Canada's WestJet suspends three transatlantic routes

WestJet (WS, Calgary) has suspended its transatlantic services between three Canadian cities and Europe for the 2023 summer schedule to cope with capacity constraints.

In a statement on January 30, the airline announced it has temporarily halted services between Halifax and Europe. The Canadian Press news agency reported that it had already stopped transatlantic services from Vancouver International and Toronto Pearson in early December 2022.

The moves were part of a series of strategic decisions to suspend transatlantic flying from select Canadian cities as it continues to manage and recover its network amid capacity constraints, the carrier said.

"The airline remains committed to engaging with local stakeholders and community members to evaluate the return of transatlantic service in 2024, as well as for all network opportunities moving forward. WestJet's focus remains on positioning its network to meet the travel demands of Canadians while strengthening its footprint across Eastern Canada through sun and leisure travel which will be bolstered by its recent acquisition announcement of 42 additional B737-10 aircraft," the statement read. The airline also has nineteen B737-8s on order, ch-aviation fleets advanced data reveals.

"As we continue to responsibly balance our schedule alongside operational requirements, capacity constraints and the deployment of our aircraft across Canada, we are making these difficult decisions now to enable us to re-position our investments to best serve the province for years to come," Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, John Weatherill commented on the Halifax decision.

"As WestJet plans to announce its summer schedule in the coming weeks, the airline looks forward to enhancing domestic offerings from coast-to-coast, inclusive of increased service between Halifax and Western Canada," the airline stated.

In December 2022, WestJet announced its 2023 summer B787-9 routes from Calgary, with Tokyo Narita, Japan, as its first destination in Asia. It also announced increased connectivity between Western Canada and Europe with new services between Calgary and Barcelona El Prat, Spain, and Edinburgh, Scotland, along with increased frequencies on existing European routes. The carrier said it was preparing for broader expansion within Canada and North America over the coming months.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, WestJet has a wide-body fleet of seven B787-9 Dreamliners. It currently serves 29 European destinations, including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Edinburgh (UK); Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg, CH (Switzerland); Stockholm Arlanda (Sweden); Barcelona and Malaga (Spain); Faro (Portugal); Warsaw Chopin (Poland); Amsterdam Schiphol (The Netherlands); Lamezia Terme, Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, Turin, and Venice Marco Polo (Italy); Athens (Greece); Düsseldorf, Frankfurt International, Hamburg Helmut Schmidt, Munich and Hanover (Germany); Bordeaux, Marseilles, Montpellier, Nantes, and Paris CDG (France); Copenhagen Kastrup (Denmark); Zagreb (Croatia); and Vienna (Austria).

CH Aviation

Photo:Ton Jochems - AMS