Latest news with #WestJet
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
WestJet and Kenya Airways announce new interline agreement expanding connectivity across Africa
CALGARY, AB , July 24, 2025 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced a new interline partnership agreement with Kenya Airways, significantly enhancing connectivity across both carriers' networks. The agreement allows WestJet guests to seamlessly travel to Nairobi , and beyond, with expanded access to 35 destinations across Africa , through the Canadian airline's extensive network of European and transborder connections. On the other side of the Atlantic, Kenya Airways guests benefit from single stop access to Calgary , Halifax , St. John's and Toronto , feeding into 69 North American destinations. "Our newest interline partnership with Kenya Airways is a continuation of our tireless commitment to more global connectivity throughout WestJet's network and beyond, unlocking new and enhanced access for WestJet guests to destinations across Africa ," said John Weatherill , WestJet Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. "With the addition of new single-point access to Nairobi , WestJet is further leveraging its European and transborder connection points to offer convenient and affordable connectivity in service of business and leisure guests." Julius Thairu , Kenya Airways Chief Commercial & Customer Officer says, "We are excited about this interline partnership that allows us to provide our customers with more option for connectivity across the Atlantic and especially in Canada . Our goal of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa remains a key component of our mission of propelling the prosperity of Africa by connecting its people cultures and markets." With new single-point connection access via Paris , Amsterdam , London ( Gatwick ), London ( Heathrow ) and New York (JFK) to Nairobi , WestJet guests can now book a single ticket with a connected itinerary between WestJet and Kenya Airways' networks with single point check-in and through-checked bags. Bookings will be available through a travel agent or third-party ticket sales websites. 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 (also available in French) Follow WestJet on Facebook at Follow WestJet on X at and Follow WestJet on Instagram at Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at About Kenya Airways: Kenya Airways (KQ), The Pride of Africa, is a leading African carrier on a mission to propel Africa's prosperity by connecting its people, cultures, and markets. We fly to 45 destinations worldwide, 37 of which are in Africa , connecting over 5 million passengers and over 70,000 Tons of cargo annually through our Hub at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. As the sole African carrier in the SkyTeam Alliance, we open up a world of possibilities for our customers, connecting them to over 1,060 destinations in 173 countries. We take pride in offering a delightful flying experience with a caring African touch. Our exceptional African hospitality has consistently earned us global recognition including the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards where we were honoured with the Best Airline Staff and Best Airline Cabin Crew in Africa in 2024. For more information, visit or call our 24-hour Customer Services Desk at +254 20 327 4747. We are also available on Twitter: @KenyaAirways & @KQSupport, Facebook: @OfficialKenyaAirways, and Instagram: @OfficialKenyaAirways.
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
WestJet and Kenya Airways announce new interline agreement expanding connectivity across Africa Français
Partnership unlocks seamless connections between Canada and 36 destinations across Africa, including single stop access to Nairobi CALGARY, AB, July 24, 2025 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced a new interline partnership agreement with Kenya Airways, significantly enhancing connectivity across both carriers' networks. The agreement allows WestJet guests to seamlessly travel to Nairobi, and beyond, with expanded access to 35 destinations across Africa, through the Canadian airline's extensive network of European and transborder connections. On the other side of the Atlantic, Kenya Airways guests benefit from single stop access to Calgary, Halifax, St. John's and Toronto, feeding into 69 North American destinations. "Our newest interline partnership with Kenya Airways is a continuation of our tireless commitment to more global connectivity throughout WestJet's network and beyond, unlocking new and enhanced access for WestJet guests to destinations across Africa," said John Weatherill, WestJet Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. "With the addition of new single-point access to Nairobi, WestJet is further leveraging its European and transborder connection points to offer convenient and affordable connectivity in service of business and leisure guests." Julius Thairu, Kenya Airways Chief Commercial & Customer Officer says, "We are excited about this interline partnership that allows us to provide our customers with more option for connectivity across the Atlantic and especially in Canada. Our goal of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa remains a key component of our mission of propelling the prosperity of Africa by connecting its people cultures and markets." With new single-point connection access via Paris, Amsterdam, London (Gatwick), London (Heathrow) and New York (JFK) to Nairobi, WestJet guests can now book a single ticket with a connected itinerary between WestJet and Kenya Airways' networks with single point check-in and through-checked bags. Bookings will be available through a travel agent or third-party ticket sales websites. 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 (also available in French) Follow WestJet on Facebook at Follow WestJet on Instagram at Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at About Kenya Airways: Kenya Airways (KQ), The Pride of Africa, is a leading African carrier on a mission to propel Africa's prosperity by connecting its people, cultures, and markets. We fly to 45 destinations worldwide, 37 of which are in Africa, connecting over 5 million passengers and over 70,000 Tons of cargo annually through our Hub at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. As the sole African carrier in the SkyTeam Alliance, we open up a world of possibilities for our customers, connecting them to over 1,060 destinations in 173 countries. We take pride in offering a delightful flying experience with a caring African touch. Our exceptional African hospitality has consistently earned us global recognition including the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards where we were honoured with the Best Airline Staff and Best Airline Cabin Crew in Africa in 2024. For more information, visit or call our 24-hour Customer Services Desk at +254 20 327 4747. We are also available on Twitter: @KenyaAirways & @KQSupport, Facebook: @OfficialKenyaAirways, and Instagram: @OfficialKenyaAirways.
