Captain Martin will retire as WestJet’s VP and Chief Operating Officer effective February 26, 2021. He will temporarily be replaced by Robert Antoniuk, currently Vice President – Airports and Guest Services as Interim COO, as a global search is undertaken.
On Friday (January 15, 2021), WestJet announced the retirement of Vice President and Chief Operating officer, Captain Jeff Martin, after 31 years in the industry. Captain Martin will retire on February 26, 2021 and will be temporarily succeeded by the company’s current Vice President – Airports and Guest Services, Robert Antoniuk, on an interim basis, as the company conducts a global search for a permanent replacement. In Friday’s announcement, WestJet’s President and CEO, Ed Sims, said,
“We are very grateful for all that Jeff has done for our airline in his two and a half years including the successful launch of our Dreamliners, industry-leading on-time performance, the creation of a world-class Operations Control Centre and harmonious labor relations.”
Commenting on his pending retirement, Captain Jeff Martin, added,
“After more than 31 years in the industry, February 26 will mark my retirement from airline operations, and it is fitting that it is with the WestJet team. In my aviation journey, the last couple of years can be counted as some of the most rewarding. Together we have accomplished a lot, but the biggest accomplishment for me has been the acceptance, support and experiences I have shared with the best airline operational team in the industry. It has been an honour to lead this great team and proudly wear the WestJet uniform.”
Prior to the Global COVID-19 pandemic, WestJet and subsidiary regional airlines, WestJet Encore and WestJet Link, offered scheduled service to over 110 destinations across North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. WestJet has implemented over 20 extra health and safety protocols for the protection of guests and WestJetters. The airline has taken a science-based approach to evaluate operational policies for the health and wellbeing of guests using the latest research from internal and third-party experts including the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia. During these unprecedented times, WestJet has maintained their rating by Cirium as one of the top ten airlines for on-time performance in North America.
Source: WestJet