace and guests from the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Top Copyright Photo: WestJet. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) C-FOEN (msn 4440) “401” flies over Toronto’s downtown Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

WestJet:ย AG Slide Show

Bottom Copyright Photo: Bombardier. C-FOEN has small WestJet Encore titles by the forward L1 door.

WestJet DHC-8-400 C-FOEN (95)(Ceremony)(Bombardier)(LRW)

Video:

WestJet Encore to serve Brandon, Manitoba from Calgary

WestJet DHC-8-400 (95)(Flt)(Bombardier)(LRW)

WestJet (Calgary) today announced the launch of new daily, nonstop service between Brandon, Manitoba and Calgary. The service will be operated by WestJet Encore’s fleet of Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) NextGen turboprop aircraft.

Details of the new daily service between Brandon and Calgary are:

Flight Departing Arriving Effective
3242 Calgary at 9:50 a.m. Brandon at 12:50 p.m. September 3, 2013
3243 Brandon at 1:20 p.m. Calgary at 2:35 p.m. September 3, 2013

WestJet Encore will take delivery of its first two Canadian-built, 78-seat Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft in June 2013 and add five more by the end of the year. WestJet has firm orders for a total of 20 Q400s and options for an additional 25 over the next six years.

Image: WestJet.

WestJet:ย AG Slide Show

WestJet is coming to Dallas/Fort Worth and Myrtle Beach, Encore to launch on June 24

WestJet DHC-8-400 (95)(Flt)(Bombardier)(LRW)

WestJet Airlines (Calgary) will add Dallas/Fort Worth on April 29 with daily service from the Calgary hub per Airline Route. Additionally the fast-growing carrier will also add Myrtle Beach, SC and the Toronto (Pearson)-Myrtle Beach route with twice-weekly service on May 2.

The carrier is also expected to launch its new WestJet Enclore Bombardier Q400 turboprop operation on June 24 initially with two bases at Calgary and Vancouver. Initially Calgary will connect Edmonton, Fort St. John, Nanaimo and Saskatoon. From Vancouver Encore will serve Fort S. John and Victoria.

This morning the airline the released this statement:

WestJet today announced the launch of new nonstop service between Toronto and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and between Calgary and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, beginning this spring. Flights on both routes will be operated using the airline’s fleet of Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft.

Starting May 2, 2013, WestJet will introduce twice-weekly service on Thursdays and Sundays between Toronto and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Daily service between Calgary and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, will begin on April 29, 2013. Flights for both services, featuring great introductory fares, will be available for purchase on February 11, 2013.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is the fourth-largest airport in the United States, as well as a major hub for WestJet’s partner, American Airlines. WestJet’s relationship with American Airlines will enable guests to access three round-trip flights a day between Calgary and Dallas, a key Western business route, as well as American’s extensive network beyond Dallas.

Details of WestJet’s new non-stop twice-weekly (Thursday and Sunday) service between Toronto and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, are as follows:

Flight Departing Arriving Effective
1154 Toronto at 9:30 a.m. Myrtle Beach at 11:35 a.m. May 2, 2013
1155 Myrtle Beach at 12:20 p.m. Toronto at 2:14 p.m. May 2, 2013

Details of WestJet’s new nonstop daily service between Calgary and Dallas-Fort Worth are:

Flight Departing Arriving Effective
1554 Calgary at 10:25 a.m. Dallas-Fort Worth at 2:58 p.m. April 29, 2013
1555 Dallas-Fort Worth at 3:45 p.m. Calgary at 6:29 p.m. April 29, 2013

Introductory one-way fares are:

Departing Arriving Air transportation
charges (ATC)
Taxes, fees and
charges
Total one-way
price from
Base fare
from
Other ATC
Calgary Dallas-Fort Worth $139 $7.50 $81.89 $228.39*CAD
Toronto Myrtle Beach $79 $7.50 $80.89 $167.39*CAD

*Some restrictions apply.ย  Please see westjet.com for full details.

Within Canada, WestJet is also increasing the number of flights between Toronto and Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina, and will introduce new non-stop service between Toronto and Fort McMurray. The airline will also increase to two flights daily from one between Calgary and Los Angeles, and to 11 from seven flights weekly between Toronto and Orlando.

WestJet also released this statement about Encore:

WestJet announced the launch of new nonstop daily service to Fort St. John and Nanaimo, British Columbia. The service will be operated by WestJet Encore’s fleet of Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft, and includes new daily service between Vancouver and Victoria.

“The announcement of the first two cities to be served by WestJet Encore is an historic moment for this new airline,” said Ferio Pugliese, Executive Vice-President, WestJet, and President, WestJet Encore. “As Canada’s low-fare leader, we look forward to introducing our award-winning guest experience to Canadians in smaller communities while connecting to our network of 85 destinations in 18 countries.”

In June 2012 , representatives from more than 30 Canadian cities came to WestJet’s Calgary campus to convey their interest in WestJet Encore. Fort St. John and Nanaimo are the first two cities, and others will be added in the future.

“We are just getting started,” said Ferio Pugliese. “The communities that are not part of today’s announcement continue to be under consideration as we take delivery of additional aircraft later this year and in the years to come.”

