EDMONTON — Due to the downturn in Alberta’s economy, WestJet has decided to suspend several flights to and from energy markets. The move will impact a number of flights out of the Edmonton International Airport.
“We base our service in part on supply and demand and review our schedule and network on a regular basis to ensure we are meeting guests’ needs while maintaining profitable flying on behalf of our shareholders. With the downturn in the economy we are seeing less demand for travel to and from energy markets into areas across Canada including Edmonton,” Lauren Stewart, a WestJet spokesperson, said in an email to Global News.
WestJet will cancel daily service between Edmonton and Nanaimo, and Edmonton and Kamloops.
Edmonton will also see reduced service to Abbotsford, Grande Prairie and Calgary. The following flights will be impacted:
-WS3221 from Edmonton to Kamloops and WS3220 from Kamloops to Edmonton have been removed from the schedule.
-WS3125 from Edmonton to Abbotsford and WS3124 from Abbotsford to Edmonton have been removed from the schedule. On a weekly basis, service between Edmonton and Abbotsford will fall from 21 flights to 14.
-WS3137 from Grande Prairie to Edmonton and WS3136 from Edmonton to Grande Prairie have been removed from the schedule. Two times daily service to Edmonton and three times daily service to Calgary will remain.
-WS3293 from Calgary to Edmonton and WS3207 from Edmonton to Calgary have been removed from the schedule. Ten times daily service between Edmonton and Calgary will remain.
Stewart said WestJet will continue to evaluate the schedule and make changes as necessary.
All of the changes will come into effect on March 5, 2016.
Global News
Airlines may be paying less for fuel with low oil prices but they’re still hurting due to the downturn in Alberta’s economy.
WestJet is cutting the number of scheduled flights from Calgary and Edmonton.
Its summer schedule includes six fewer flights a day out of Calgary and five fewer daily from the provincial capital.
WestJet is transferring more of its capacity to eastern Canada.
That means more trips between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal as well as to Atlantic destinations like Halifax and Fredericton.
660 NEWS is expecting to hear from WestJet VP Bob Cummings and we will bring you more on this story.
660 News