WestJet to get three more Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets

The WestJet Group confirmed it would acquire three additional used Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, from SMBC Aviation Capital,  in addition to the six second-hand Boeing 737 MAX 8 earlier this summer.

"With our longstanding partner SMBC, we are thrilled to be adding three more Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to our growing fleet as we execute upon our mission of providing affordable air travel options to our guests," said Mike Scott, WestJet Group, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer.

The acquisition of nine leased Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in the last six months allows the airline to bolster its plan for fleet growth, while managing delays for direct-from-factory aircraft. Leveraging these additional aircraft and subsequent capacity expansion, the WestJet Group will continue enhancing critical air access for its guests across its growing network.

WestJet and Air North announce interline agreement

New agreement to make air travel more seamless and affordable for Northern Canadians, providing unmatched connectivity through WestJet's network

Interline will unlock greater opportunity for travel to the Yukon and beyond with Air North, creating new tourism and economic connections within Northern Canada

WestJet and Air North, announced a new interline agreement directly connecting both carrier's networks. Starting July 31, guests can book a single ticket with a connected itinerary between WestJet's global network and the Yukon and Northwest Territories with single point check-in and through-checked bags for connecting itineraries.

"Understanding the criticality of air access for remote communities, and through our shared passion for affordable and accessible air travel, WestJet and Air North are joining forces to deliver the only full large carrier interline agreement to Northern Canada," said Jared Mikoch-Gerke, WestJet Director, Alliances and Airport Affairs. "This interline agreement will redefine air travel to the Yukon and the Northwest Territories from WestJet's expansive network, igniting important new tourism and business travel opportunities. It will also unlock more seamless access for education, medical and cargo services to reach remote communities." 

"Safe, affordable, and seamless air travel is a necessity rather than a luxury for northerners. This interline agreement will provide enhanced access to and from the rest of the world for Yukoners and for visitors to the Yukon and are confident that, by doing so, it will provide significant benefits for Yukoners, for visitors to the Yukon and for Air North and WestJet," said Joe Sparling, CEO, Air North, Yukon's Airline.

WestJet to start daily service between Kelowna and Seattle

WestJet announces new daily service between Kelowna and Seattle beginning this winter

New daily transborder service connecting the Okanagan to the Pacific Northwest and beyond will take flight in January

WestJet announced new daily service connecting Kelowna and Seattle beginning in January 2025. The route will unlock more seamless connectivity between the popular regions to a vast network of U.S. destinations through Seattle and beyond, through the airline's longstanding partnership with Delta Air Lines.

"As we continue to strengthen our service across Western Canada, we are proud to connect Kelowna with new daily WestJet service to Seattle as part of our expanded winter schedule," said John Weatherill, WestJet Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. "This route will provide guests in the Okanagan and across the Pacific Northwest regions with new convenient and affordable options to easily connect between both popular regions for business and leisure year-round." 

Flights from Kelowna to Seattle will depart at 9:00 a.m. local time, aligning with business travel schedules and allowing for connections to 24 codeshare destinations throughout the western United States, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, San Diego, Phoenix and many others. The returning 11:30 a.m. departure from Seattle will arrive in Kelowna at 12:37 p.m., providing ample same day opportunities for visitors to hit the ski slopes, head out on the lake or visit one of Kelowna's wineries upon arrival.

WestJet and TELUS form partnership to revolutionize guest experience, including free inflight Wi-Fi, delivered by Starlink

WestJet and TELUS will be Canada's first to leverage Starlink technology to bring Canadians best-in-class, high-speed internet onboard beginning December 2024

WestJet and TELUS unveiled the first step in a multi-year strategic partnership that will transform the inflight experience for WestJet guests by providing industry-leading, fast and free internet, presented by TELUS and delivered by Starlink onboard WestJet aircraft. This announcement marks the beginning of a fully integrated partnership between WestJet and TELUS, and a significant leap forward for the airline's inflight connectivity. 

