Most Canadian airlines say they will continue their summer service schedule as planned amid Air Canada’s announcement of major cuts to its flight line.
“We have been meticulously planning for summer operations and have proactively reduced capacity in recent months to ensure we can deliver a stable operation,” WestJet said in a statement. statement on your website.
WestJet, Porter, Sunwing and Air Transat will operate as usual, with no changes to schedules, the carriers confirmed in emails to Global News on Thursday.
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Air Canada to reduce July and August flights in response to travel congestion
Air Canada announced Wednesday that it will reduce its flight schedule in July and August to handle ongoing delays and airport congestion.
Most domestic flights to Canada’s busiest airports have been delayed or canceled over the past week as the effects of an overloaded international network continue to reverberate across the country.
Airlines and the federal government have been scrambling to respond to scenes of endless lines, flight disruptions, lost luggage and daily turmoil at airports, particularly Toronto Pearson International Airport, a problem the aviation industry has blamed to the shortage of federal security and customs officers. at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA).
The CEO of WestJet Airlines Ltd. said it is flying 32% fewer flights to and from Toronto Pearson International Airport in July than in 2019.
In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, WestJet said it operated more than 700 flights a day. This summer, the airline will operate 15 percent fewer flights, averaging about 530 flights per day.
WestJet stated that they have taken steps to ensure a stable operation, including hiring more than 1,000 people in all operational areas “with ongoing hiring in various departments”.
They have also taken the step of informing guests in advance of travel about evolving timelines and requirements, as well as introducing digital vouchers and prepaid options for self-service and saving time at the airport.
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“As we prepare for the busiest weekend since before the pandemic, we have been working closely with our airport partners, third-party providers and the federal government to mitigate challenges,” WestJet said.
In an emailed statement to Global News, Sunwing said it “did not anticipate any additional changes” to its service levels for the summer.
“Sunwing had already taken a conservative approach with reduced capacity for this summer in order to deliver the best possible customer experience,” the airline said.
“Customers who choose to vacation with Sunwing will enjoy direct flights to their destination, which takes the complexity out of our scheduling and has allowed us to continue to deliver consistent service as planned,” he added.
Porter also intends to operate its summer flight schedule as planned, said Brad Cicero, a spokesman for the Toronto-based regional airline.
“Billy Bishop Airport is performing relatively well compared to the larger airports and we are well resourced for the period,” Cicero said.
He said this summer will be a busy time, “with passenger numbers comparable to 2019.”
Air Transat spokeswoman Marie-Christine Pouliot also said the airline has not received any requests for flight reductions and does not anticipate any cancellations.
Global News has reached out to Lynx and Swoop to discuss whether they will reduce their flight lineup, but has not received a response.
— with archives from Saba Aziz of Global and The Canadian Press
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