ByrdluvsAWACO

In looking at their route map, I see so many missing business routes

ORD -
This is a glaring gap in WS' network. Now that the WN partnership is dead and WS has a new agreement with AA, they could easily lease one of the L gates in T3. MDW doesn't serve WS' interests if they are looking to attract business pax.

BOS -
Like other regions, WS is leaving the northeast region blank.

JFK -
I know they fly to EWR, but it would seem that there are more interlining opportunities at JFK.

DFW -
Another chance to deepen ties with AA.

MEX -
Its simply amazing that they're leaving this purely business route for AC.

I would include SEA , PHL and DEN as well.

HangTen

I would guess they'd be happy to announce these routes if they thought they could make money flying them!

If they announced them, would YOU fly them, or just take advantage of the lower fares and continue to collect your skymiles?

calgary_jay

maybe when they start codeshares with AA, they will expand to more 'business' hubs.

Thier business model in US/Int seems to be solely based on leisure travellers from Canada. I don't imagine they have a huge brand presence in USA. That might change with codeshares depending on what the relationship with AA evolves into.

Even with AA codeshares though, I would think they would just funnel arriving AA passengers into Canada onto their final destination to a Canadian airport not served by AA.

ByrdluvsAWACO

Well there comes a point when they'll have to increase the value of their network and flying the leisure routes alone won't cut it. Leaving BOS and ORD out of route planning is unbelievable.



Skymiles? I never fly Delta. I would use them if they connected to/from the business centers I fly to.

ByrdluvsAWACO

I really hope they move faster on this. They also need to get a deal done with JL and QF.

tcook052

WS did fly into JFK from Western Canada until fairly recently, see this article, but can't see them adding it back in unless these recent alliances grow stronger. BA for example flies ex JFK.

HangTen

I think you mean Air Canada used to fly to JFK from western Canada!

Westjet only has flown to Newark from Western Canada for about 3 summer seasons now. I don't think many people would want to fly from Calgary to JFK to conect to British Air to England when they could just take the non-stop from Calgary or connect in Toronto and not have to bother crossing into the US.

I don't understand why people think a business would choose to fly on a route that had little chance of making a profit. If Westjet thought they could make money flying to Chicago or Boston, they'd have already done it!

It would be like a grocery store stocking an expensive fruit on it's limited shelf space for the benefit of a couple of it's customers, knowing that most of it would go rotten and have to be thrown out and cause a big loss!

What would be the point? Maybe it's more profitable to stick with apples, oranges and bananas that make lots of money and leave the expensive stuff that has limited demand to the specialty retailers?

tcook052

Yup, my mistake and apologies for remembering it wrong.