• 

  WestJet

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  WS/WJA

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Calgary International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport

  Year Founded:

  1994

  CEO:

  Alexis von Hoensbroech

  Country:

  Canada

WestJet's new CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, brought together managers from across the airline on Wednesday to discuss how he sees the Canadian airline moving forward. The CEO wants his workforce to focus on WestJet's cost-conscious roots and to provide reliable and affordable air travel. The meeting marked 100 days in the top job for WestJet's new CEO.

Alexis von Hoensbroech outlined what he wants WestJet management to concentrate on in the short to medium term, including;

• Growth as a low-cost carrier that is friendly, reliable, and modern;
• Shifting resources to significantly grow its presence and network in the West, fostering its undisputed status as the home-team carrier of Western Canada, offering more direct, non-stop flights to communities;
• Investing further in leisure and sun flying as a priority across Canada, including through the acquisition of Sunwing, following regulatory approval;
• Investing in technology and radical digitalization to improve the guest experience and simplify internal processes to ensure meaningful and engaging jobs for its people; and
• Redoubling efforts to maintain its successful and highly productive low-cost structure and culture, to ensure relentless competitiveness and affordability for guests

News on WestJet's fleet plans

One of the most interesting takeouts from the meeting is WestJet's immediate fleet plans, including a planned new aircraft order. The CEO confirmed WestJet will concentrate its existing widebody 787 Dreamliner fleet around Western Canada and, for the time being, pause further delivery of any additional Dreamliners. Instead, right now, Mr von Hoensbroech wants to focus on additional narrowbody growth.

Over the next few years, more than 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are due at WestJet, including 15 this year. Alexis von Hoensbroech confirmed he was looking at placing another narrowbody aircraft order soon. He did not specify whether he was leaning towards Airbus or Boeing, but given WestJet is currently exclusively a Boeing operator, the odds of the North American plane builder winning the order look good.

"The immediate priority is to ensure we are ready for the high volume of pent-up travel demand this summer," said Alexis von Hoensbroech.

"Equally important is charting a path that continues to grow WestJet as the friendly, reliable, and affordable airline our guests know and love. WestJet is strong foundationally, having weathered the pandemic as perhaps the world's only airline of scale that did not accept sector-specific government funding or issue any new equity or debt. We're now at an exciting and pivotal moment for the industry and our airline."

WestJet CEO says aircraft will deploy out west

The CEO says WestJet will maintain its current premium offerings, focusing on strengthening its premium leisure segment and corporate premium in the western half of Canada. Mr von Hoensbroech says the airline's regional fleet of De Haviland Q400 aircraft will be shifted and rightsized to focus on western Canada. The CEO says this will remove complexity from operations and prioritize WestJet's commitment to improving connectivity in Western Canada. But Alexis von Hoensbroech also stresses network changes are complex and will get phased in over an extended period of time.

"We will deploy our aircraft where they can be of greatest service to Canadians," explained von Hoensbroech. "While we will be investing the majority of our fleet in the West, as a national airline we will maintain a significant presence in the Eastern provinces, primarily through direct connections to our Western cities, while significantly enhancing our network to leisure and sun destinations, including through our acquisition of Sunwing."

WestJet's CEO notes he also continues to significantly scale other areas of the business that remain critical, including WestJet Cargo, Loyalty, WestJet Vacations, and its ultra-low-cost carrier, Swoop. The acquisition of Sunwing will help facilitate the scaling of WestJet Vacations and Swoop.

"Swoop is an important part of our strategy with a tremendous cost structure, and we still have plenty of room to grow and bring lower fares to our guests," added Mr von Hoensbroech. "WestJet and Swoop will run more complementary networks and collectively meet the demand of leisure travelers."