by Jim Byers
Last updated: 9:10 AM ET, Wed March 24, 2021
WestJet today announced it will restore flights to the communities of Charlottetown, Fredericton, Moncton, Sydney and Quebec City after service was suspended as a result of COVID-19. The reinstatement of service will restore WestJet's complete network of pre-COVID-19 domestic airports.
"We committed to return to the communities we left, as a result of the pandemic, and we will be restoring flights to these regions in the coming months, of our own volition," said Ed Sims, WestJet, President and CEO. "These communities have been a crucial factor in our success over our 25 years and it is critical for us to ensure they have access to affordable air service and domestic connectivity to drive their economic recovery."
Service is set to resume to the five airports WestJet suspended service from in November, beginning June 24, 2021 through to June 30, 2021. In addition, service between St. John's and Toronto, which was indefinitely suspended in October, will resume effective June 24, 2021. Following a temporary suspension, the restart of service between St. John's and Halifax will be advanced from June 24, 2021 to May 6, 2021. Full schedule details and restart dates are outlined below.
"Our focus remains on the safe restart of air travel. We ask that federal and provincial governments work with us to provide clarity and certainty to Canadians, including travel policies that support economic recovery and restore jobs," continued Sims.
Recognizing the investments that WestJet's travel and tourism partners in the regions need to make to begin to recover from the pandemic, the airline will continue to encourage the Atlantic premiers to advance their efforts to ensure the region is open to Canadians this summer.
"Alongside an accelerated and successful vaccine rollout, we are hopeful that there will be an easing of onerous travel restrictions currently in place," said Sims. "We look forward to working together to safely reconnect Canadians to the region in the coming months."
WestJet on Wednesday also said it's also moving the restoration of its Halifax-St. John's flight from June 24 to May 6.
Officials said they're hopeful that they can restore international flights this summer.
"We see a pathway to a safe restart of travel in this country," said John Weatherill, WestJet's Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer.
Gibbons said there's no deal yet with the Trudeau government in terms of a financial package. He said he can't provide details but that talks are continuing.
"Hopefully we'll have more to say in the near future," he said.
Air Canada also is beefing up its routes beginning in May. A check of Air Canada's website shows flights from Toronto to Charlottetown, PEI in June, and flights from Toronto to Moncton in May, as well as Toronto to St. John's in May.
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