New Routes coming for Westjet

[URC]

For the true airline masochist enthusiast experience ...

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWG4 ... /CYVR/MDPC

Must be fun with that 29" seatpitch. Is this the longest 737 flight in the world ?

[North Shore]

Personally speaking, I've found that the seat I most often occupy in an aeroplane is in a row of 2, and has a hugely adjustable pitch...

[CAL]

that must be one nasty lav by touchdown....

[complexintentions]

At least 737NG's were potentially manufactured in the last decade or two. Whenever I fly on AC's 767's in those interiors the two words that spring to mind are "lipstick" and "pig". Still, better than on some equally vintage 330 with all that plasticky trim rattling away.

I'll take a new NG or even an EMB or RJ any day. At least I don't feel like I could get mugged in the lav.

[dukepoint]

One thing about the 767 though......there's more room to maneuver when you get into that "street fight" on the way to the lav with all those former Greyhound bus terminal rejects. Our product is starting to match our clientele......I'm sure they feel right at home.

DP.

[brooks]

We all know it's Dreamliners but this is continuing to move forward.

Reuters;

Feb 29 WestJet Airlines Ltd has started talks with aircraft makers on replacements for its fleet of Boeing 767-300 planes, with delivery of the new planes expected by the end of this decade.

The Calgary-based airline is talking with Boeing Co and Airbus Group on options to replace the 767, an extended range aircraft that will serve Europe starting in May, Chief Executive Officer Gregg Saretsky told Reuters on Monday.

"At some point we will have to replace these 767s with next-generation widebody aircraft and we are talking with both Boeing and Airbus around the possibilities," said Saretsky, adding the new planes would enter Westjet's fleet in 2019 or 2020.

Westjet currently has three 767s and expects delivery of a fourth in April, with all four dedicated to non-stop flights to London's Gatwick airport from five Canadian cities.

The airline is also in the market for more 767s, as it looks to build out its Europe-focused fleet. Westjet offers seasonal flights from Canada to Dublin, Ireland and Glasgow, Scotland.

Saretsky declined to comment on any specific plans to expand into other markets, noting that the 11-hour range of the 767s would allow for direct flights from Canada to cities in Asia, Eastern Europe and South America.

Westjet, which launched as regional carrier in Calgary, Alberta exactly 20 years ago, now serves markets throughout Canada, the United States and Caribbean.

Shares closed up 5 percent at C$17.85 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday.

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/asia ... story.html

It is becoming readily apparent that Calgary-based WestJet will likely soon join the long list of airlines flying Canada-to-Asia routes.

What is unclear, however, is whether the carrier’s future will focus on Vancouver — where much of Canada’s Asia-bound flights already originate — or if WestJet will leverage its existing base of operations (along with a new runway and a new international terminal opening soon) in Calgary.

As part of the airline’s 20th anniversary, WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky has been making the rounds of Canadian media outlets in recent weeks. During a conversation with The Sun, Saretsky outlined a number of initiatives in the airline’s future: The increasing use of wide-body aircraft, the hiring of staff who can speak either Mandarin or Cantonese, as well as a new company logo that incorporates the maple leaf.

The obvious conclusion: WestJet is moving into the lucrative (but very competitive) non-U.S., non-sun-destination international market. The airline begins flying to London (Gatwick) on May 6.

“If you ask me today, ‘What other destinations are you going to fly to?’, well, we want to build all the infrastructure for that, in advance of us making that decision,” Saretsky said, noting WestJet is also looking for staff who can speak other European languages. “If we decide next year to fly to China, it’s too late to hire Cantonese and Mandarin speakers next year.

“We’re not going to disclose, for competitive reasons, where exactly we’re going to fly. But the fact we are hiring people who speak Portuguese, Italian, German, Mandarin and Cantonese gives people a pretty good guess at where we’re going next. We’re going to build that capacity so that, when it’s time to make a decision, it will be an easy trigger to pull.”

[jetsetfly]

Hopefully they look at YVR for the Asian Flights and not YYC also hoping the 787 Order has been put in but rumours are its used 777 they are looking at for future expansion after 767 retirement.

[PositiveRate27]

I thought the 67's were supposed to be operating Alberta to Hawaii as well? The article seems to indicate all Europe for the 67?

[aerobod]

I thought the 67's were supposed to be operating Alberta to Hawaii as well? The article seems to indicate all Europe for the 67?

Alberta to Hawaii is seasonal, as is the current YYZ-MBJ route, the 4 aircraft will be switched to LGW in May. In Oct the LGW flying will reduce to YYZ daily and YYC 3x weekly and the winter sun destinations will be operated again.

[PositiveRate27]

I thought the 67's were supposed to be operating Alberta to Hawaii as well? The article seems to indicate all Europe for the 67?

Alberta to Hawaii is seasonal, as is the current YYZ-MBJ route, the 4 aircraft will be switched to LGW in May. In Oct the LGW flying will reduce to YYZ daily and YYC 3x weekly and the winter sun destinations will be operated again.

Ahh, gotcha, thanks

[brooks]

It will be interesting to see where they get the additional B767's to operate LGW in the winter.

[aerobod]

It will be interesting to see where they get the additional B767's to operate LGW in the winter.

