Canadian airline Swoop reached an important milestone on January 1st, 2023, as the ultra-low-cost carrier carried over 10,000 passengers in a single day for the first time since commencing operations in June 2018.
Swoop operated 64 flights on January 1st, 2023, transporting a total of 10,268 passengers to and from its various hubs across Canada, which include Toronto Pearson International (YYZ) and Edmonton International Airport (YEG). The day’s operations comprised 37 domestic flights, 14 to the US, and 13 to the carrier's leisure destinations across Mexico and the Caribbean, such as Punta Cana (PUJ) and Cancún (CUN).
The airline’s president, Bob Cummings, celebrated the achievement, saying,
"We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment and grateful to our team of Swoopsters and all our travelers for helping us reach this milestone. This past year posed unprecedented challenges for the entire aviation industry, but our airline expanded to reach new heights, and so we're thrilled to kick off 2023 with a signal of that growth."
In line with the increase in passenger numbers, Swoop’s fleet is now larger than ever. In 2022, the airline added six Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to its existing fleet of 10 Boeing 737-800s. Each of the carrier’s aircraft seats 189 passengers in an all-economy configuration. Swoop, owned by Canada’s WestJet, was launched to compete against the country’s other ultra-low-cost carriers, such as Flair, which had commenced flying the year earlier.
A challenging end to 2022
Despite the positive start to 2023, the end of last year was not so straightforward for Swoop and other Canadian airlines. Inclement weather conditions severely impacted flights across Canada throughout much of December 2022. Acknowledging the challenges, Cummings went on to focus on how the airline’s operation has since recovered, saying,
"This holiday season was undeniably the most difficult we have faced in nearly five years of service with the storms across British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. We sincerely thank all travelers for their patience and understanding as we recovered, and are proud to share that we have successfully operated 96.5% of scheduled flights since December 23rd, when the cold weather and storms subsided."
UAE-based Etihad Airways is another carrier to recently meet a significant passenger milestone – find out more here.
A winter free of travel restrictions
As the country enters its first winter free of travel restrictions since the start of the pandemic, record numbers of Canadians are expected to take to the skies over the coming months. Traditionally, winter is the peak travel season in Canada, as passengers head south to escape the cold. Swoop will no doubt be hoping that its record-breaking day sets the tone for the year ahead.
Have you flown on Swoop since the ultra-low-cost carrier began operations in 2018? Do you have plans to travel to or from Canada this year? Share your experiences by commenting below.