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WestJet Encore celebrates five years of flying

News Provided by PR Newswire2018-06-21

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WestJet Encore celebrates five years of flying

[21-June-2018]

Airline launches big birthday sale to celebrate

CALGARY, June 21, 2018 /CNW/ - WestJet's regional airline, WestJet Encore, is celebrating five years of bringing choice and competition to regional markets across Canada, lowering airfares and creating jobs and economic growth.

Since its launch in 2013 powered by two Bombardier Q400 aircraft, WestJet Encore has operated more than 300,000 flights and has expanded its fleet of Canadian-made Q400 aircraft to 47.

"Over the past five years WestJet Encore has connected nearly 13 million guests from more than 37 cities who may not have had the opportunity to fly before," said Charles Duncan, President, WestJet Encore, and Executive Vice-President, WestJet. "By operating over 250 flights every day our fleet has given life to the markets we serve and we're extremely proud to see the growth that has occurred. The impact of our investments and our efforts has been profound. As Canada's most reliable regional airline we are extremely proud of the entire WestJet community who've helped make WestJet Encore a success."

WestJet Encore has dropped fares by as much as 50 per cent and increased travel by as much as 90 per cent year-over-year by bringing competition and stimulating travel through lower fares in small and medium-sized communities where populations are not large enough to sustain larger, jet aircraft.

WestJet Encore currently employs close to 1,700 personnel and since its inception has created nearly 13,000 jobs from coast-to-coast. For more information on the economic impacts that WestJet has had on Canadian communities over the past five years, please visit the WestJet blog.

Earlier this year, WestJet Encore, the largest Canadian operator of Bombardier Q400 was named a winner in the Bombardier Commercial Aircraft's 2017 Airline Reliability Performance awards. The Airline Reliability Awards recognize operators of Bombardier's Q-Series turboprops and CRJ regional jets that have achieved at least 99 percent dispatch reliability throughout the year.

"WestJet is extremely proud of its investments in its fleet of Canadian-made Bombardier Q400s," said Duncan. "The Encore fleet represents one of the largest purchases of Ontario-made Q400 aircraft in the history of the province's aerospace industry and supports some of the best manufacturing jobs in this critical sector of the Canadian economy."

"Five years ago, WestJet Encore was born out of two Q400 aircraft on a Calgary airstrip. It was a small fleet at first, which soon became one of the fastest growing Q400 operators in the world," said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "Now ranking as the biggest Q400 operator in Canada and the fourth biggest worldwide, WestJet Encore remains a loyal partner of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, showcasing the true potential of Canadian civil aviation and aerospace."

WestJet Encore launched on Monday, June 24, 2013. The day of the launch, Encore had 10 departures offering non-stop service between Calgary and Nanaimo, B.C.; Calgary and Fort St. John, B.C.; Vancouver and Fort St. John; and, Calgary and Saskatoon, Sask. Five years later, WestJet Encore operates a fleet of 47 Canadian-made Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft and serves 34 Canadian cities as well as Boston, Myrtle Beach and Nashville.

To celebrate WestJet Encore's birthday, the airline is having a sale. Guests can book now using promo code E52VZ30 and save up to 20 per cent off Econo base fares between 20 select destinations in Canada and anywhere WestJet flies. Travellers can take advantage of savings by booking by June 25, 2018 (9:59 p.m. MDT) for travel between September 5 and December 15, 2018. This offer is valid on WestJet flights between 20 Canadian airports and anywhere WestJet flies including: Brandon, Nanaimo, Deer Lake, Fredericton, Kamloops, Fort McMurray, Quebec City, Moncton, Comox, Thunder Bay, Grand Prairie, Gander, Sydney, Sudbury, Fort St. John, Prince George, Terrace, London (ON), Penticton and Yellow Knife. Blackout dates and other restrictions apply. Visit westjet.com for complete details, or call a travel agent.

About WestJet
Together with WestJet's regional airline, WestJet Encore, we offer scheduled service to more than 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe and to more than 175 destinations in over 20 countries through our airline partnerships. WestJet Vacations offers affordable, flexible vacations to more than 60 destinations and the choice of more than 800 hotels, resorts, condos and villas. Members of the WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of flights and vacations packages to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods, and have access to Member Exclusive fares offering deals to WestJet destinations throughout our network and those of our partner airlines.

WestJet is proud to be recognized as Best Airline in Canada and Travellers' Choice winner – North America for 2017 and 2018 in the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines. The airline was also named the Travellers' Choice Winner – Economy, North America, 2018. All awards are based on authentic reviews from the travelling public on TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site. We are one of very few airlines globally that does not commercially overbook.

WestJet is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol WJA. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:
2018/2017 Best Airline in Canada and Travellers' Choice Winner Mid-Sized and Low Cost Airlines – North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)
2018 Travellers' Choice Winner – Economy, North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)
2018/2017/2016 Canada's Most Trusted Airline (Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria)
2016 Canada's most reputable company for Corporate Social Responsibility (Reputation Institute)
2016/2015/2014/2013/2012 Ranked top three for Canadian Brands (Canadian Business Magazine)
2016/2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)