As this winter is now being operated by 3 aircraft, current usage is:

YYC-HNL-YYC - 2x (14hrs each)
YYC-OGG-YYC - 4x (15.5hrs each)
YEG-OGG-YEG - 3x (13.5hrs each)
YYZ-MBJ-YYZ - 1x (8.5hrs each)
YYZ-YYC-YYZ - 7x (8hrs each)
YYZ-YVR-YYZ - 7x (10hrs each)

Total weekly usage = 265hrs for 3 aircraft, or 12.6hrs per aircraft per day

Summer 2015 usage:

YYC-LGW-YYC - 5x (18.5hrs each)
YYZ-LGW-YYZ - 7x (14.5hrs each)
YVR-LGW-YVR - 6x (20.5hrs each)
YEG-LGW-YEG - 2x (18.5hrs each)
YWG-LGW-YWG - 1x (17hrs each)

Total weekly usage = 371hrs for 4 aircraft, or 13.3hrs per aircraft per day

Likely Winter 2016 usage:

YYC-LGW-YYC - 3x (18.5hrs each)
YYZ-LGW-YYZ - 7x (14.5hrs each)
YYC-HNL-YYC - 2x (14hrs each)
YYC-OGG-YYC - 4x (15.5hrs each)
YEG-OGG-YEG - 3x (13.5hrs each)
YYZ-MBJ-YYZ - 1x (8.5hrs each)
YYZ-YYC-YYZ - 7x (8hrs each)

Total weekly usage = 352hrs for 4 aircraft, or 12.6hrs per aircraft per day

So with the fleet of 4 aircraft, there may still be room for a couple more routes, taking the aircraft up to about 14hrs utilization per day.

[whiteguy]

It will be interesting to see where they get the additional B767's to operate LGW in the winter.

As this winter is now being operated by 3 aircraft, current usage is:

YYC-HNL-YYC - 2x (14hrs each)
YYC-OGG-YYC - 4x (15.5hrs each)
YEG-OGG-YEG - 3x (13.5hrs each)
YYZ-MBJ-YYZ - 1x (8.5hrs each)
YYZ-YYC-YYZ - 7x (8hrs each)
YYZ-YVR-YYZ - 7x (10hrs each)

Total weekly usage = 265hrs for 3 aircraft, or 12.6hrs per aircraft per day

Summer 2015 usage:

YYC-LGW-YYC - 5x (18.5hrs each)
YYZ-LGW-YYZ - 7x (14.5hrs each)
YVR-LGW-YVR - 6x (20.5hrs each)
YEG-LGW-YEG - 2x (18.5hrs each)
YWG-LGW-YWG - 1x (17hrs each)

Total weekly usage = 371hrs for 4 aircraft, or 13.3hrs per aircraft per day

Likely Winter 2016 usage:

YYC-LGW-YYC - 3x (18.5hrs each)
YYZ-LGW-YYZ - 7x (14.5hrs each)
YYC-HNL-YYC - 2x (14hrs each)
YYC-OGG-YYC - 4x (15.5hrs each)
YEG-OGG-YEG - 3x (13.5hrs each)
YYZ-MBJ-YYZ - 1x (8.5hrs each)
YYZ-YYC-YYZ - 7x (8hrs each)

Total weekly usage = 352hrs for 4 aircraft, or 12.6hrs per aircraft per day

So with the fleet of 4 aircraft, there may still be room for a couple more routes, taking the aircraft up to about 14hrs utilization per day.

4 aircraft cannot do the winter sked you've listed for 2016, let alone add more routes. I'm guessing MBJ and the YYC-YYZ route won't see the '67 unless they need an aircraft out east. Even this March the '67 is only on the YYC-YYZ route a few weekends.

[brooks]

One IROP and the poop its the fan. I agree YYZ domestic would be out of the question.

[DropTanks]

One IROP and the poop its the fan. I agree YYZ domestic would be out of the question.

I thought the 4th '67 was to be a spare. No?

[whiteguy]

One IROP and the poop its the fan. I agree YYZ domestic would be out of the question.

I thought the 4th '67 was to be a spare. No?

It is. If you look at the LGW sked in the summer it's planned around 3 planes and a spare....

In the winter, 1 airplane is gone on the YYZ-LGW route, 3 airplanes to cover the rest won't work...

[aerobod]

One IROP and the poop its the fan. I agree YYZ domestic would be out of the question.

I thought the 4th '67 was to be a spare. No?

It is. If you look at the LGW sked in the summer it's planned around 3 planes and a spare....

In the winter, 1 airplane is gone on the YYZ-LGW route, 3 airplanes to cover the rest won't work...

The winter routes besides LGW are currently being flown by 2.5 aircraft (fill-in on YVR-YYZ is currently also flown to account for usage of all 3), the expected routes next winter will be the same. The idea is to keep all 4 flying, but 1 767 is cycling on routes where 2 737s can easily be substituted in the case of an IROP, allowing the 767 to be used on the trans-ocean routes. A last resort is using a rental aircraft (this has been done in the past, including chartering a 747 to clear backlog in YYZ).

WestJet usually runs up to 12hrs average utilization with the 737 fleet (no spares), with less than 1000nm stage length, leading to about 16hrs of operational time with 4 turns per aircraft per day. At 13hrs utilization and either 1 or 2 turns per day the 767s will have an average operational time of less than 16hrs per day.

[jetsetfly]

Looking at more 767's by end of year so that will cover more flying including Asia