WestJet reports record September load factor of 79.9 per cent

Airline increases traffic by 16.3%, and achieves its second highest load factor for a third quarter

CALGARY, Oct. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - WestJet today announced September 2016 traffic results with a load factor of 79.9 per cent an increase of 2.5 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 16.3 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 12.6 per cent over the same period. In the third quarter of 2016, the airline flew a record 5.9 million guests, a year-over-year increase of 7.0 per cent or approximately 384,000 additional guests.

"We are pleased with our fifth consecutive month of double-digit traffic growth, as we achieved our second highest load factor for a third quarter at 84.0 per cent and flew a record 5.9 million guests," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "As we transition through our shoulder period into the busy winter season, I want to thank our almost 12,000 WestJetters for their commitment to providing our brand of friendly caring service."

September 2016 traffic results

In September, WestJet announced a multi-year agreement as primary provider for Suncor Energy to fly employees and contractors to and from its oil sands operations in Northern Alberta beginning in early November 2016. WestJet will use a combination of its Boeing 737 Next-Generation and Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft to fly Suncor employees and contractors between Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Saskatoon, and Fort McMurray and its operations in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta.

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:
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)
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)

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SOURCE WestJet

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