"Through our strategic partnership with TELUS, we are setting a new standard in the Canadian airline industry by offering Starlink's revolutionary inflight connectivity, and thanks to TELUS we are able to bring this inflight experience to WestJet Rewards guests for free," said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. 

In the coming months, WestJet and TELUS will announce additional, exclusive benefits and perks for WestJet Rewards members and TELUS customers.

WestJet announces record-level investments across Saskatchewan this winter

WestJet unveiled substantial investments across its Saskatchewan network, bolstering vital domestic connections, while enhancing leisure travel options through expanded service to transborder and sun destinations for the upcoming winter season. As the WestJet Group continues to grow its presence across Western Canada, the airline is expanding its capacity from Saskatchewan this winter with more than 27 per cent overall growth, cementing its position as the province's No. 1 carrier.

"We are proud to expand Saskatchewan's domestic service and forge new critical connections across the country, as we further solidify our position as the province's leading air carrier," said John Weatherill, WestJet Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. "As the only airline offering non-stop connectivity from Saskatchewan to transborder and international destinations this winter, while providing Regina and Saskatoon with the most domestic connectivity, our investments will further stimulate business and leisure travel opportunities as we continue to execute on our growth strategy."

Investing in Saskatchewan's domestic connectivity for greater business and leisure access

WestJet's largest-ever Winnipeg winter schedule brings 36 per cent capacity growth to Richardson International Airport

WestJet has revealed highlights of its Winnipeg winter 2024/2025 flight schedule, outlining significant growth and commitment to the region, boosting its overall capacity by 36 per cent compared to winter 2023. 

Passengers departing from Winnipeg will have access to 21 nonstop WestJet destinations this winter, including new routes to Montreal, Fort Lauderdale and San Jose del Cabo, with 24 daily departures during peak season.

"Winnipeg will see the largest increase in WestJet capacity across any airport in Western Canada next winter, highlighting our commitment to meeting the community's growing demand for business and leisure travel," said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. "This schedule was thoughtfully designed not only to provide Winnipeggers with unmatched access to transborder and sun destinations, but also to optimize schedules to stimulate critical business ties between the region and major Canadian and U.S. cities."

"We're proud to be a longtime cornerstone of WestJet's network and are thankful for their strong, continued commitment to our community," said Nick Hays, Winnipeg Airports Authority President & CEO. "This significant increase in flights will not only enhance our connectivity but also strengthen the local economy by providing more opportunities for everyone who lives and works here. We're excited about what the future holds as we continue to work with WestJet to further grow our partnership to support our community."

WestJet and AMFA agreement ratified

WestJet continues operational recovery and guest support efforts

The first collective bargaining agreement between WestJet and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), the certified union representing WestJet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and other Technical Operations employees was ratified.

"Reaching this milestone is good news for our organization and our guests, solidifying a five-year agreement that provides stability to our business and reflects the instrumental value and contributions of our Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and other Technical Operations employees," said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer. "While we are grateful to have achieved resolution with a clear path forward together as a unified team, we recognize that the unprecedented impact of the disruption over July long weekend is still concerning for our guests, the communities we serve and our people."

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WestJet Cargo launches Campus'Air

Affordable shipping solutions for Canadian students and university staff

WestJet Cargo has launched its new Campus'Air service, designed to provide students and university staff with cost-effective shipping solutions for their personal effects. This initiative broadens WestJet Cargo's portfolio of services by specifically catering to the unique needs of the academic community, further enhancing its comprehensive shipping solutions.

Campus'Air is part of WestJet Cargo's ongoing commitment to investing in the community and paving a brighter future for Canada. Under the Campus'Air program, students and employees of select Canadian universities will receive a 50 per cent discount on published freight rates applicable to domestic shipments of personal effects. This significant discount ensures that the service remains accessible and economical, helping students and faculty staff manage their shipping needs with ease. 

