Any feedback on WestJet Air?

[calzapper]

We are flying from Los Angeles to Vancouver on June 11th and WestJet has the best fares. Have you flown with them? Are they on time, reliable, financially sound, facing a labor problem, (strike)?

[Bramcruiser]

We are flying from Los Angeles to Vancouver on June 11th and WestJet has the best fares. Have you flown with them? Are they on time, reliable, financially sound, facing a labor problem, (strike)?

 

 

You should have very little problem with Westjet. They are the #2 airline in Canada and have operated quite soundly financially since they started up in the early '90s I believe. Westjet flies across Canada, to the US and into the Caribbean.

 

They are as on time as can be - delays are usually out of their control. I was grounded once in a city not my final destination but that was due to heavy fog where I was going. Otherwise, I always got to my destination on schedule. Labour issues are rare as the airline's employees are not unionized and in fact are part owners. Westjet TV ads love to tell us about how they are more than just employees. Strikes are not likely here.

 

Westjet has a good safety record and operates a fairly new fleet of 737s with no serious incidents that I can recall.

 

They operate a low cost carrier based on the Southwest model with some serious differences - you get a seat assigned at check-in. There is no big bus mentality. I believe you can still check in two bags free which is becoming rarer and rarer these days.

 

Westjet is actually one airline I wouldn't worry about. Its the one Canadian carrier that actually bucked the trend of upstart failures we've seen over the past decade.

 

David

[gunner22a]

I live in the "home" of West Jet - Alberta. It is the carrier of choice in these parts. You can still check two bags at no charge and their overweight baggage charges are about half of our other "National Carrier". There is no business class but their planes are clean and modern. Almost all 737 700-800 series now. There are a few legacy aircraft around but not many. They have never had a fatal accident. And the best part of all is that the cabin staff are just plain fun. All employees are share holders and it shows in their service. You won't go wrong with West Jet. And no I am not an employee. And one last thing. Unlike most major carriers these days their balance sheet is well in the black so they arn't going under any time soon.

[cruiseryyc]

Agree with other posters - WestJet is my airline of choice and you have no worries in flying with them. I'm on a WestJet flight tonight as a matter of fact!

[twoputt.plusone]

Westjet is a discount carrier who is giving our legacy carrier, Air Canada a serious run for their money. :D Think Southwest. Book your trip and you'll be fine.

[calzapper]

Thank you all for the timely and positive feedback. have flown Southwest ALOT and if they are kindred spirits with WestJet, then I'm all in! Thanks

[twoputt.plusone]

Thank you all for the timely and positive feedback. have flown Southwest ALOT and if they are kindred spirits with WestJet, then I'm all in! Thanks

 

They are not only kindred spirits, very recently they were in negotiations to form a partnership that unfortunately fell through. Drat! :(

[DanJ]

They also have TV screens (think Jetblue) at each seat, with satellite TV. Also, somebody else mentioned their fleet. They have no "legacy" planes, (the original 737-200 series) left. All 737-600, -700, and -800 series, built in this century.

[Atomica]

WestJet is very good - financially sound, and not terribly inclined to strike (employees are all non-union thanks to profit sharing). Fleet is new, staff are nice, delays aren't all that frequent. Tough to go wrong with them!

[DougYWG]

Go ahead, WestJet is fine. And I say that as Aeroplan Elite on Air Canada. So there!!

[scottbee]

We are flying from Los Angeles to Vancouver on June 11th and WestJet has the best fares. Have you flown with them? Are they on time, reliable, financially sound, facing a labor problem, (strike)?

On Time: as much as any other carrier. However, they do operate brand new aircraft, which perhaps gives them a slightly better dispatch reliability

Reliable: Never had an accident

Financially sound: among the top 3 in North America for consistent profitability (along with WN and G4)

Labour Problems: They've never had issues.

 

Two free pieces of checked luggage, advance seat selection, free seatback TV, and a modern fleet of Boeing 737s (probably the youngest in North America for an airline of >50 aircraft).

 

All in all, it's an excellent product; originally modeled on SouthWest, but without most of Southwest's downside regarding the cattle call boarding process.