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘I was gobsmacked.' They paid WestJet hundreds for a ‘premium' upgrade and ended up in economy with a glass of bubbly
Nancy Tennyson and her husband Paul arrived at the Vancouver airport hours ahead of their scheduled departure in May hoping to catch an earlier flight home to Toronto. WestJet confirmed it had room for them but no premium seats. 'We declined,' said Tennyson, a fitness YouTuber in her sixties known as Mama Tenny. 'I have been dealing with a back issue, and we purposely booked premium for the wider, more comfortable seats.' But what the Tennysons got when they boarded their regularly scheduled flight four hours later, was a laminated placard on the back of an economy seat titled: 'Aircraft reconfiguration coming soon.' WestJet's notice told passengers, who'd forked out hundreds of dollars more for wider, premium seats, that 'we recognize … that your journey with us today does not reflect the interior cabin experience you expect' and thanked them for their 'patience and loyalty' as the airline worked to reconfigure its planes. 'I was gobsmacked,' Tennyson said. 'They knew right from the get-go they weren't going to give me what I paid for.' The flight attendant, Tennyson said, carried on as if nothing was amiss, offering sparkling wine to the first couple of rows. Other passengers seemed equally confused, so Tennyson gently pressed the attendant for details. Why would WestJet have sold premium seats on a flight it knew had only rows upon rows of three small seats scrunched together? 'She said that soon this aircraft would have a premium cabin with premium seats,' Tennyson said. 'I said that currently this was 'an economy seat with a glass of cheap wine,' and she nodded in agreement.' The Tennysons reached out to WestJet to formally complain about what they described as a 'premeditated fraud.' The company initially offered each of them a $50 travel credit, which incensed Nancy even more. 'I want them to admit what they did was wrong.' The Tennysons were not the only ones complaining. Scores of other air passengers have shared similar stories on TripAdvisor, Reddit and Facebook, warning consumers to not fall for WestJet's 'premium scam.' The airline's unorthodox sales tactic 'has definitely generated a lot of public backlash,' said Alia Hussain, president of CUPE local 8125, representing WestJet and Sunwing cabin personnel. 'Our crew members felt the weight of this disappointment.' WestJet confirmed to the Star by email that between Nov. 4, 2024 and May 15, 2025, the airline sold premium and extended comfort products, 'on a subset of our Boeing 737 aircraft that are currently configured exclusively with 3x3 economy-only seating.' The airline told the Star it's sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. 'We recognized that this experience did not meet out guests' exceptions,' said Julia Kaiser, a WestJet media relations adviser, 'which is why we made the decision to roll the product back.' When a customer service rep from the airline called the Tennysons at 8:30 p.m. last week to ask about their experience, the 32-minute conversation did not go well, Tennyson said. WestJet told the Star it was 'under the impression that a resolution had been found.' The agent, Tennyson said, insisted the couple knew they were getting a 'modified premium' fare. But the email the airline sent them 72 hours ahead of their flight made no obvious mention of the word modified. The conversation continued in circles, Tennyson said. Passengers, he told her, 'were made aware that some amenities might be different.' Like the seat ?? Tennyson replied. 'You make it sound like we were trying to hoodwink you,' the agent told Tennyson, whose husband Paul was in the background on speaker. 'You absolutely did,' she said. Tennyson said she felt the agent's questions suggested she was complaining over nothing. 'Did you have anybody between you?' he asked. 'No,' she said. 'But I couldn't lift up the armrest.' 'Did you not get priority boarding? A cold meal? a drink?' 'Those things meant nothing to me,' she said. Tennyson said the agent told her not everyone who books a premium experience wants a wider seat. 'He's trying to suggest people are delighted to pay extra to board early, get a cold meal, cheap wine and free Pringles. 'Do you think if I knew that I was signing up for bogus premium economy — this hack — that I would be complaining now? Absolutely not.' WestJet told the Star that 'feedback from guests' prompted the airline to stop selling premium and extended comfort tickets on planes that have only smaller seats in groups of three. 'We are actively working to reconfigure these economy seating only aircraft to include the seat options that are available on the rest of our fleet for consistency,' Kaiser told the Star by email. 