WestJet confirms end to AMFA strike

Further damage to guests, employees, and communities is prevented as the airline works to rebuild   

 WestJet confirms that as of June 30, 2024 at 10:30 p.m. MT, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) are withdrawing their strike action. AMFA members will return to work as scheduled to immediately start work to restore the network. The airline and AMFA resumed talks earlier today, for the first time since Thursday, June 27, despite a stalemate on the intent of the Minister's order for binding arbitration. They did so to reach a tentative agreement and prevent further damage to the Canadian public.

"The damage to Canadians and our airline is massive, a swift resolution was necessary; we take no victory laps on this outcome but will sleep better tonight knowing further harm has been prevented," said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer. "We will see no further labour action coming out of this dispute, as both parties agree to arbitrate the contract in the case of a failed ratification."  

Lack of clarity from the government and the decisions taken by the CIRB allowed for a strike to occur amidst binding arbitration. With no path forward to resolution, both parties made essential movements to find common ground and achieve an agreement.

WestJet issues additional cancellations amid third day of AMFA strike

WestJet today proceeded with additional flight cancelations, as the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) enter their third day of strike. The airline has cancelled an additional 410 overnight to a cumulative total of more than 800 flights since the strike notice was issued just days in advance of Canada Day long weekend.

"Missed vacation goers, stranded business travellers and long-weekend family reunions have been disrupted due to AMFA's action to strike, and we are sincerely sorry to the tens of thousands of Canadians that have experienced the compounding impacts to of this unnecessary work stoppage. I am encouraged by our employee's willingness to rise above the adversity and deliver a safe and controlled operation going forward." says Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer. "We continue to hold our view that the current strike serves no purpose other than to inflict maximum damage to our airline and the country. WestJet is in receipt of a binding arbitration order and await urgent clarity from the government that a strike and arbitration cannot exist simultaneously; this is something they have committed to address and like all Canadians we are waiting."

Today's cancellations are accompanied by the airline parking additional aircraft as it reduces its fleet to approximately 32 active tails. WestJet will operate a reduced schedule with the remaining fleet for as long as the labour action continues.

It is understood that WestJet agents have been in touch with other operators to wet least aircraft and crews to take over essential and important routes as well as approaching two U.S. 737 MAX maintenance contractors/ operators for possible spare capacity. 

Total cancellation by day as of June 30, noon MT

	Total cancellations
Thursday, June 27, 2024	18
Friday, June 28, 2024	25
Saturday, June 29, 2024	284
Sunday, June 30, 2024	424
Monday, July 1	78
Tuesday, July 2	3
	Total flights cancelled: 832

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Guests travelling are advised to check the status of their flight prior to leaving for the airport. Please visit WestJet's Guest Updates page for more information regarding flight status, travel changes and more.

WestJet initiates flight cancellations in preparation for threat of strike by Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and other Tech Ops employees

WestJet has started cancelling flights, as the airline reacts to its Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and other Technical Operations employees plan to go on strike as of Friday, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. MT. This action ensures the airline can safely park its aircraft in a controlled manner, while enabling proactive communication and preventing the stranding of WestJet's guests and crew.

WestJet has presented the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) with a Canadian industry-leading agreement that is better suited than the previously rejected tentative agreement. Just hours into day one of a mutually agreed to four-day bargaining period, the union served a strike notice. This timing could disrupt the travel plans of more than 250,000 guests scheduled to travel over the July long weekend and appears to be an attempt to force an unreasonable contract.

"As we quickly approach the July long weekend, it is especially devastating that the strike notice we have received from AMFA forces us to begin cancelling flights and parking aircraft, for the second time in just over a week. As we are forced to make this painful decision, every one of us at WestJet feels the immense weight of the impact this will have on each of our guests and the communities we serve, counting on us to fulfill their travel plans this weekend," said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer.

In the coming 48-hours the WestJet Group will work to park aircraft, in a measured, phased and safe approach, resulting in the following cancellations.

Total cancellation summary

Thursday, June 27 – Friday, June 28, 2024

~25 cancellations

Guest impact*

~3300 guests impacted

*WestJet is making every effort to reaccommodate all impacted guests

"We remain at the bargaining table, committed to reaching an agreement; however, we have no choice but to hold strong on a reasonable outcome that protects our future and ability to provide Canadians with critical and affordable air travel. As we initiate flight cancellations across our network, we will continue to manage our operations to the highest degree of safety," concluded Pen.