Details of the new daily service between Calgary , Fort St. John, Vancouver and Victoria are:

Flight Departing Arriving Effective
3101 Calgary at 4 p.m. Fort St. John at 4:39 p.m. June 24, 2013
3103 Fort St. John at 5:10 p.m. Vancouver at 6:55 p.m. June 24, 2013
3103 Vancouver at 7:25 p.m. Victoria at 7:55 p.m. June 24, 2013
3102 Victoria at 7:15 a.m. Vancouver at 7:44 a.m. June 25, 2013
3102 Vancouver at 8:15 a.m. Fort St. John at 9:59 a.m. June 25, 2013
3100 Fort St. John at 10:30 a.m. Calgary at 1 p.m. June 25, 2013

 

Introductory one-way fares are:

Departing Arriving Air transportation
charges (ATC)
Taxes, fees &ย 
charges
Total one-wayย 
price from
Base fareย 
from
Other ATC
Calgary Fort St. John $109 $18 $45.33 $172.33* CAD
Fort St. John Vancouver $109 $18 $43.37 $170.37* CAD
Vancouver Victoria $49 $12 $20.89 $81.89*CAD
Victoria Vancouver $49 $12 $26.49 $87.49*CAD
Vancouver Fort St. John $109 $18 $28.81 $155.81*CAD
Fort St. John Calgary $109 $18 $43.37 $170.37*CAD

*Some restrictions apply.ย  Please see westjet.com for full details.

Details of the new daily service between Calgary and Nanaimo are:

Flight Departing Arriving Effective
3109 Calgary at 11 a.m. Nanaimo at 11:43 a.m. June 24, 2013
3108 Nanaimo at 12:30 p.m. Calgary at 2:57 p.m. June 24, 2013

Introductory one-way fares are:

Departing Arriving Air transportationย 
charges (ATC)
Taxes, fees &ย 
charges
Total one-wayย 
price from
Base fareย 
from
Other ATC
Calgary Nanaimo $79 $18 $43.83 $140.83*CAD
Nanaimo Calgary $79 $18 $30.81 $127.81*CAD

*Some restrictions apply.

WestJet Encore will take delivery of its first two Canadian-built, 78-seat Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft in June 2013 and add five more by the end of the year. WestJet has firm orders for a total of 20 Q400s and options for an additional 25 over the next six years.

Image: WestJet.

WestJet:ย AG Slide Show

WestJet reports a record December load factor of 81.9 percent

WestJet Airlines (Calgary) today announced December 2012 traffic results with a record load factor of 81.9 percent. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.2 percent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 6.0 percent over the same period. The airline flew 17.4 million guests in all of 2012 which is a year-over-year increase of 8.6 percent or approximately 1,383,000 additional guests.

“We are very pleased to close out the year with six consecutive monthly load factor records and ย  record high loads in all four quarters. Our positive momentum culminated in 2012 with a new single-day record of flying more than 57,000 guests on December 21st,” said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. “Our forward bookings continue to be strong and I want to thank our more than 9,000 WestJetters for their great efforts and caring attitudes, despite challenging weather, that ensured another memorable holiday travel season for our guests.”

December 2012 traffic results

December 2012 December 2011 Change
Load factor 81.9% 80.9% 1.0 pts.
ASMs (billions) 2.006 1.893 6.0%
RPMs (billions) 1.642 1.532 7.2%

 

Fourth quarter
2012
Fourth quarter
2011
Change
Load factor 81.9% 78.7% 3.2 pts.
ASMs (billions) 5.487 5.329 3.0%
RPMs (billions) 4.493 4.194 7.1%

 

Full-year 2012 Full-year 2011 Change
Load factor 82.8% 79.7% 3.1 pts.
ASMs (billions) 22.064 21.186 4.1%
RPMs (billions) 18.263 16.891 8.1%

 

WestJet reached a major milestone in early December, when it took delivery of its 100thย Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. In 2013, WestJet will take delivery of an additional five Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft and seven Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft. “With the delivery of its first two Q400s scheduled for June and the launch of its first schedule in February, excitement is building as WestJet Encore gets closer to providing more communities with access to our low fares and caring guest experience,” added Gregg Saretsky.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography. Boeing 737-8CT C-GWSZ (msn 37092) in the special “Care-antee” color scheme taxies from the gate at Toronto (Pearson).

WestJet:ย AG Slide Show

WestJet to name the new Bombardier Q400 operation WestJet Encore

WestJet Airlines (Calgary) will name its new Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) operation “WestJet Encore”. The company issued the follwing statement:

Following a vote by WestJetters, WestJet announced that the name of its new regional airline will be WestJet Encore. The regional airline will launch in the second half of 2013, using Bombardier Q400 aircraft to serve smaller Canadian communities.

“We are excited to launch WestJet Encore, leveraging the phenomenal strength of the WestJet brand delivered through our WestJetters,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience. “Encore reinforces that our WestJetters are ready to repeat the success of WestJet, liberating Canadians in many communities from the high cost of travel.”

WestJet will announce a schedule for WestJet Encore, including the first group of communities it will serve, in early 2013.

Image: WestJet.

WestJet:ย