WestJet announces Whitehorse

[matrix]

Airline welcomes 31st destination into its domestic network

CALGARY, Jan. 30, 2012 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced daily, non-stop service between Vancouver and Whitehorse, Yukon, beginning May 17, 2012. The announcement follows the release of schedule details for new service to Kingston, Jamaica, and Aruba and details of service to New York's LaGuardia Airport, also launching this summer.

Full schedule details and great introductory one-way fares from $99 plus applicable taxes and fees are available by visiting westjet.com, by calling WestJet's Sales Super Centre at 1-888-WESTJET (937-8538) or through your preferred travel agent.

"With great fares and a convenient schedule, we believe WestJet's service will appeal to business and leisure guests travelling to Whitehorse," said John MacLeod, WestJet Vice-President, Network Management and Alliances. "Whitehorse's impressive landscape and year-round outdoor adventures make it an ideal getaway for any traveller.

"We're also pleased to offer residents of the Yukon daily access to WestJet's 75-city North American, Mexican and Caribbean network," John MacLeod continued. "And as Vancouver continues to be a strong connection hub for our code-share partners, we will continue to provide access to major parts of the world through these relationships."

WestJet Vacations will offer flight and hotel packages from Whitehorse for all destinations where WestJet Vacations packages are available. For more information, visit westjetvacations.com, contact a WestJet Vacations Experience Specialist at 1-877-737-7001 or see your preferred travel agent.

About WestJet

WestJet is Canada's favourite airline, offering scheduled service throughout its 75-city North American and Caribbean network. Inducted into Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures Hall of Fame and named one of Canada's best employers, WestJet pioneered low-cost flying in Canada. WestJet offers increased legroom and leather seats on its modern fleet of 97 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. With future confirmed deliveries for an additional 38 aircraft through 2018, WestJet strives to be one of the five most successful international airlines in the world.

About WestJet Vacations

WestJet Vacations provides guests with affordable, reliable and easy-to-book travel experiences to 45 destinations in 13 countries, including the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Leveraging WestJet's fun and friendly image, extensive network and world-class guest experience, WestJet Vacations offers guests a great flight schedule and a wide variety of hotel and resort options to create fun and affordable vacation experiences. For more information, visit www.westjetvacations.com.

Connect with WestJet on Facebook at www.facebook.com/westjet

Follow WestJet on Twitter at www.twitter.com/westjet

Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at www.youtube.com/westjet

For further information:

Media contact

Robert Palmer, Media Relations, telephone: 1-888-WJ 4 NEWS (1-888-954-6397), email: media@westjet.com.

[JZA]

Between AC, Air North and now WS this is not going to be pretty! Yields ... Going down.

[Redneck_pilot86]

Who will be doing the ground support for WJ in CYXY? Will the f/os be chucking bags?

[Darkwing Duck]

This is crap. If I recall WS, when they 1st started up, they were bitching moaning and whining that AC was coming in on some of their turf and thought they were being bullied out of some of the smaller markets by Big Red. Now they are doing this to ANT. Funny how the "do as I say, not as I do" scenario is still fresh in the airline biz. Air North was no where near impeding on any routes WS was flying. Just let sleeping dogs lie.

My respect for WS is just getting lower and lower and lower everyday.

[Diadem]

The Yukon's not as large as the Northwest Territories, and I don't think there's as much mining, but YXY has 8000 more people than YZF. If AC, WS, 5T and 7F can all make YEG-YZF work I don't see why having three airlines on YVR-YXY would be such a big deal.

[CID]

I think it's sad. Air North is a well establish well run airline that is committed to the Whitehorse Community. Westjet is coming in with predatory pricing in the high season and when winter comes, they cut and run leaving Air North to slug it out in the leaner winter months.

Air North should plant a couple of fast turboprops out of private terminals in Calgary and Edmonton and offer a shuttle where you don't need to go through the main terminals. Or maybe start offering charter flights to sun destinations in the winter months. "NorthJet Vacations".

[CL-Skadoo!]

The one thing is, many residents of Whitehorse are dedicated to the Air North brand and won't just jump ship as quickly as some would expect.

[Donald]

The one thing is, many residents of Whitehorse are dedicated to the Air North brand and won't just jump ship as quickly as some would expect.

I'm sure some people may feel a sense of brand loyalty to Air North, and I'm sure they do a great job.

But the vast majority of people have loyalty only to their wallets, if WS prices flights a couple dollars lower, they will get the business, that's the sad truth.

[CL-Skadoo!]

The one thing is, many residents of Whitehorse are dedicated to the Air North brand and won't just jump ship as quickly as some would expect.

I'm sure some people may feel a sense of brand loyalty to Air North, and I'm sure they do a great job.

But the vast majority of people have loyalty only to their wallets, if WS prices flights a couple dollars lower, they will get the business, that's the sad truth.

In general, you're correct. However, Whitehorse is unique. Whitehorse is an Air North city. Many are employed by Air North, and history has shown their loyalty. Westjet offered a $99 intro fare and Air North met it immediately. Pretty hard to choose Westjet when the person living on either side of you works for Air North.

[Rotten Apple #1]

Are all you guys also in favour of keeping Walmart, Canadian Tire, Target, Holiday Inn, and the whole gamut of established brand name corporations out of Whitehorse so that Ted's Variety, Ray's Hardware, Whitehorse Nic and Nac, The Whitehorse Inn, etc get to keep prices inflated and choices down? Or do you like choice and low price? Be honest, if you can.

