WestJet officially launched its new daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner route between Calgary and London Gatwick Airport yesterday (28 April) and the first transatlantic sector for the new aircraft.
On 17 May, WestJet will ALSO launch its inaugural direct Dreamliner flight between Calgary to Paris with its final transatlantic flight between Calgary and Dublin on 1 June.
“Today is a fantastic day for WestJet as we take this important step in our journey to become a full-service global network airline,” said Arved von zur Muehlen, WestJet chief commercial officer (CCO).
“The London market has quickly become an important one for us with service from six cities across Canada. It is no accident that the first transatlantic flight on the Dreamliner is to our largest international market, from our largest hub and home in Calgary.”
“The three years since WestJet’s inaugural flight from Gatwick have been a real success story, with thousands of business and leisure passengers enjoying the vital low-cost connections between the UK and Canada that these services have provided,” said Guy Stephenson, Gatwick Airport CCO.
“WestJet’s presence at Gatwick continues to grow, and it’s very exciting for us to be supporting the airline as it moves into this important new era.
“The launch of the 787 Dreamliner will offer around 24,000 more Gatwick-Calgary seats per year on the same number of aircraft, and its highly fuel-efficient engines will also help us in our ongoing mission to become the UK’s most sustainable airport.”
WestJet’s Dreamliners carry 320 guests in a three-class cabin configuration including the airline’s newly revealed business cabin featuring 16 private pods with lie-flat seats, an upscale premium cabin and an updated economy cabin.
WestJet is Calgary’s largest airline, and by June 2019, will offer flights to 68 non-stop destinations with over 1,000 flights per week from YYC.