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 Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight prior to leaving for the airport. Please visit WestJet's Guest Updates page for more information regarding flight status, travel changes and more.

WestJet gets ready for more possible strike action.....

WestJet on Tuesday received a second strike notification, in the span of just over a week, from the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), the union that represents WestJet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) and other Technical Operations employees under the bargaining unit. The work stoppage, initiated by AMFA, could occur as early as Friday, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. MT in advance of the long weekend, where more than 70,000 guests per day are booked for travel.

AMFA delivered strike notice less than one day into the parties' mutual agreement to return to the bargaining table across four days. WestJet presented a revised industry leading offer, which would see WestJet AME's receive a 22 per cent increase over four years, making them by far the best paid AMEs in Canada. The union's ask exceeds this mark by a long shot and remains unreasonable.

"Receiving a second strike notification from the union after they mutually agreed with WestJet in front of the CIRB to return to the bargaining table in good faith for an additional four days following last week's initial disruption, is disheartening and unacceptable for our guests, employees and the communities and businesses that rely on our service," said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Chief Operating Officer. "We sincerely regret the stress and uncertainty AMFA's tactics are causing Canadians, deliberately targeting the busy July long-weekend; however, we must hold strong on a reasonable outcome that protects affordable air travel for Canadians, for years to come."

WestJet Cargo joins cargo.one to launch fully digital Canadian spirit to thousands more freight forwarders

 

                              WestJet Cargo, the cargo division of Canada’s second largest carrier, and cargo . one have launched the airline’s capacity on the market-leading air freight platform. For the first time, the global freight forwarding community gains instant and fully digital access to book WestJet Cargo’s services around the clock. WestJet Cargo has turned to the industry-leader to supercharge its digital distribution, rapidly gaining digital best practices and valuable new visibility in all its relevant markets worldwide.    

WestJet Cargo is renowned for fulfilling the diverse needs of the Canadian air cargo market with its unrivaled local expertise and an impressive network of 45 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. The airline offers freight forwarders great flexibility across its 180 aircraft fleet, including its modern Boeing 737-800 BCF freighters, and substantial belly capacity within wide body long haul and narrow body passenger aircraft. 

Customers gain instant booking for WestJet Cargo’s impressive Canadian connectivity and extensive capacities throughout the Americas, Caribbean, Europe and Asia

Canada’s second largest carrier partners with category-leader cargo.one to boost its global reach, lower cost per sale, and guarantee a world-class digital experience 

Freight forwarders globally now enjoy seamless, user-friendly and 24/7 access to WestJet Cargo offers, with instant confirmation. Within a few clicks, forwarders can now discover, book, amend and track bookings, including import bookings, for general cargo and perishable shipments. cargo.one’s joyful booking process and WestJet Cargo’s famous Canadian care-driven approach combine to ensure that every customer receives an exceptional experience from end to end. 

Kirsten de Bruijn, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Cargo, comments, “This strategic partnership is a logical step in our digital transformation, accelerating our growth in digital bookings. Partnering with cargo.one aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering exceptional customer experiences.” 

“WestJet Cargo stands out as having a particularly strong alignment with cargo.one’s agility and mindset for prioritizing the customer experience. Our teams are together applying cargo.one technology and best practices to fully maximize WestJet Cargo’s digital sales journey”, adds Moritz Claussen, Founder & Co-CEO of cargo.one.  

WestJet and Condor start codeshare deal and expand interlining arrangements.

WestJet is expanding its long-standing partnership with German leisure carrier, Condor Airlines. furthering the airlines' previous interline agreement, as well as offering a codeshare arrangement for the first time in 10 years.

Through the agreement, WestJet will sell itineraries on flights operated by Condor Airlines from Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Halifax to Germany's busiest airport, with the ease of a single ticket and through-checked baggage, earning WestJet Dollars throughout. Additionally, Condor guests looking to explore Canada can take advantage of WestJet's expansive domestic network with the same benefits. WestJet will also provide connectivity to the United States for Condor guests connecting through Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Halifax later this summer.

