WestJet Group completes integration of Sunwing Airlines, successfully unifying all narrowbody operations under WestJet Airlines Français
CALGARY, AB, May 28, 2025 /CNW/ - Today marks a significant milestone for the WestJet Group, as the airline officially completes its integration of Sunwing Airlines. This achievement represents two years (to the month) of dedicated work, strategic coordination and consultation, and a commitment to delivering greater value and connectivity for Canadian travellers.
"Completing two airline consolidations in just two years—the first with Swoop in 2024 and now Sunwing—was complex and required coordination across every aspect of our business, from operational, labour, and regulatory areas to experiential and cultural elements," says Alexis von Hoensbroech, Chief Executive Officer of the WestJet Group. "Achieving this milestone is proof of the incredible way our unified team works together and is a clear win for WestJet and our guests; it's also a story of transformation in Canadian aviation. A huge thanks to everyone who contributed!"
WestJet acquired Sunwing in May 2023, the first step of many in bringing together two distinctly Canadian travel and tourism success stories, as part of WestJet's ambition to be the leader in providing affordable and accessible sun and leisure travel for Canadians.
The vision to integrate Sunwing Airlines, realized on May 29, 2025, is part of the airline's strategy to deliver new and competitive travel options, and greater overall value for Canadians in sun and leisure market, while strengthening Canada's travel industry at a critical time.
WestJet has now integrated all jet aircraft under a single Air Operator Certificate (AOC), including 16 former Swoop aircraft, another nine former Lynx Air aircraft which were secured after that airline went out of business, and now 18 more from Sunwing Airlines. WestJet's unified narrowbody operation will begin to realize efficiencies once it transforms these aircraft with cabin reconfigurations to the WestJet standard interior being completed through 2025.
The result of this integration will be a consistent onboard experience for guests, with a more diverse range of onboard product offerings, including Premium, Economy, Extended Comfort, and UltraBasic seating available on all 150 Boeing 737 aircraft across the airline. WestJet's concept for expanding cabin optionality will serve the evolving needs of Canadian travellers who appreciate the ability to choose between a range of products and price points, without compromising on network.
Additionally, guests flying on WestJet with reservations through the Sunwing Vacations brand, which continues to exist as Canada's post popular vacations provider, or its wholly owned tour operator businesses, can expect an improved end-to-end travel experience, as Canada's leading vacations provider continues to streamline processes and booking flows with guests in mind.
"The final Sunwing-operated flight this week is a time to reflect," von Hoensbroech notes, recognizing that Sunwing has played an important and influential role in the Canadian leisure travel market. "I know every Sunwing employee, past and present feels their contributions have mattered to advancing the experience of air travel. To all WestJetters and former Sunwing team members: thank you. This milestone is your achievement, and a proud moment for us all."
About WestJet
WestJet took to the skies in 1996 with just over 200 employees and three aircraft operating service to five destinations. Since then, WestJet has pioneered low-cost travel in Canada, cutting airfares in half, and increasing the flying population in Canada by more than 50 per cent. Following integration with Sunwing in 2025, more than 14,000 WestJetters support nearly 200 aircraft and connect guests to more than 100 destinations across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.
As a major Canadian employer that includes WestJet Airlines, Sunwing Vacations Group and WestJet Cargo, the WestJet Group is Canada's leading low-cost airline and largest vacation provider, with a united purpose of providing affordable and accessible air and vacation travel to Canadians.
Learn more about WestJet at westjet.com/en-ca/who-we-are (also available in French)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
42 minutes ago
- CTV News
U.S. tourism is trying to woo back Canadian travellers. Is it working?
