SKYEG

I've generally been a UA/AC flyer buying P fares and avoided WS like the plague(mainly due to no business class). This year, I've changed my attitude and started buying the most convenient, non stop flights. Moving to YYC from YEG, WS just made sense for me.

I'm going to hit Gold spend in a month, which took me around 5 months to hit $6000(base fares). I know this isn't a ton, but I was a bit shocked to see that I was spending so much on WS and actually enjoying it. I've noted a few things about them and wanted to share my experiences with someone with NO STATUS w/ WS

1) Agents are so friendly. Unusually friendly. Almost all of them are friendlier than any of the staff over at AC(except concierge which I don't have exp with), and most are friendly than UA staff including the 1K/premier desk. I'm only 26 and look fairly young and have never been treated lesser due to my age with WS. I have with all the other legacy carriers. 50% of the time I do lol.

2) They will bend the rules just to please you. I've have change fees waived countless of times on econo fares due to last minute issues with a simple request. The most understanding, caring agents that are empowered to make decisions. Amazing.

3) Although Plus isn't business class, it's an excellent product for the price. Can't be beat. When travelling alone, I like to have privacy more than anything. Having the middle seat empty is plenty good enough for me. If WS rolled out 2/2 plus seating like on their 767 for their narrowbodies, AC may actually have some competition on the domestic business routes. Maybe. I'd for sure consider it.

4) I've met the kindest people sitting in WS Y. I generally like to noise cancel and try to nap if I'm stuck in the back but the people I've talked to have been so nice. I've actually enjoyed some of these flights more than sitting in Domestic F, chilling on my own.

5) Their BOB is tasty but there needs to be more options.

6) A gold check in counter would be HUGE plus

7) Zoned boarding is never a mess and always followed perfectly(in my experiences)

8) Being out of YYC, WS flies 737's compared to prop planes AS/AC flies to many cities. Love being able to avoid those props.

9) WS seats are getting tired. If they even replaced the covers with some fresh ones like Delta is doing to all their regional and older fleet, planes would look a lot better.

10) WS internet has always worked well with the entertainment options acceptable for LCC and the live sports/news are awesome.

11) The new ULCC scares me a bit lol.

Excited to turn Gold next month and hoping to see further developments with their tier program. Also hoping that they start to push further into the business market and upgrading/enhancing accordingly. ^

Fisch

Thanks for sharing your experiences and congrats on your upcoming Gold status!

You will be pleased to hear there are some major and exciting changes to both Plus and Main cabin service/products/delivery and comforts on B737s beginning later in the year. I am not able to go into details on a public forum, however it is significant.

Look forward to seeing you onboard soon!

SKYEG

Terrific. Thank you for your heads up! Looking forward to hearing about the upcoming changes.

Symmetre

Thanks for posting that SKYEG, and welcome to to the other side :-) Congrats on soon hitting Gold.

I also used to blindly give AC almost all of my travel spend - until I got tired of the crappy service and consistently surly attitudes. Westjet has been an absolute treat - to the point I wish I had made the jump years ago.

CanuckFlyHigh

I am so happy with Westjet. They listen, they make changes, they adapt. I think the Gold program is small enough still that our voice actually matters. I still take sole credit for the 5% year round WS Dollars accumulation (mentioned it in every survey for years). I will still chase Aeroplan through credit card spend, because international business class is just too good, but otherwise, all of my spend is through WS.

I am about 95% WS now, and will probably make gold in 2 months this year. Some comments:

1) BRING BACK MULTI-CITY BOOKING!! This has been down forever unfortunately. Tough to compete as a "business offering" and not have multi-city

2) Stop making it so hard for me to check out. Remember my credit card. ALLOW ME TO AUTOMATICALLY DECLINE INSURANCE! I can't tell you how many times I have entered my credit card and then had it notify me to select insurance and then I have to enter my CC again (I know I know, I should pay more attention).

3) Extend our companion certificates. We live on the road. Sometimes it is tough to use them within a year (even though we can book another 11 months beyond that).

4) Let me use Seat Selection certificates online. Calling in is a pain.

5) Maybe throw in some Plus Upgrade certificates?

6) GOLD COUNTER!! Although, now that I can do same day changes through the Gold concierge phone line (kudos to whoever implemented this), I no longer really need this except for checking bags, which I rarely do (but usually when I do the line is 17 hours long).