"Through the expansion of our partnership with Condor Airlines, we are unlocking amazing opportunities for our guests in Europe and Canada to access an extensive list of tourism destinations on both sides of the Atlantic," said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. "Our shared passion for affordable leisure travel has allowed our partnership to evolve to meet the growing demand for transatlantic travel, and we look forward to welcoming the world to Canada this summer."

"With Condor's return to Calgary, it's been high time for us to strengthen our ties with WestJet and improve travel for our passengers and sales partners," says Jens Boyd, Commercial Director at Condor. "Everyone will be able to access our joint codeshare network to Frankfurt and beyond through WestJet.com, and services can be added irrespective of where the ticket was booked. In parallel, we are streamlining connections at all Canadian airports by allowing our passengers to go to their connecting gate right after immigration without having to pick up their luggage first." 

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The WestJet Group inaugurates service between Halifax and Edinburgh

WestJet is celebrating the departure of its inaugural service between Halifax and Edinburgh today with the departure of WS46 from Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) scheduled for 10:35 p.m. local. The new service marks an important milestone for the WestJet Group as it continues to bolster Halifax's connectivity this summer. Additionally, the airline celebrated the return of non-stop service between Halifax and Dublin on Wednesday, June 19.

"Further solidifying our position as Canada's leading leisure airline, this flight is another milestone in our commitment to enhancing Atlantic Canada's business and leisure ties through air connectivity," said Andrew Gibbons, WestJet Vice-President of External Affairs. "With today's inaugural service, we are thrilled to further strengthen the connection between Halifax and Edinburgh as we continue to expand strategic air access across the region."

WestJet Summer Transatlantic Capacity from Halifax

Route	Frequency	Start Date	End Date	Departure	Arrival
Halifax to Edinburgh	3x weekly	June 20	October 13	10:35 p.m.	8:10 a.m.
Edinburgh to Halifax	3x weekly	June 21	October 13	9:35 a.m.	11:41 a.m.
Halifax to Dublin	4x weekly	June 19	October 13	10:30 p.m.	7:55 a.m.
Dublin to Halifax	4x weekly	June 20	October 14	9:30 a.m.	11:38 a.m.
Halifax to London (Gatwick)	4x weekly	April 28	October 25	11:00 p.m.	9:00 a.m.
London (Gatwick) to Halifax	4x weekly	April 29	October 26	11:00 a.m.	1:46 p.m.

When we tried to book flights from Edinburgh to Halifax for the rest of June, the WestJet system returned with error message saying no flights found. 

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WestJet and AMFA agree to return to negotiation

WestJet today, appeared before the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to discuss the airline's request for arbitration, in the negotiation process between the airline and the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and Tech Ops employees, and to determine the next steps.

With respect to WestJet's request for arbitration, the CIRB has advised it will require additional time and submissions from both parties before making a decision on whether or not collective bargaining for our first agreement should be resolved by way of arbitration.

In the meantime, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) has rescinded its strike notice, with both parties jointly agreeing to return to the bargaining table to continue work towards finding a resolution.

"We recognize the impact the initial cancellations had on our guests and our people, and we sincerely appreciate their patience and understanding during this time," said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer. "In returning to the bargaining table, we are committed to finding a resolution to avoid further disruption to our operations."

WestJet cancels 40 flights ahead of aircraft mechanics strike

One of the leading Canadian carriers has cancelled in the region of 40 flights ahead of strike action by its aircraft maintenance engineers and other tech pps employees.

WestJet confirmed it had taken action to ensure it could park its aircraft in a safe and organized way and to aid proactive communication with staff and customers ahead of the walkout by around 670 members of the  Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.