Canada's airports were bustling in April, but fewer passengers were flying to the United States, a sign that efforts by American destinations to win back Canadian tourists may be falling flat. A new Statistics Canada report found that for the third month in a row, the number of travellers screened to fly from Canada to the U.S. dropped compared to the same time last year. Meanwhile, traffic was up for both domestic and international travel. Canadian airlines appear to be pivoting in response. Air Canada recently announced its 'largest winter expansion,' with 13 new routes and 16 per cent more seat capacity to Latin America. The carrier is now offering more than 55 daily flights and over 80,000 weekly seats to the region. WestJet says it's adjusting, too. 'In response to shifting demand, WestJet did recently reallocate aircraft from some routes between Canada and the U.S. toward connectivity and frequency within Canada, internationally between Canada and Europe, and between Canada and popular sun destinations,' the airline said in a written statement to 'WestJet remains engaged with industry partners in conversations focused on lessening long-term impacts on travel and tourism — industries that we know rely on the sustained confidence and movement of people on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.' 'California Loves Canada' In an effort to stifle the drop in visitors, some U.S. states have rolled out targeted campaigns aimed specifically at Canadians. Visit California, a nonprofit corporation formed to market California as a desirable tourism destination, teamed up with Expedia to launch the 'California Loves Canada' campaign in May. Organizers say it's been 'resonating with Canadians.' 'As of May 31, Canadian travellers have booked rooms at 1,740 California hotels that are offering exclusive deals for Canadians,' Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, told in an emailed response. 'With most bookings set for travel this summer, we anticipate seeing a real uptick in Canadian arrivals as the year plays out.' Beteta says the campaign is driven by California-based industry partners offering special discounts to Canadians, adding the feedback has been positive. According to Beteta, saw traffic increase by more than five per cent in May, with engagement up nearly 15 per cent. 'Click-through rates from organic search are a whopping 2,800 per cent higher than what we typically see,' she added. Atlantic Canada seeing tourism spike Despite these efforts, one travel agent told that a portion of the market is still hesitant about travelling to the U.S., due to concerns about the border, politics, or just the general vibe. Jason Sarracini, founder and CEO of Landsby, a Canadian domestic travel website, says there may be some cross-border traffic in upstate New York, but his company isn't 'seeing anything meaningful.' However, Sarracini did say one spot within Canada is getting lots of attention. 'Atlantic Canada is the one that's really stood out this year,' Sarracini said. 'It's that destination, which is pretty intimate, gives you a really good sense of the people and the flavour, and is not as expensive as the West Coast and the Rockies in the summer.' Sarracini also stressed the growing importance of Indigenous tourism, which he says is attracting more interest from both Canadian and American travellers. '(Americans) don't necessarily want it to be their entire trip, but they do want components of that educational side, especially those who have maybe been to Canada before,' he said. Calling for accessible Canadian travel Julie Smigadis, owner of Travel Our World agency, says her U.S.-bound bookings have slowed in recent months, with some would-be clients choosing to cancel outright. 'I had a large anniversary trip to Disney cancelled,' she said in a video interview with 'It was an (LGBTQ2S+) couple and they just felt very unsafe and kind of not very welcome. They ended up rebooking into Mexico, even though they lost a little bit of money on the file.' Instead, Smigadis says more of her clients are opting to explore Canada, especially destinations like Banff, Alta., Vancouver, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island. But affordability is a challenge, even for domestic trips. 'The pricing and the availability is so crazy,' Smigadis said. 'It's unfortunate because, especially as a travel agency, I do want to show off this gorgeous country of ours and especially in this moment where we come together as Canadians.' She says greater cooperation between governments, airlines and hotels is needed to make Canadian travel more accessible. 'I wish the Canadian companies, Canadian airlines, and Canadian hotels would incentivize Canadians to stay within Canada,' she said. 'There has to be some way for us to make it more accessible — for our dollars to be used here as opposed to going abroad.' Data from Expedia supports the broader trend. According to the company's first-quarter earnings call, Canada's inbound travel to the U.S. was down nearly 30 per cent in the first quarter. 'While we've been seeing recent fluctuations in U.S. search activities, Canadians are still eager to travel and have been rediscovering all the beauty Canada has to offer,' said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group brands public relations in the company's Summer Travel Outlook. 'This is a very emotional thing' Some American tourism operators say they're feeling the downturn directly. 'This isn't something you solve with a few dollars off. This is a very emotional thing,' said Paul Dame, owner of Bluff Point Golf Resort in Plattsburgh, N.Y., in a video interview with 'The stuff that's being said is just downright not nice to Canadians, and unfortunately, that has definitely put a damper on our business.' Dame's resort, just an hour south of Montreal, typically relies on Canadian visitors. But those numbers are down sharply this year. 'The start of the season, April and May, we were 30 per cent behind last year,' Dame said. 'Lodging reservations were 22 per cent down … I would say about 25 per cent of our regular guests have decided not to return.' He said he's personally reached out to dozens of long-time customers, many of whom have visited for more than a decade. 'They said, 'We love you, we love Bluff Point, but we're not going to be coming back to the United States this year,'' he said. 'That was 49 out of about 130 groups.' The resort is still seeing some large group bookings go through, but individual golfers and day trippers have dropped off drastically. 'We would usually see 25 to 30 cars a day in the parking lot. Now we're seeing one, maybe two,' Dame said, adding the daily golfer is second-guessing a trip to the U.S. Despite the challenges, Dame said he's working on a new outreach video to reconnect with Canadians. 'I hope that we at least start to move in the right direction, so that we can rebuild the greatest cross-border relationship anywhere in the world,' he said. 'We've been friends and partners for decades … it would be great for both sides to just move forward, make amends, and hopefully continue a friendship that was a long time made.'
