A WestJet plane takes off from the international airport in Calgary, Thursday February 13, 2003. WestJet Airlines says it will launch its new Encore regional service using Bombardier turboprops in Western Canada beginning in June. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
February 11, 2013 - 7:17 AM
WestJet Airlines will deploy its fleet of Boeing 737 jets to two more U.S. destinations this spring and beef up its mainline service to several destinations in Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico.
Among the Canadian service enhancements is non-stop service between Toronto and Fort-McMurray, Alta., a major centre for Alberta's oilsands industry.
The Calgary-based carrier is also expected to unveil details of its new Encore regional service using Bombardier turboprops later on Monday.
In the United States, WestJet (TSX:WJA) says it will launch non-stop service to Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Dallas, Texas, its 19th and 20th destinations in the United States, raising its total list of cities to 83.
Twice-weekly flights between Toronto and Myrtle Beach will start May 2, while service between Calgary and Dallas will begin April 29. Dallas-Fort-Worth is the home base and a major hub of partner American Airlines.
It will increasing the number of flights between Toronto and Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina and will add It will increase the frequency of flights between Calgary and Los Angeles, and Toronto to Orlando.
Year-round service will also become available to Aruba, Liberia, Costa Rica, and Trinidad and Tobago, while extra weekly flights will be added between Toronto and Jamaica, Varadero, Cuba, St. Martin, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and Cancun, Mexico.
The country's second-largest carrier is making the changes as rival Air Canada (TSX:AC.B) is preparing to launch July 1 its new low-cost carrier Rouge to destinations in Europe and the Caribbean, and beefing up its regional service to western Canadian destinations.
WestJet will unveil the schedule for its own regional service Monday out of its hub in Calgary or Toronto. Service to the other half of the country is expected to be added nine to 12 months later as it takes deliver of more of the up to 45 Bombardier Q400s it has on order.
On the Toronto Stock Exchange, WestJet's shares gained seven cents at $21.46 in morning trading.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013