tcook052
Jun 16, 10, 6:14 pm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/westjet-visibility-poor-in-eastern-canada/article1606567/
WestJet Airlines Ltd. (WJA-T12.43-0.11-0.88%) is red-faced about its lagging market share in the lucrative Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor and is vowing to strike back against upstart Porter Airlines Inc. with a new emphasis on the business traveller.
After 14 years of playing the role of underdog against much larger Air Canada, WestJet finds itself in the unusual position of trying to win back market share in Eastern Canada against a small, feisty competitor that has yet to celebrate its fourth birthday.
“I’m almost embarrassed to say that in the Toronto market, we have lower brand awareness than does Porter, a company with 20 small planes versus a company with almost 90 large planes,” WestJet chief executive officer Gregg Saretsky said Wednesday during an investment webcast from New York, organized by Merrill Lynch.
Calgary-based WestJet, founded in 1996, is “very much a Western Canada-focused company and so we have a much stronger presence there. We do suffer in Eastern Canada from a low top-of-mind awareness,” Mr. Saretsky said. He is counting on a new frequent-flier program, bundled fares and a loyalty credit card co-branded with RBC MasterCard to help woo key corporate customers.
WestJet Airlines Ltd. (WJA-T12.43-0.11-0.88%) is red-faced about its lagging market share in the lucrative Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor and is vowing to strike back against upstart Porter Airlines Inc. with a new emphasis on the business traveller.
After 14 years of playing the role of underdog against much larger Air Canada, WestJet finds itself in the unusual position of trying to win back market share in Eastern Canada against a small, feisty competitor that has yet to celebrate its fourth birthday.
“I’m almost embarrassed to say that in the Toronto market, we have lower brand awareness than does Porter, a company with 20 small planes versus a company with almost 90 large planes,” WestJet chief executive officer Gregg Saretsky said Wednesday during an investment webcast from New York, organized by Merrill Lynch.
Calgary-based WestJet, founded in 1996, is “very much a Western Canada-focused company and so we have a much stronger presence there. We do suffer in Eastern Canada from a low top-of-mind awareness,” Mr. Saretsky said. He is counting on a new frequent-flier program, bundled fares and a loyalty credit card co-branded with RBC MasterCard to help woo key corporate customers.