Canadian discount airline to expand into Mexico

WestJet, Canada’s second largest airline, is getting ready to start offering direct flights between Canadian cities and popular holiday destinations in Mexico. The carrier first had to get the Canadian federal government to approve of its plans, which it finally did, earlier this week. As such, WestJet will start offering a series of new routes, including flights from Vancouver to Mazatlan, as well as return trips from Edmonton and Halifax to Cancun, and Edmonton to Puerto Vallarta. The carrier has also announced new routes connecting Calgary and Winnipeg to Puerto Vallarta as well. WestJet also expects to start offering additional flights from Montreal and Toronto to sun destinations in Mexico, but these will only be launched in late 2009.

WestJet’s president, Sean Durfy, observed that the federal transport minister decided to permit the discount airline to fly to these new destinations largely due to its good record of offering flights to San Jose del Cabo. “We appreciate the minister’s confidence and look forward to providing service to these new and exciting destinations in Mexico,” Durfy told journalists.

WestJet operates a relatively sizeable fleet of 75 aircraft, all of which are Boeing 737 planes. The carrier currently offers regular flights to a total of 47 destinations within Canada, as well as to the United States and the Caribbean. At the centre of WestJet’s image is the friendly, personal and sometimes almost folksy service offered to passengers, thanks in large part to the attitude and relaxed, informal approach adopted by flight attendants.

www.westjet.com