'In the interim, these aircraft remain in service with economy fare bundles only. Having these aircraft remain in service makes it possible to fulfil our schedule and meet the travel needs of all our guests.' Hussain said the union's intervention 'is what led to the network changes made to sell only economy fares in economy-configured cabins.' The Union, Hussain said, asked for a several meetings with the company 'and communicated our concerns on behalf of our guests and our members, emphasizing the need for better management of guest experience and support for our cabin crew — which is what led to the network changes made to sell only economy fares in economy-configured cabins.' WestJet has since provided each of the Tennysons with a $150 credit for future travel but the experience has soured them on booking another flight. 'I don't think I'll ever use that,' she said. Jamie Thornback, a partner at CFM Lawyers in Vancouver, which represents victims in aviation accidents and consumers in class actions, said the Tennysons and other airline passengers 'could sue WestJet using normal consumer protection legislation,' like Ontario's Consumer Protection Act or the British Columbia Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, 'which generally prohibit companies from engaging in deceptive practices with consumers.' Depending on the number of passengers impacted, a class-action lawsuit could be in the cards. 'Whether they would be successful would depend on what WestJet disclosed when they bought the tickets,' Thornback said. 'Given the number of people who seem to have complained, it's likely that WestJet did not effectively communicate that these were not actually premium seats.'
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
Stolen small plane circles Vancouver airport as controllers ground flights and pilots abort landings
A stolen private plane caused a temporary shutdown of the airspace over Vancouver International Airport, one the busiest in Canada, on Tuesday. The Cessna 172 took off from Victoria International Airport, where it is used for flight training, and flew north about 40 miles to Vancouver and started circling. 'We do have an aircraft that has been hijacked and is in the vicinity of the airport,' a tower controller warned other planes in a recording from the website 'Just in case anything starts heading toward your you have the ability to move at your discretion.' People on the ground watched the plane dip low and circle as air traffic controllers moved other aircraft out of the way. One of those planes was a WestJet Airlines Boeing 737 which was instructed to abort its landing due to the 'rogue 172' crossing about four miles in front of them. 'He was doing quite a radical turn at low altitude,' witness Paul Heeney, told CNN newsgathering partner CBC. 'I went wow, I wonder if he is in trouble.' The stolen plane eventually landed safely at Vancouver International and was immediately surrounded by police. The suspect, who was not identified by authorities, was the only person inside and was arrested. 'A security incident involving a small private aircraft in the airspace near YVR prompted a temporary ground stop for arriving aircraft,' the airport said in a statement. Planes were stopped from arriving for 39 minutes and nine planes were diverted to other airports. Police and the airport did not provide any motive or other explanation as to why the plane was stolen. CNN's Paula Newton contributed to this report.
CNN
16-07-2025
- CNN
Stolen small plane circles Vancouver airport as controllers ground flights and pilots abort landings
A stolen private plane caused a temporary shutdown of the airspace over Vancouver International Airport, one the busiest in Canada, on Tuesday. The Cessna 172 took off from Victoria International Airport, where it is used for flight training, and flew north about 40 miles to Vancouver and started circling. 'We do have an aircraft that has been hijacked and is in the vicinity of the airport,' a tower controller warned other planes in a recording from the website 'Just in case anything starts heading toward your you have the ability to move at your discretion.' People on the ground watched the plane dip low and circle as air traffic controllers moved other aircraft out of the way. One of those planes was a WestJet Airlines Boeing 737 which was instructed to abort its landing due to the 'rogue 172' crossing about four miles in front of them. 'He was doing quite a radical turn at low altitude,' witness Paul Heeney, told CNN newsgathering partner CBC. 'I went wow, I wonder if he is in trouble.' The stolen plane eventually landed safely at Vancouver International and was immediately surrounded by police. The suspect, who was not identified by authorities, was the only person inside and was arrested. 'A security incident involving a small private aircraft in the airspace near YVR prompted a temporary ground stop for arriving aircraft,' the airport said in a statement. Planes were stopped from arriving for 39 minutes and nine planes were diverted to other airports. Police and the airport did not provide any motive or other explanation as to why the plane was stolen. CNN's Paula Newton contributed to this report.
