WestJet to welcome the world back to Nova Scotia and lead air service recovery

Airline's summer schedule re-establishes critical transatlantic flights and recommits to vibrant air service levels in Sydney

Nova Scotia to reach up to 89 per cent of WestJet's pre-pandemic service levels as WestJet Group will serve the most destinations of any airline

CALGARY, AB, March 14, 2022 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced its 2022 summer schedule that features the return of international non-stop service to Europe from Halifax to Paris, London, Dublin and Glasgow. As the airline continues to restore WestJet's global network to near pre-pandemic levels, the summer schedule marks a significant milestone in the region and Atlantic Gateway's recovery.

"These routes create a substantial visitor pipeline from Europe and demonstrate WestJet's commitment to re-establishing Halifax as our Atlantic Gateway hub, which is critical for the region's economic recovery," said John Weatherill, Chief Commercial Officer, WestJet. "We know Canadians and international visitors are ready to make their highly-anticipated return to travel this summer, and Atlantic Canada has waited a long time for the return of these vital investments."

"The return of direct routes to the United Kingdom, Paris and Dublin signals that Nova Scotia has reopened to the world," said Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia. "Europe is an important market for our province, and direct air access brings new investment to our economy, supports tourism growth, and helps grow our population. I want to thank WestJet for their commitment to Nova Scotia. I look forward to continuing to work together to build demand for these flights and to bring more international routes to Nova Scotia."

"We're thrilled to see WestJet reintroducing non-stop connections between Halifax Stanfield and Europe this summer as we work together to accelerate our community's economic recovery," said Joyce Carter, President & CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority. "Air connections are vital for the growth of regional tourism, trade, and immigration, and we appreciate WestJet's commitment to our region and investment in these routes as we put Nova Scotia back on the map after two years of very little air travel activity. At Halifax Stanfield, we're ready to help travellers on their journey and once again, connect Nova Scotia to the world." 

Non-stop international flight schedule from Halifax

Route	Peak Frequency	Start date
Halifax-Gatwick	1x daily	May 1, 2022
Halifax-Dublin	3x weekly	May 1, 2022
Halifax-Glasgow	3x weekly	May 2, 2022
Halifax-Paris	4x weekly	May 7, 2022

Restoring non-stop domestic options and regional connectivity across Atlantic Canada

At its peak this summer, WestJet will serve 43 domestic, 23 transborder, 16 Caribbean and eight transatlantic destinations, restoring 94 per cent of its pre-pandemic routes with more than 600 daily departures network wide. Complementing WestJet's offerings, Swoop previously announced significant expansion plans for Atlantic Canada in preparation for Canada's busy summer travel season.

"Airlines play a vital role in the health of our region's economy. Over the course of the pandemic, they have helped keep goods on our shelves, and allowed local businesses access to global markets," said Sean Fraser, federal immigration minister and Nova Scotia MP. "As the world begins to open up, it is encouraging to see today's announcement, that Halifax will re-establish access to the many routes that were served prior to COVID-19, including services across North America and in certain European destinations.  This is good news for our communities, local businesses, and the travelling public."

WestJet will continue to forge ahead in its service restoration plans for Atlantic Canada, strengthening interprovincial connectivity across Atlantic Canada, while stimulating the visitor economy with increased service and non-stop routes.

"The JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport is very excited to be part of the WestJet network rebuild and we appreciate the investment WestJet is making to add seat capacity from Sydney to both Halifax and Toronto this summer," said Mike MacKinnon, CEO, J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport. "Cape Breton is looking forward to a busy 'bucket-list' type summer, and these WestJet flights will provide excellent access to Cape Breton and our world class golf courses, incredible nature, historic attractions, music festivals and of course our famous hospitality. Thank you WestJet."

Route	Peak Frequency
Halifax-Sydney	1x daily
Halifax-St. John's	2x daily
Halifax-Gander	4x weekly
Halifax-Ottawa	1x daily
Halifax-Montreal	1x daily
Halifax-Toronto	5x daily
Halifax-Winnipeg	6x weekly
Halifax-Calgary	3x daily
Halifax-Edmonton	1x daily
Halifax-Vancouver	4x weekly
Halifax-Orlando	1x weekly
Sydney-Toronto	1x daily
St. John's-Toronto	2x daily
St. John's-Edmonton	3x weekly
St. John's-Calgary	1x daily
Deer Lake-Toronto	1x daily
Moncton-Toronto	1x daily
Fredericton-Toronto	1x daily
Charlottetown-Calgary	3x weekly
Charlottetown-Toronto	2x daily

To discover the multitude of direct flights across WestJet's network, visit WestJet.com.

About the WestJet Group of Companies 
In 26 years of serving Canadians, WestJet has cut airfares in half and increased the flying population in Canada to more than 50 per cent. WestJet launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees and five destinations, growing over the years to more than 180 aircraft, 14,000 employees and more than 100 destinations in 23 countries, pre-pandemic.

Since the start of the pandemic the WestJet Group of Companies has built a layered framework of safety measures to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly through the airline's Safety Above All hygiene program. During this time, WestJet has maintained its status as one of the top-10 on-time airlines in North America as named by Cirium.

For more information about everything WestJet, please visit www.westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes: 
- 2020/2019 Number-One Ranked Canadian Airline Loyalty Program in Member Engagement (Bond Brand Loyalty)
- 2019/2018/2017 Best Airline in Canada (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines) 
- 2019 Winner Among Mid-Sized Airlines in North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines) 
- 2019/2018 Number-One-Ranked Airline Credit Card in Canada (Rewards Canada) 

SOURCE WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership

WestJet media contact: To contact WestJet media relations, please email [email protected]