Today, WestJet’s inaugural flight from Calgary to Seattle took to the skies. The departure of WestJet flight WS3612 marked a major milestone for the carrier, as their first transborder inaugural service since before the pandemic.
On Thursday (November 4, 2021), WestJet celebrated the launch of their inaugural service between Calgary (YYC) and Seattle (SEA), the airline’s first transborder inaugural since before the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The takeoff of flight WS612 today with 69 guests also marked WestJet’s first new international route departure under the Government of Canada’s new traveler and employee vaccination policies. The Calgary-Seattle route will operate four times weekly, increasing to twice-daily by spring 2022.
In Thursday’s announcement, WestJet’s Vice President – Network and Alliances, Chris Hedlin, said,
“We are thrilled to foster direct connectivity between Calgary and Seattle for the first time on a route that our guests and both cities have long awaited. This route will bolster economic ties between the regions and will stimulate Alberta's visitor economy as we continue to strengthen our transborder network from our global hub in Calgary.”
Celebrating 25 years of service, WestJet has cut airfares for Canadians in half and increased the flying population around Canada by over 50 percent. The airline launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees and five destinations, and has now grown to more than 180 aircraft and 14,000 employees, offering service to 100 destinations in 23 countries (pre-pandemic). Even during these unprecedented times, the carrier has maintained their rating by Cirium as one of the top ten airlines for on-time performance in North America.
Source: WestJet