Canadian airlines are making major plans for the future.
WestJet today announced the purchase of up to 64 Boeing MAX aircraft, while Sunwing unveiled its winter flight schedule and Flair Airlines
Following the positive news that the Canadian government will lift all border and travel measures effective October 1, 2022, and amid a strong surge in customer demand for winter travel, Sunwing is has announced its initial winter flight schedules for four large airports from coast to coast.
The tour operator’s winter schedule announcement for Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver airports comes on the heels of customer capacity returning to 2019 levels, with winter capacity already growing by more than 140% over the previous year and expected to climb even further once border measures are removed on October 1st
What’s more, Sunwing has been increasing its hiring and recruitment efforts to meet the growing demand for winter travel, with 172 employees recalled and more than 200 new employees hired across Sunwing’s Canadian divisions so far this year. On the airline side, Sunwing has hired more than 120 pilots and is actively recruiting for 380 cabin crew positions from coast to coast.
“The increasing demand for travel is incredibly welcome news for our company and the entire Canadian travel industry, and we are delighted that the government is lifting travel measures starting in October, which will undoubtedly drive more bookings for travel to sun destinations this winter,” said Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing. “We are thrilled to see capacity returning to pre-2020 levels and to bring more Canadians back to the tropics this winter season, from tried and true favourites such as Cancun, Punta Cana and Varadero to new and expanding destinations such as Cayo Largo in Cuba and Melbourne in Florida.
“We look forward to adding even more routes and destinations to support evolving demand in the months ahead, and encourage Canadians to book their holiday and winter vacations quickly to unlock the best vacation at the best price.”
The overwater bungalows at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Jamaica. PHOTO COURTESY SANDALS RESORTS
Sunwing’s airline division has extended two aircraft leases to further support operations for the upcoming season, which includes providing flights over 30 destinations for the winter and servicing customers with more than 700 hotels, offering the largest assortment available through any tour operator in Canada.
Flights for the winter include Toronto to Antigua, Toronto to Montego Bay, Toronto to Orlando, Montreal to Los Cabos, Montreal to Holguin, Vancouver to Mazatlan, Vancouver to Punta Cana, Calgary to Liberia (Costa Rica) and Calgary to Puerto Vallarta.
Sunwing customers eager to book their winter escapes to paradise can take advantage of great savings available on Sunwing.ca or by contacting their local travel agent. Plus, customers looking for even more value out of their upcoming getaways can add one of Sunwing’s Worry Free insurance offerings so they can vacation in the tropics with confidence this winter season.
WESTJET MAKES MAJOR JET PURCHASE
The WestJet Group has announced an agreement with Boeing to purchase an additional 42 MAX aircraft, along with options for 22 more. This order is in addition to WestJet’s remaining 23 MAX orders and extends the airline’s fleet growth plans out to 2028.
“With this additional order, the WestJet Group will accept delivery of no fewer than 65 aircraft in the next six years, at least 50 will be 737-10 aircraft, furthering our commitment to affordable travel options for Canadians and jobs for our company and the aerospace industry,” said WestJet Group Chief Executive Officer Alexis von Hoensbroech. “WestJet’s expansion plans are rooted in an enhanced presence in Western Canada and a growth strategy in eastern Canadian communities through increased transcontinental flights and more direct routes to sun and leisure destinations. This will be further strengthened once our Sunwing transaction has been approved.”
WestJet’s Board of Directors approved the order for state-of-the-art Boeing 737-10 aircraft, the largest model in Boeing’s MAX family. The 737-10 provides superior economic benefits to any other 737 aircraft in WestJet’s fleet, while ensuring simplicity through expected training commonality across the airline’s 737 fleet.
“The 737-10 will provide WestJet with additional capacity and unrivalled efficiency as the airline further expands its network of destinations across Canada and internationally. WestJet understands the value of the 737 MAX family, with the 737-10 set to perfectly complement the outstanding capability and flexibility already afforded by the 737-8, along with improved sustainability across its fleet,” said Stan Deal, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
“The 737-10 will be a game changer, with one of the lowest costs per seat among mid-range aircraft. This will foster our low-cost positioning and affordability for Canadians. In addition, with its lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions, the 737-10 will further improve the environmental footprint of our fleet,” said von Hoensbroech. “Thank you to our Board of Directors, who endorsed both the business and environmental merits of this agreement. It reflects our confidence in our business model and sustained market recovery, as we emerge from the pandemic being one of few airlines at scale that have not drawn any sector-specific government aid.”
The WestJet Group’s fleet, with an average age under 10 years, is among the youngest of established North American carriers.
FLAIR AIRLINES SUMMER 2023 SCHEDULE
Open Jaw reports that Flair Airlines has announced its initial summer 2023 schedule, growing the number of seats on sale by 35 per cent to 4.2 million seats and growing the airline’s capacity by 50 per cent with the introduction of new routes to be announced. The new schedule highlights the Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC)’s growth, as seven new aircraft are set to enter into service in the summer.
INFLATION WORRIES CANADIANS: TWO IN FIVE CUTTING BACK ON TRAVEL
As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, an Angus Reid poll released September 29 finds that two-in-five Canadians (40%) say they are delaying or cancelling travel plans due to financial concerns. That’s up from 32% in a poll taken in August, and it’s something the travel industry should be a tad worried about.