What part of the day of 'the Centrally Planned economy is Dead' do you not get? Protectionist policies did not get humans to the advanced state we are at; a brutal, fierce, and manifestly unfair battle for limited resources did. Necessity drove innovation, and the weak died out.

Plainfully simple to see, unless you have your head in the ground. Corporations don't exist to be nice. They suck the blood (money) out of every possible crevice, and redistribute the resources to the various components.

[Tanker299]

...........

[TheStig]

The one thing is, many residents of Whitehorse are dedicated to the Air North brand and won't just jump ship as quickly as some would expect.

I'm sure some people may feel a sense of brand loyalty to Air North, and I'm sure they do a great job.

But the vast majority of people have loyalty only to their wallets, if WS prices flights a couple dollars lower, they will get the business, that's the sad truth.

In general, you're correct. However, Whitehorse is unique. Whitehorse is an Air North city. Many are employed by Air North, and history has shown their loyalty. Westjet offered a $99 intro fare and Air North met it immediately. Pretty hard to choose Westjet when the person living on either side of you works for Air North.

Maybe the high yield frequent fliers will stick with Air North, but just remember that a large portion of the traffic WS will be flying will be connecting from other cities. While the population of Whitehorse may have loyalty towards Air North, the rest of the planet doesn't. I did a quick Expedia.com search looking for airfare from LAX to YXY, and none of the results even listed Air North, for what it's worth Air North wasn't listed when I searched YVR-YXY either. Pretty difficult for someone in California to prefer flying with an airline they've never heard of. However, by syphoning away the connecting traffic this move is likely to hurt Air Canada's/Jazz's business just as much as, if not more than, Air North's.

[Tiny Voices]

Westjet is coming in with predatory pricing

This is the second time you've made this outlandish statement. You really should search out the definition of "predatory pricing" before making such a bold claim.

[stickontheice]

Westjet is coming in with predatory pricing

This is the second time you've made this outlandish statement. You really should search out the definition of "predatory pricing" before making such a bold claim.

Was the first time when we announced YZF? I'm looking forward to going to Whitehorse.

[FICU]

When Westjet announced the Yellowknife service the fares were started at $75 which didn't last for long. Now looking a few months in advance the lowest is $160. Whitehorse should expect the same.

I doubt AC will get hit by WJ's entrance into the market if YZF is any indication because they seem to fly the RJ-200 close to full most of the time to and from YZF. Air North will take the brunt of it but I'm sure they will put up a good fight. There will be loyalty but WJ is looking at taking advantage of the customer base that feels they have been screwed over by Air North and AC's duopoly. Air North may have to reduce cabin service but if they can secure the loyalty of municipal and territorial governments as well as home grown corporations they will be much better off.

I would imagine the 737 will be replaced by a turbo-prop eventually so that may be another factor down the road.

It was only a matter of time!

[Rotten Apple #1]

It was only a matter of time!

...until FICU commented on this topic.

[esp803]

For what it's worth...

I have lived in Whitehorse for the majority of my life, and over the years have always chosen Air North over the competitors (Air Canada, Jazz, Canada 3000 off the top of my head). ANT service is second to none, they go well out of their way to help you out with everything from transporting awkward cargo to last minute changes due to family emergencies. They donate more flights per year to charity raffles then I can count. I like flying Westjet in the south, but they are no match to ANT. Now that ANT has matched their very low prices I imagine most Yukoners will travel more then before and choose Airnorth.

Another thing to consider when it comes to competition is that Airnorth currently holds the mail contract for the Yukon, I assume that is quite lucrative. As Redneck_pilot also pointed out the only ground crews in yxy belong to ANT... I'm sure they could charge $5000 for use of a ramp for example, or charge out rampies for 700 an hour to WJ... just saying

E

[The Hammer]

Both AC and WJ found ramp/checkin service in YZF and AC in YFB. Why would YXY be any different??? Money talks.....

ANT doesn't have the other routes that First Air and Cdn North have to supplement there existance so this is a concern for me but if anyone is prepared for it is Joe S.

Hopefully it works out

[60N30W]

The one thing is, many residents of Whitehorse are dedicated to the Air North brand and won't just jump ship as quickly as some would expect.

I'm sure some people may feel a sense of brand loyalty to Air North, and I'm sure they do a great job.

But the vast majority of people have loyalty only to their wallets, if WS prices flights a couple dollars lower, they will get the business, that's the sad truth.

In general, you're correct. However, Whitehorse is unique. Whitehorse is an Air North city. Many are employed by Air North, and history has shown their loyalty. Westjet offered a $99 intro fare and Air North met it immediately. Pretty hard to choose Westjet when the person living on either side of you works for Air North.

Further more I recall reading an article about Air North which mentioned that many of the residents of the Yukon are also share holders in the company. Can't see those "owners" wanting to fly with anyone else.

[palm90]

Oh but you will.

[FICU]

It was only a matter of time!

...until FICU commented on this topic.

Is there a problem?

[FICU]

Both AC and WJ found ramp/checkin service in YZF and AC in YFB. Why would YXY be any different??? Money talks.....

Air Canada used Canadian North ramp services in YFB for what it's worth.

[Rotten Apple #1]

No problem. Seemed funny. And appropriate. Cheers.

[FICU]

[CID]

Tinyvoices, you think my statement was "outlandish"?? You haven't been around long have you?