WestJet has taken delivery of the first of 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners – marking the start of the airline’s global expansion.
Having long operated a fleet of Boeing single-aisle jets, WestJet will use the super-efficient, long-range 787-9 Dreamliner to profitably serve new international routes.
“Today’s delivery marks a new chapter for WestJet,” said WestJet president and chief executive officer, Ed Sims. “Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner is one of the most technologically advanced aircraft ever flown and is the perfect platform for our transition to a global network carrier. We look forward to bringing Canadians to the world and the world to Canada in comfort and style.”
This spring, WestJet will use the 787-9 – the longest-range Dreamliner that can fly 7,635 nautical miles (14,140km) – to offer the first-ever flight connecting Calgary and Dublin. The airline will also offer non-stop Dreamliner service between Calgary and London Gatwick and Calgary and Paris.
The 787 Dreamliner – the fastest-selling widebody aircraft in history with about 1,400 orders. It has helped airlines save more than 30 billion pounds of fuel and open more than 210 non-stop routes.
