WestJet reports strong June traffic results

CALGARY, July 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – WestJet today announced June 2012 traffic results with a load factor of 79 per cent. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 6.7 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 2.3 per cent over the same period. The airline achieved a second quarter record load factor of 81.6 per cent and flew nearly 4.27 million guests in the quarter; an increase of 326,000 guests year over year.

“The strong June traffic results and the record second quarter load factor are evidence that guests are continuing to choose WestJet in record numbers. Advanced bookings for July and August remain strong, and I thank WestJetters for their commitment to providing a remarkable guest experience throughout the busy summer travel season, especially in light of some very challenging summer storm conditions in the past several weeks,” commented WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky.

On June 4, 2012, WestJet launched new non-stop service seven times daily on weekdays between Toronto and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport. The airline will add an eighth daily weekday flight beginning July 12 and has also extended the unique WestJet on-time service promise, which debuted on flights between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal last year, to flights between LaGuardia and Toronto. Guests travelling to New York-LaGuardia from these three cities will also enjoy the added conveniences of priority screening in Toronto on weekdays, no extra fees for taking an earlier flight and no added fees for re-accommodating a guest that missed a flight but arrived at the airport within two hours of their scheduled departure.

“A high frequency schedule to New York, coupled with added conveniences, is an integral part of our strategy to welcome more business travellers on board,” added Gregg Saretsky.

On June 27, 2012, WestJet announced its first reciprocal frequent flyer program partnership. Members of the WestJet Rewards program can now earn WestJet dollars on all flights marketed and operated by American Airlines and its affiliates, American Eagle and AmericanConnection. This provides a great advantage to WestJet Rewards members, particularly business travellers who fly internationally, as they can now earn WestJet dollars on American Airlines’ global network of over 250 destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

“This frequent flyer partnership is the first of many to come. As the program expands, WestJet Rewards members will have more opportunities to earn WestJet dollars even faster as they fly with WestJet and on our partner carriers’ networks,” commented Bob Cummings, Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience.