Latest news with #WestJetGroup
Travel Daily News
03-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
WestJet Group completes integration of Sunwing Airlines
WestJet completes Sunwing Airlines integration, unifying operations, enhancing sun and leisure travel offerings, and expanding affordable options for Canadian travellers. WestJet 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.'
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
WestJet CEO says it's ‘fundamentally wrong' to treat air travel as a luxury
CALGARY - The chief executive of WestJet Group says the federal government should not treat air travel as a luxury in a country as vast as Canada and reducing costs to the industry would help foster national unity. In a speech to a Calgary business audience, Alexis von Hoensbroech questioned why transport infrastructure like bridges, passenger rail and ferries get federal support, while the government imposes a host of costs on the airline industry that are then passed along to consumers. 'We need to build Canada — now even more than in the past — and aviation plays a key role' he said Tuesday. Von Hoensbroech quipped that his address had to compete for attention with the throne speech delivered on the same day by King Charles in Ottawa, which set out the Liberal government's legislative agenda. 'But the King actually said today, 'The government is guided by conviction that the economy is only truly strong when it serves everyone' and many, many Canadians are struggling to get ahead,' von Hoensbroech said. His presentation included a slide comparing government-imposed costs in Canada versus the United States. In Canada, sales tax, navigation fees, airport improvement fees and security fees amounted to $133 in a round-trip ticket price, whereas south of the border the excise tax and segment fee, passenger facility charge and security fee added up to $49. He said it's 'fundamentally wrong' that air travel is not treated as essential in a country where it's the only connection to the outside world in many communities. 'If the government wants to unite Canada and take down internal trade barriers, then reducing the cost of air travel by reducing fees that are imposed on air travel and ultimately make tickets cheaper would be the right thing to do,' von Hoensbroech told reporters. 'Right now, there are millions of Canadians that cannot afford an air ticket, and a lot of this is because of the infrastructure costs and fees and charges are so high, and so much higher than in most other countries.' Von Hoensbroech's remarks follow calls from several business leaders in recent months to reduce internal trade barriers and expand Canada's international reach as the U.S. becomes an increasingly unreliable trading partner. In a backlash against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and expressed desire to make Canada the '51st state' and treatment of marginalized groups, many Canadians have cancelled trips and booked flights to spots outside America over the past five months. The WestJet CEO said bookings into the next couple of months suggest Canadians' cross-border travel on the airline is down in the 'mid-to-high-teens percentage points' compared to last year, but that traffic is shifting to Europe and the Caribbean. Rival airline Air Canada said in an email Monday it will suspend three more U.S.-Canada routes — Toronto-Indianapolis, Montreal-Detroit and Montreal-Minneapolis — starting this fall for 'commercial' reasons. The cuts come after the country's largest carrier in March reduced flights by 10 per cent to Florida, Las Vegas and Arizona — usually go-to hot spots during spring break season. Competitors Flair Airlines and Air Transat have made similar moves. Last month, the number of Canadians returning home by air from the United States dropped 20 per cent compared with April 2024, according to Statistics Canada. The number of American plane visitors to Canada fell 5.5 per cent. Trump has in recent weeks tamped down his Canadian annexation talk and he seemed to strike a genial tone during an Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier this month. Von Hoensbroech said his airline is already seeing signs the U.S. market is picking up a bit. 'What we have seen in the past in our industry is that whenever there's a change in demand patterns for political reasons, it's usually transitional and long-term demand trends usually flow back to where they were in the past,' he said. 'Whether this is going to happen and when this is going to happen remains to be seen. But we assume that ultimately this will be over and people will continue to come to the U.S.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX: AC) — With files from Christopher Reynolds in Montreal
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WestJet CEO says it's 'fundamentally wrong' to treat air travel as a luxury
CALGARY — The chief executive of WestJet Group says the federal government should not treat air travel as a luxury in a country as vast as Canada and reducing costs to the industry would help foster national unity. In a speech to a Calgary business audience, Alexis von Hoensbroech questioned why transport infrastructure like bridges, passenger rail and ferries get federal support, while the government imposes a host of costs on the airline industry that are then passed along to consumers. He says it's "fundamentally wrong" that air travel is not treated as essential in a country where it's the only connection to the outside world in many communities. Von Hoensbroech's remarks follow calls from several business leaders in recent months to reduce internal trade barriers and expand Canada's international reach as the U.S. becomes an increasingly unreliable trading partner. He says bookings into the next couple of months suggest Canadians' cross-border travel on the airline is down in the "mid-to-high-teens percentage points" compared to last year, but that traffic is shifting to Europe and the Caribbean. The CEO says demand changes driven by politics are usually short-lived and he's already seeing signs the U.S. market is picking up a bit. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025. Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Winnipeg Free Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
WestJet CEO says it's ‘fundamentally wrong' to treat air travel as a luxury
CALGARY – The chief executive of WestJet Group says the federal government should not treat air travel as a luxury in a country as vast as Canada and reducing costs to the industry would help foster national unity. In a speech to a Calgary business audience, Alexis von Hoensbroech questioned why transport infrastructure like bridges, passenger rail and ferries get federal support, while the government imposes a host of costs on the airline industry that are then passed along to consumers. He says it's 'fundamentally wrong' that air travel is not treated as essential in a country where it's the only connection to the outside world in many communities. Von Hoensbroech's remarks follow calls from several business leaders in recent months to reduce internal trade barriers and expand Canada's international reach as the U.S. becomes an increasingly unreliable trading partner. He says bookings into the next couple of months suggest Canadians' cross-border travel on the airline is down in the 'mid-to-high-teens percentage points' compared to last year, but that traffic is shifting to Europe and the Caribbean. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The CEO says demand changes driven by politics are usually short-lived and he's already seeing signs the U.S. market is picking up a bit. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.