WR Cage

Thanks for the insights SKYEG (should it be SKYYC now???).

Any insights you have on the YYC terminal complex would be greatly appreciated in the other thread. Does not have to be about international terminal, domestic terminal is also relevant.

(1) With your interactions that have treated you lesser on the legacy airlines, does the same circumstances present themselves at WS? Example, As you state WS has no Premium checkin lane, so the opportunity to get booted out of the premium checkin does not exist.

(2) Do you ever fear or have you experienced being on the losing end of a "bend the rules" proposition? For example, a seat swamp to accommodate a family with infant in arms such that your 6C becomes 28B.

(3) Comparison to WS plus to AC/UA J is realistic, however in my experience the comparison of WS plus to UA E+ or AC Pref seats is also relevant. With AC and UA I can improve my experience for $15-50 where as with WS its either $200 at time of booking or play the lotto at the checkin counter.

With UA, i'm guaranteed to get a minimum E+ seat with the chance at upgrade to true J class. With WS these opportunities don't exist, its either Plus or Y-.

(4) I agree that WS pax are more friendly, but I have to say their expectations are also more proletariat for the other pax. For example, wife and I were flying aisle and window on WS. The middle seat pax was very miffed when we didnt become middle and window couple. Similar experience on AC was about the same from a direct interaction perspective, but the looks from the other pax seated around me were more negative on WS than on AC as the expectation was obvious that we should not have forced pax between the couple.

Another trip (this time with daughter in tow) we checked in at the YYC old B concourse for a trip to SAN. After checking we dodge around the transborder commissionaire guarded entrance line as the whole family is Nexus and we don't have to have BP and Blue card inspected. Got numerous cat calls from the other WS pax about getting to the back of the line. With UA I have never had this problem.

(5) Agreed on more BoB options are needed. Will wait for the Max8 aircraft to see what the hot food options are loaded onto the routes.

(6 &7) Agreed Gold checkin counter would be nice, but so would gold boarding lane separate from general boarding. If I miss zone 1 call, I like to be able to still use zone 1 lane when zone 3 is currently boarding. On AC & UA this is easily accomplished, somewhat impossible on WS.

What is your experience boarding out of order (or have you never had this opportunity)?

(9) Agreed on the WS seats. On the way down to SAN last year the family flew WS and then UA on the way back. I found the UA seats to be better. That said, its somewhat difficult to distinguish between extra legroom and the physical comfort seat characteristics. Much like the empty middle seat can make all the difference.

(10) Kid and I have ipads, but wife is a Luddite who prefers direct TV. Kuddos to WS for the awesome placement of power ports, best place I have seen on the Reccaro seats and in Y in general.

(11) I'm not scared of the new ULCC because I suspect that its a fight between two of the founding fathers for air dominance. Therefore I don't expect that WS will pull flights or routes over to the ULCC unless forced to compete with the new Enerjet venture. Also I never had the reason to fly to YHM where the ULCC will complete with New Leaf.

SKYEG

My experience with boarding out of order has never been bad with WS. They call groups(even with no lanes) and it is civilized. Sometimes on full INTL flights there are lots of gate lice but it still hasn't been an issue. There's usually barely anyone in Zone 1 as exit row people don't sometimes know that they are in an exit row and it's not marked zone 1 on their BP. The GA does call out for exit row people with zone 1 but IMO it's not very clear.


Amazing conversation with another understanding WS agent(I hit Gold)! Had last minute flights leaving tomorrow(Econo) but have to go to Europe as an emergency. She just cancelled the flight and gave me my full ticket value to use when I need to (Saved me $100)

It's insane how every WS agent I call are so friendly, laughing and understanding. Plus they are actually empowered to make REAL customer service moves. Always a pleasure to chat with them.

ricktoronto

1. They are, though the Twitter agents are excuse generators vs. problem solvers

3. It can be beat by business class and with new prices changes for Plus Flexible it is being beaten by business class at near their new price points.

6. OLCI and the luggage machines (at YYZ anyway) make this a small issue.

7. Not in Toronto

10. If you get an aircraft that has it. I fly their longest routes e,g, YVR and SJO and am less than 50% on having an aircraft that even has working IFE or power, let alone wifi.

SKYEG

Having wifi to london was HUGE for me. I flew BA Business and AC Biz YYC-London and neither of them had it so having wifi was awesome. Was nice to get some work done!