WestJet sets sights on China, announces plan for new service

[jetsetfly]

WestJet is looking to add service to China, CEO Gregg Saretsky announced in a speech at the Vancouver Board of Trade on Thursday.

“We’re looking east, west and south,” he said. “We are entering into the century of the Asia Pacific region.”

The airline has “applied for designation to serve China.”

WestJet is only at the beginning of the process of approval with Transport Canada and doesn’t yet know when the service would start or which destinations would be served.

“Transport Canada will soon engage the Chinese delegation in Beijing,” he said.

[watermeth]

“We are entering into the century of the Asia Pacific region.”

he's 100 years late...

[Jean-Pierre]

It will be nice for their crew to get reacquainted with their former coworker.

[WhatThe?]

If they are using the 767's I guess Russia will get regular service ... just like Iceland and greenland!

[mantogasrsrwy]

If they are using the 767's I guess Russia will get regular service ... just like Iceland and greenland!

Ten 787's have been ordered but you suggest they should do it with four fully utilized 767's. Brilliant idea.

['97 Tercel]

“We are entering into the century of the Asia Pacific region.”

what?

[B777guy]

Well, if they thought diversions on the Atlantic were expensive, waits till they have a couple in Asia!
Even going to your alternate due WXX or whatever is a major you know what show...never mind having to divert in Russia.

[WhatThe?]

Ten 787's have been ordered but you suggest they should do it with four fully utilized 767's. Brilliant idea.[/quote]

Nope didn't once suggest it. It's called sarcasm!

[427wedge]

It's called sarcasm!

Swing and a miss!

[altiplano]

Well, if they thought diversions on the Atlantic were expensive, waits till they have a couple in Asia!
Even going to your alternate due WXX or whatever is a major you know what show...never mind having to divert in Russia.

Just trying to go around weather in China is a shitshow...

Or get deiced...

Or get an in to wind runway when you're all up weight because ATC is too inept to handle the runway change...

Or try to ask why you are holding, burning gas and duty day, watching Chinese airplane after airplane taxi around you and depart...

Better hope you don't have to divert... China is a F-d place to fly around in...

[telex]

If they are using the 767's I guess Russia will get regular service ... just like Iceland and greenland!

Ten 787's have been ordered but you suggest they should do it with four fully utilized 767's. Brilliant idea.

You're suggesting doing it with ten airplanes which are not on the property?

[mantogasrsrwy]

I'm definitely suggesting that. I highly doubt they are going to get it set up overnight. My guess is China will be the first new destination for the 787's.

[Eric Janson]

China is a F-d place to fly around in...

Had a colleague flying Bangkok to Beijing (scheduled flight). Halfway to Beijing he was told by ATC they wouldn't accept him in Beijing.

He requested a diversion to the first filed alternate - they wouldn't accept him there either.

He requested a diversion to the second filed alternate - they wouldn't accept him there either.

My colleague then gave Chinese ATC his fuel endurance and asked them where they wanted him to go - aircraft ended up in Shanghai.

I always took extra fuel on our China flights.

[yycinformer]

Based on the second language requirements that they are looking for in flight attendants, I'd say they're looking at much more than just China:


Join us as a Bilingual Cabin Crew and become an owner of an award winning, and profitable airline.

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We are currently recruiting Bilingual Cabin Crew with an advanced level of spoken English and an advanced level of at least one other language specified below:

French
Spanish
German
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Cantonese
Mandarin
Japanese
Punjabi

[complexintentions]

Stories of flying in China abound, I have many of my own. China is simply a victim of it's own growth. The military controls over 90% of the airspace, and the civil has to cram into what's left. Yet the growth of the industry year-over-year has been at a rate that most mature markets only dream of. So of course there are huge infrastructure problems. They just don't have the capacity yet to deal with the growth. They've certainly improved immensely over time and like everything they're doing, will continue to do so, fast. Don't like it, don't fly there.

But if one can move beyond sneering at how "inept" they are and not whine like a spoiled Westerner, you can make a Canadian career's worth of money in a few years. What some see as inconvenience others see as opportunity. Hate to tell you but the future belongs to the East.

To each their own.