The airline will temporarily suspend service to St John’s (Newfoundland), London (Ontario), Lloydminster and Medicine Hat (Alberta), due to weak demand, from March 19th through June 24, 2021.
On Thursday (February 18, 2021), WestJet announced that due to weakening demand, they will temporarily suspend service to St John’s (Newfoundland), London (Ontario), Lloydminster and Medicine Hat (Alberta) from March 19th through June 24, 2021. WestJet flights between St. John’s and Halifax will be suspended on March 21st, while London (Ontario) to Toronto flights will cease operating on March 22nd. Link service from Calgary to Lloydminster will end on March 19th and Calgary-Medicine Hat service will be discontinued on March 21st.
Due to the suspension of service, WestJet will be working with newly established third-party providers in St. John’s and London, Ontario and directly with Pacific Coastal Airlines for impacted WestJet Link operations in Lloydminster and Medicine Hat. The airline continues to operate at a capacity reduction of over 90 percent year-over-year. Customers affected by the route suspensions will be contacted directly regarding their travel options to and from the regions.
In Thursday’s announcement, WestJet’s President and CEO, Ed Sims, said,
“We have continued to operate in the face of uncertainty as domestic and international travel restrictions and quarantines have caused demand to plummet. Unfortunately, with new and increasingly restrictive policies, we are left once again, with no other option than to suspend service to these communities. Our ability to return to markets remains directly correlated to government policies and the prioritization of a domestic travel program. As we look ahead to contributing to the economic recovery of Canada, the relationship between testing and quarantine must evolve based on data and science.”
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 and WestJet Link continue to connect most Canadian domestic airports with reduced capacity, ensuring essential cargo and passenger connectivity. 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
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