"We are immensely disheartened that we are in a position where we must activate our contingency plan and begin parking aircraft, as a result of the strike notice served by AMFA. We deeply regret the disruption this will have on the travel plans of our guests, communities and businesses that rely on our critical air service," said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer. "Following the memberships' nearly unanimous decision to reject a generous tentative agreement that would have made our Aircraft Maintenance Engineers the highest paid in the country, with a take-home pay increase of 30 to 40 per cent in the first year of the proposed agreement, it is clear that the bargaining process has broken down."  

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WestJet Group welcomes two additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to growing fleet

          The WestJet Group today announced it will acquire two additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, one from Aviation Capital Group and one from High Ridge Aviation, to be integrated into the airline's operations in 2024. Earlier this month, the WestJet Group announced the addition of three Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in partnership with BOC Aviation Limited and a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with AerDragon. Today's announcement adds to the growing list of new-to-WestJet aircraft joining the Group's fleet this year.

"In partnership with Aviation Capital Group and High Ridge Aviation, we are thrilled to add these aircraft to our Boeing 737 MAX family, as we further reaffirm our mission of providing affordable air travel to Canadians," said Mike Scott, WestJet Group, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. "Today's fleet additions are critical to the execution of our ambitious growth strategy as we work to provide more critical air access to Canadians."

While WestJet guests will benefit from the additional capacity across the airline's network, the aircraft will not immediately reflect the interior cabin experience, synonymous with the WestJet Group. Updating and refreshing the interior cabins of the aircraft will be prioritized as part of the airlines' existing fleet reconfiguration plans, to ensure a consistent experience for guests across its operation as soon as possible. 

"ACG is proud to expand its partnership with WestJet and to partake in its ambitious growth plans," said Alan Mangels, Vice President of Marketing for ACG. "The addition of this latest technology aircraft will not only support WestJet's growth objectives but will also do so in an environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient way."

"We're pleased to support the fleet needs of our long-time friends at WestJet, where our team's connections date back a quarter century," shares Greg Conlon, CEO of High Ridge Aviation. "Our highly experienced team and extensive relationships throughout the industry enable us to skillfully manage our fleet."

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WestJet statement on AMFA ratification results

 The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), the certified union representing WestJet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and other Tech Ops employees under the bargaining unit, today announced that its membership did not ratify the tentative agreement, reached on May 5, 2024. The results of the ratification do not impact operations.

"The failed ratification of the tentative agreement by our Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and other Tech ops employees under the bargaining unit is deeply concerning after what was a lengthy and challenging negotiation process with the union," said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer. "The tentative agreement was fair, offered substantial improvements and would have made them the best paid Aircraft Maintenance Engineers in the country. It was also reflective of our commitment to addressing their priorities, while balancing what is financially sustainable for our business."

"We are committed to meeting with AMFA to determine next steps, although it is important to realize that the financial scope of the first tentative agreement must remain intact. Our goal remains to find a viable and reasonable path forward," concluded Pen.

WestJet and Virgin Atlantic confirm significant expansion of codeshare relationship

Beginning this winter, WestJet guests will gain access to an extensive list of unique international destinations via London's Heathrow Airport, through the expansion of WestJet's codeshare agreement with Virgin Atlantic. Through this expansion, WestJet will sell itineraries including flights operated by Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow (LHR) to destinations within Virgin Atlantic's international network for winter 2024/2024. By summer 2025, WestJet will also provide domestic connectivity to Virgin Atlantic's newly announced route between Toronto-Pearson and London Heathrow.

Earlier this week in Las Vegas, alongside Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic and WestJet announced the expanded relationship. The agreement was signed last week at the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Dubai, where WestJet's John Weatherill, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, was joined by Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, to expand the current codeshare agreement between both airlines. WestJet and Virgin Atlantic have had an established codeshare partnership since 2019.

"Through the expansion of our existing partnership with Virgin Atlantic, we are unlocking amazing opportunities for our guests to access an extensive list of new destinations and to experience Virgin Atlantic's innovative products and services beyond London," said Weatherill. "With daily flights from our global hub in Calgary to London, Canadians have never had better international access from across Western Canada to the United Kingdom and beyond."