WestJet reinstates routes to Europe and Atlantic Canada

Canada’s WestJet is reinstating numerous domestic and international routes ahead of the “highly anticipated” summer holiday travel season. The Calgary-headquartered company says on 14 March it plans to fly 94% of its pre-pandemic schedule in the coming months, with more than 600 daily departures. “The aviation industry is a formidable economic engine and the investments we have made across Canada and internationally affirm our commitment to restoring connectivity across our expansive global network, while doing our part to expedite Canada’s economic recovery,” says John Weatherill, the airline’s CCO. The airline will operate flights to 43 domestic, 23 US, 16 Caribbean and eight European destinations from May. It will fly non-stop to Europe from Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax. It will also launch a new daily service between Toronto and Chicago beginning on 19 May. The routes from Atlantic Canada are especially important to the carrier’s east-coast and Europe operations. It suspended those destinations early in the pandemic. “These routes create a substantial visitor pipeline from Europe and demonstrate WestJet’s commitment to re-establishing Halifax as our Atlantic gateway hub, which is critical for the region’s economic recovery, adds Weatherill.<br/>