JOHN’S, NL — Expect big things from WestJet in Atlantic Canada, says WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech, who concluded his inaugural visit to the region yesterday in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Joined by key stakeholders and community members, von Hoensbroech highlighted the Group’s commitment to the region, as evident by network enhancements unfolding across the province’s key airports this summer. These include increased east-to-west domestic air service that connect Canadians from coast-to-coast, enhanced leisure service through the resumption of seasonal transatlantic service to London (Gatwick), and increased north to south air service that provides access to popular sun destinations in the winter.
“We have heard loud and clear from both the city and the province on the importance of the WestJet Group’s presence in the region. We are committed to leveraging our aircraft to further enhance Atlantic Canada’s accessibility through thoughtful and targeted air connections, facilitating critical domestic, leisure and global air links to St. John’s and the broader province,” said von Hoensbroech.
Reconnecting Newfoundland and Labrador to the world
The WestJet Group has reached significant milestones, bolstering the province’s network in 2024:
- May 1, 2024, the WestJet Group restarted the highly anticipated service between St. John’s and London (Gatwick), providing the community with non-stop service to one of Europe’s most popular global travel hubs, filling the largest air access gap for the province.
- This summer, St. John’s will gain a 35 per cent increase in seat capacity, as a result of the WestJet Group’s investments, compared to 2023.
- The WestJet Group will operate 36 weekly flights out of St. John’s International Airport, during peak summer this year, a 20 per cent increase in total weekly flights, compared to 2023.
- The WestJet Group will return service to Deer Lake this spring, with new non-stop seasonal service to Calgary on May 18, 2024 and the restart of service to Toronto on May 16, 2024.
Elevating Newfoundland and Labrador’s air connectivity
The WestJet Group continues to elevate the province’s air connectivity by delivering the following network enhancements:
- In alignment with the airline’s strategy, the WestJet Group is providing St. John’s with convenient access to popular leisure destinations, including year-round connectivity to Orlando, Florida and extended seasonal service to Tampa, Florida.
- Ensuring St. John’s remains well-connected to Western Canada, the WestJet Group will provide St. John’s with year-round connectivity to WestJet’s global hub in Calgary, where guests are one flight away from an expansive list of international destinations, including Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan.
- This year, the WestJet Group will provide direct connectivity to twelve unique destinations out of St. John’s, including four domestic destinations, two transborder destinations, five popular sun destinations, along with a transatlantic connection to London.
- As an integral part of the WestJet Group, Sunwing will provide non-stop access to five key sun destinations, including Montego Bay, Cancun, Cayo Coco, Matanzas and Punta Cana from three critical communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, including, St. John’s, Deer Lake and Gander in 2024.