Ottawa Citizen
2 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Massive Battery Energy Storage System project sparks controversy at Ottawa committee meeting
Article content More than 60 speakers lined up Thursday to speak to the City of Ottawa's Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee over a proposal to build a vast electrical storage facility in West Carleton. Article content The subject of the marathon meeting was a $650-million Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) pitched for a parcel of land on Marchurst Road about one kilometre from Thomas A. Dolan Parkway, southwest of Dunrobin. Article content Article content Article content Brookfield Renewable Power Inc., through Evolugen, a Canadian company, was seeking a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) to help clear the way for the project. Article content Article content Essentially, a BESS is a massive collective battery — in this case a lithium ion battery — to store electricity and distribute it as needed. The proposed property totals about 81 hectares of land. The electrical storage system would occupy about four hectares, with an additional six hectares used for an access road, a stormwater management pond and a substation. Article content Proponents for the project argued that the project was part of the solution as Ontario grappled with increased demand for energy. The BESS and others like it would add capacity and allow for flexible operation of the electrical grid as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions because BESSes reduce the need for power plants during times of peak demand. Article content Article content 'Our members have delivered dozens of projects just like this one that you are considering today, safely and reliably,' said Andrew Thiele, senior director of policy and government affairs with Energy Storage Canada, which represents about 110 members. Article content Article content 'Ottawa is in fierce competition with tech hubs around the world to attract talent and capital that empower Canadian businesses to thrive in these rapidly evolving sectors,' Thiel said. 'Often one of the most important concerns raised by our prospective members is that there is a continued and growing need for clean power.' Article content But there has been a firestorm over the project. Residents say they were surprised to learn about the proposal and the speed at which it had moved forward. City council rejected another proposal from Evolugen for a similar facility near Fitzroy Harbour last year.
3 hours ago
Faster isn't always better. Slow-charging EVs could have big benefits
When Julia McNally decided to buy an EV and started her research, she came across a lot of articles and ads pushing an apparent must-have accessory — a speedy home charger designed specifically for EVs. Everything was pointing me to Level 2, recalled McNally, director of climate action at Toronto Hydro. She knew that all EVs can do Level 1 slow charging, or trickle charging, from a regular 120-volt wall outlet, adding about six kilometres of range per hour (except in very cold winter temperatures, which can slow charging speeds). And she already had an outlet of those in her backyard, near the alleyway where she planned to park her new Mini EV. But more than four out of five U.S. EV owners used Level 2 for home-charging in 2023, according to market research firm J.D. Power (new window) . Using a higher 240 voltage, often needed for a stove or dryer, Level 2 chargers can add about 30 to 50 kilometres of range per hour and refill a typical EV's entire 400-kilometre range overnight. Meanwhile, Level 3, or DC fast chargers, often installed along major highways, can add 250 kilometres of range per hour (some are even faster (new window) ) and charge a battery to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. Get more with a free CBC account Comment on articles, stay in the know with our newsletters and stream more on CBC Gem. Sign In (new window) Create a free account (new window) Why faster may not be better Some experts, such as Daniel Breton, CEO of Electric Mobility Canada, have argued people "really need" Level 2 chargers at home (new window) , as it can take days to charge an empty battery to full at Level 1. But most people don't drive the hundreds of kilometres needed to empty their battery each day — and there's a downside to faster charging. You're adding cost, McNally said — potentially thousands of dollars. Installing a Level 2 charger requires a licensed electrician, she said. In Toronto, it means consulting with Toronto Hydro and the Electrical Safety Authority. And homeowners often will need to increase the size of their electrical panel, adding additional costs. But it's something more Canadians may be thinking about soon, amid Canada's zero-emission vehicle mandate (new window) , requiring that 20 per cent of cars, vans and light trucks sold in Canada be electric, hybrid or hydrogen-powered cars by next year. The goal is to reach 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had vowed to scrap the target if elected (new window) , but with a Liberal re-election (new window) , the target still stands. WATCH | Can northern power grids handle electric vehicles and heat?: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Can northern power grids handle electric vehicles and heat? Electric vehicles and electric heating are expected to put a strain on northern power grids. A new study out of Yukon University offers utilities some ways to fix that. The CBC's Liny Lamberink has more. Level 2 charging isn't just more expensive and logistically difficult for individual EV owners. In some Canadian communities, the aging electrical grid may not be able to handle too much Level 2 charging at once. For example, a recent Yukon University study found that if more northerners install Level 2 chargers and electric heating, that could cause problems for transformers (new window) — a key piece of equipment in local electricity distribution networks. At the time of the study, published last December, there were only 88 EVs in all of Yukon, and half of them were plug-in hybrids. Blake Shaffer, a University of Calgary associate professor, studied the situation in his community with local utility Enmax. He previously told CBC News (new window) that electricity distribution networks would need significant upgrades in order for all EV drivers to be able to charge at Level 2. That's where the real challenge of EVs comes about, he said, noting high costs for both individuals and electric utilities. McNally says Toronto Hydro has adequate capacity for whatever EVs and heat pumps come at us. She acknowledged, however, that in cases where someone does ask Toronto Hydro for extra capacity you need to pay for the upgrades. Meanwhile, Level 1 takes advantage of wall outlets that people often already have, including residents of apartments or condo buildings. In colder parts of Canada, many parking spaces have a plug intended for block heaters. (Although tenants may have to negotiate with their landlord to use it for charging (new window) .) WATCH | This electric vehicle owner says tenants who pay hydro should be able to plug in: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? This electric vehicle owner says tenants who pay hydro should be able to plug in Renters might find themselves in uncharted legal territory if their landlord wants to make them pay for charging their electric vehicles — even if electricity is included in their lease. Many people don't need Level 2 at home Living in Toronto, McNally doesn't drive 400 kilometres a day; typically, she only covers 600 kilometres in an entire month. So she knew that Level 1 charging was probably good enough for her needs. That's not unusual — even outside Canada's largest city. Shaffer studied the driving and parking habits of 129 EV drivers in Calgary from December 2021 to December 2022. (While that was during the tail end of the pandemic, Statistics Canada reports very similar commute times in Calgary in 2022 and 2024 (new window) .) The study found 29 per cent of drivers only ever needed Level 1 charging (new window) because they drove very little relative to the time they were parked. Another 53 per cent could use Level 1 most of the time, but might need to visit a public Level 2 or fast charging station up to once per month to top off their battery. WATCH | Canada needs more charging stations to hit EV targets: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Canada needs more charging stations to hit EV targets Experts say Canada needs hundreds of thousands more charging stations to support electric vehicle targets, but it's unclear who's in charge of building them. The City of Vancouver estimates that the average driver can meet their daily driving needs in under four hours using a Level 1 charger and in about 45 minutes using a Level 2 charger (new window) . Either of those is plenty of time if people have a place to park and charge overnight. Level 1 can even work for drivers in rural communities. Rob van Adrichem lives in Prince George, B.C., and got an electric car this past summer. He only has Level 1 charging at home, but tops up at Level 2 chargers at the park or the library in town if he needs to. I'm finding Level 1 is no problem, he said. I think people get scared off on Level 2s because they think it's going to be thousands of dollars and I don't know that it's always necessary. Is it a tenant's right to charge an EV at their rental? (new window) Ali Mohazab is co-founder of a startup called Parkizio Technologies that helps people such as apartment dwellers access electricity for charging. He said people thinking about switching to an EV may imagine doing a variation of what they did with their gas car: driving to empty and then going to a gas station and filling the entire tank — something they're forced to do because they don't have a gas pump at their home. Mohazab said that gas mentality may not allow people to see that with an EV, every parking opportunity is a charging opportunity and it doesn't matter if you charge faster so your battery is full at 1 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. when you leave for work — you can just leave it plugged in overnight. He added, If you kind of look at your car as a, you know, cell phone with wheels, then it really makes sense. McNally has found that she doesn't even need to charge every day, even at Level 1. I charge about once a week, she said. Couldn't be easier. But how can you tell if Level 1 will be enough for you? Level 1 is probably enough for most people, Mohazab says, except those who drive all day for work, such as Uber drivers. McNally suggests this rule of thumb: If you drive less than 60 kilometres a day, you are probably just fine with the regular plug that is already at your house. She recommends that new EV owners start with Level 1 to keep things cheap and simple. Start there, see how it works, learn your patterns — and then if you really want Level 2, you can add that cost later. Emily Chung (new window) · CBC News
