WestJet reports December load factor of 81.7 per cent

CALGARY, Jan. 6, 2014 /CNW/ – WestJet today announced December 2013 traffic results with a load factor of 81.7 per cent. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.2 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 7.4 per cent over the same period. The airline flew 18.5 million guests in the full-year 2013, a year-over-year increase of 6.1 per cent or approximately 1.1 million additional guests.

“We are very pleased to finish the year with our second-highest fourth quarter and full-year load factors, as well as setting a new single-day record as we flew 60,566 guests on December 20th,” said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. “I want to thank WestJetters for their continued efforts in providing our guests with a safe and remarkable travel experience this holiday season, especially given the challenging winter weather.”

In December, WestJet, WestJet Vacations and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts (Canada) unveiled the Magic Plane, a custom-painted Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft in WestJet’s fleet featuring Mickey Mouse in his most famous role, Sorcerer Mickey. The Magic Plane made its inaugural flight from Calgary to Orlando, Florida, on December 3rd, and will fly throughout WestJet’s expanding domestic, trans-border and international network.

WestJet serves Orlando, home of Walt Disney World Resort, with a total of 39 flights per week during peak winter months from Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton, London, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Moncton and St. John’s, Nfld., while WestJet Vacations offers a variety of vacation packages to the Walt Disney World Resort.

WestJet’s New Year’s Sale, which lasts through January 7th, 2014, offers guests a way to start the new year with great deals for winter and springtime travel.