WestJet reports November load factor of 78.6 per cent

Airline improves on-time performance to 89.8 percent, up 13.5 percentage points year over year, cements its position as Canada's on-time airline

CALGARY, Dec. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - WestJet today announced November 2015 traffic results with a load factor of 78.6 per cent, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, decreased 2.7 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), declined 0.3 per cent over the same period. The airline flew 1.5 million guests in November, approximately flat with the prior year, and achieved an on-time performance rate of 89.8 per cent in the month, an improvement of 13.5 percentage points year over year.

"While loads across much of our network were generally in line with very strong prior year performance, softness in certain southern and Alberta markets resulted in a modest system load factor decline," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "With our busy holiday season approaching, I want to thank our more than 11,000 WestJetters for their continued dedication to safely providing our guests with WestJet's award-winning brand of friendly caring service."

November 2015 traffic results

In November, WestJet announced that it had been named one of Canada's 10 most-admired corporate cultures for a record sixth time by Waterstone Human Capital. The airline is one of just seven companies in Waterstone's Canada's 10 Most-Admired Corporate Cultures program's hall of fame.

About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's highest-rated airline for customer service, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 150 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods  ̶  even on seat sales. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:
2015/2011/2008-2005 Canada's 10 Most-Admired Corporate Cultures (Waterstone Human Capital)
2015/2014/2013/2012 Top three brands in Canada (Canadian Business magazine)
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in the Canada's Choice ranking (RewardsCanada.ca)
2014 Interbrand Canada's Best Canadian Brands (rank #20)
2014 Brands of the Year (Strategy magazine)
2014 Canada's Most Preferred Airline (Ipsos)
2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport World magazine)
2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)

Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet
Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet
Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet
Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com

SOURCE WestJet