LONDON – From the data provided to AviationSource by RadarBox.com, WestJet’s flight movements have clearly exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
Throughout the last 5-6 weeks, the airline has been providing a strong number of flights on a consistent basis, which is going to be helpful for profitability moving into the Winter season.
Without further ado, let’s get into the numbers.
The Numbers…
For this week, the airline has handled 458 movements based on a seven-day rolling average provided by the flight tracking company.
This represents an increase of 79.61% compared to the same period last year and is a staggering 114 movements better than the same period in 2019.
Below is the last four weeks’ worth of data for the carrier:
| Date | 2019 Numbers | 2021 Numbers | 2022 Numbers | Percentage Difference (2022 vs. 2021) |
| October 21-29 | 351 movements | 270 movements | 457 movements | +69.26% |
| October 29-November 5 | 361 movements | 250 movements | 429 movements | +71.60% |
| November 5-12 | 368 movements | 266 movements | 451 movements | +69.55% |
| November 12-19 | 358 movements | 261 movements | 462 movements | +77.01% |
Percentage increases have been very strong compared to the same period last year, meaning that any drop-off in movements over the Winter season won’t have too much of an effect as they are performing better either way.
The Sunwing Equation: WestJet Set To Rise…
We can expect WestJet’s numbers to rise further, especially through the acquisition of Sunwing Airlines late last month.
The Canadian regulatory review of the WestJet Group’s takeover of Sunwing Airlines has been completed and proceeded to the next stage. Sunwing is a Canadian low-cost airline headquartered in Toronto, offering scheduled and charter air services.
“We thank the Competition Bureau and welcome their report,” said Angela Avery, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief People, Corporate, and Sustainability Officer.
“We look forward to bringing this transaction to life for the benefit of Canadian travelers, communities, and employees.”
The report of the Bureau is advisory and non-binding, but it will support the Minister of Transport’s public interest assessment.
The final decision, which will be made by the Cabinet on the Minister of Transport’s recommendation, will consider additional factors presented in the WestJet Group’s application.
Considerations include the preservation of Sunwing’s brand, the commitment to maintain Sunwing’s Toronto and Montreal offices, new flying that will be created by retaining Sunwing’s aircraft in Canada year-round, and the resulting new employment opportunity.
At the same time, the Canadian Transportation Agency has positively determined the proposed transaction. WestJet thanked the Agency for its review. With the Bureau’s report’s publication and the Agency’s determination issuance, the transaction’s regulatory review process moves into its next stage.
The WestJet Group announced its intent to acquire Sunwing on March 2, 2022. The transaction is central to the WestJet Group’s commitment to prioritize leisure and sun travel from coast to coast and increase affordable air and vacation package offerings for all Canadians.
The transaction is expected to close by spring 2023, pending remaining regulatory and government approvals.
Either way, it is showing that WestJet is heading in the right direction, and in a difficult market like the Canadian airline industry, things are beginning to pay off.
