WestJet reports record October load factor of 81.7 per cent

Airline increases traffic by 4.5 per cent and flies a record number of guests in October 

CALGARY, Nov. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - WestJet today announced October 2017 traffic results with a record load factor of 81.7 per cent, an increase of 2.0 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 4.5 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 1.9 per cent over the same period. The airline flew a record 2.0 million guests in October, a year-over-year increase of 9.4 per cent or approximately 169,000 additional guests.

"We are very pleased with our fifth consecutive month of record load factors, as we also flew a record number of guests in October," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "My sincere thanks go out to our over 13,000 WestJetters for their continuing passion and commitment as we transition into the busy holiday season."

October 2017 traffic results

In October, WestJet announced it will begin non-stop service between John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, effective December 29, 2017. Service between Hamilton and Las Vegas will operate twice weekly beginning December 29, 2017, through April 27, 2018. This winter, WestJet has a total of 63 weekly flights to Las Vegas from eight cities across Canada including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto and Hamilton.

About WestJet
WestJet is proud to be named Best Airline in Canada and one of the best Low Cost Airlines in North America, based on authentic reviews from the travelling public on Trip Advisor, the world's largest travel site. We are one of very few airlines globally that does not commercially overbook. Together with our regional airline, WestJet Encore, we offer scheduled service to more than 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe and to more than 175 destinations in over 20 countries through our airline partnerships. WestJet Vacations offers affordable, flexible vacations to more than 60 destinations and the choice of more than 800 hotels, resorts, condos and villas.  Members of the WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of flights and vacations packages to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods, and have access to Member Exclusive fares offering deals to WestJet destinations throughout our network and those of our partner airlines.

WestJet is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol WJA. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.  

Recent recognition includes:
2017 Five-Star Airline in the Low-Cost Category (The Airline Passenger Experience Association)
2017/2016 Canada's Most Trusted Airline (Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria)
2017 Best Airline in Canada and Travellers' Choice Winner Mid-Sized and Low Cost Airlines – North America (TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards for Airlines)
2016 Canada's most reputable company for Corporate Social Responsibility (Reputation Institute)
2016/2015/2014/2013/2012 Ranked top three for Canadian Brands (Canadian Business Magazine)
2016/2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)
2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture (Waterstone Human Capital)
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)

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SOURCE WestJet

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