Today WestJet announced April 2019 traffic results with a record load factor of 87.7 per cent, an increase of 1.7 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.0 per cent year over year, while capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 4.9 per cent over the same period. WestJet welcomed an additional 99,000 guests in April, a year over year increase of 4.7 per cent.
"In April, all preparatory work that went into two major initiatives culminated in the launch of our first transatlantic flight operated on our new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and the opening of our new wide-body hangar in Calgary. Both major programs launched on time, on budget and to scope," said WestJet President and CEO Ed Sims. "Another testament to the execution and delivery capability we have built throughout our organization."
April 2019 traffic results
April 2019
|
April 2018
|
Change
| |
Load factor
|
87.7%
|
86.0%
|
+1.7 pts
|
ASMs (billions)
|
2.733
|
2.606
|
4.9%
|
RPMs (billions)
|
2.396
|
2.240
|
7.0%
|
Year to date 2019
|
Year to date 2018
|
Change
| |
Load factor
|
85.5%
|
85.1%
|
+0.4 pts
|
ASMs (billions)
|
11.189
|
10.634
|
5.2%
|
RPMs (billions)
|
9.564
|
9.050
|
5.7%
|
Note: All statistics are at a consolidated WestJet group level
On April 28, 2019 WestJet's Dreamliner took its first transatlantic flight. The sold-out flight between Calgary and London, Gatwick featured WestJet's new long-haul lie-flat bed Business cabin. WestJet also increased travel options across the Atlantic with new non-stop service between Halifax and Dublin, Ireland. Further supporting our global growth, WestJet strengthened its codeshare with Air France providing WestJet guests access to new European destinations from Paris.
In April, Westjet also expanded travel options between the Northwestern United States and Western Canada with inaugural service to Portland, Oregon.
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