WestJet Has a Radical Plan to Get You on Its Planes
The Canadian carrier is starting a war with low-cost, no frills upstarts while also wooing the wealthy.
Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg
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Out in western Canada, the airline world is about to watch a unique business experiment. If it goes as planned, in a few years there will be a new favorite carrier battling for your airfare dollars, regardless of whether you’re a penny pincher or a rich banker.
WestJet Airlines Ltd., which flies Boeing Co. 737s in Canada much the same way Southwest Airlines Co. does in the U.S., is embarking on a radical shift to become a global-network airline, replete with fancy foods, plush beds up front and nine new, spiffier airport lounges and many more top-dollar business customers. Simultaneously, it’s launching an ultra-low-cost airline called Swoop to pursue those with the smallest budgets.