Maclock

Man, WestJet has to get its act together. No priority anything, no business class, no lounges, no proper frequent flyer programme, limited partnerships of questionable value, industry-trailing seatback televised entertainment, somewhat gauche passengers, and check-in kiosks that don't seem to get the job done (although Air Canada's check-in kiosks often seem to face this same limitation), this BS Western Canadian populist nonsense has to come to an end soon if WestJet wants to be taken seriously by true road warriors. I don't care what the profits say, the service they so proudly trumpet as being better than the alternatives doesn't seem to come close to living up to the hype. I regret having to say this, but it had to be said.

TheGreatestX

Like Cathay Pacific, British Airways, JAL?

Still better than the no seatback television on most US carriers.

winnipegrev

Currently yes, but WS is removing seatback IFE (at least new deliveries for past long time are without) while US carriers are adding it (like Delta just announced for 319s, 757s, etc). Also those US carriers without IFE at least offer wifi.

And it is fairer to compare WS to their main competition AC which has 9" screens (since 2006?) with a decent selection of movies and TV shows (for FREE) on all CRA, E75 and larger. And separately, I'm a huge fan of the in seat power and USB ports.

WS is definitely far behind the competition re IFE, excluding CRJ and Dash 8.

Doc Savage

I've had the opportunity fly them only once, but found the service good, the planes comfortable, and my iPad a great source of entertainment. The Western Canadian populist approach seems better than some elitist BS approach (perhaps from a different region of your fair country?).

TheGreatestX

WS has already announced they will add WiFi this year. AC still has no plans to.

aerobod

Also, the new system (which Gregg has announced) will be starting to roll out across the fleet late this year. Besides Internet connectivity, it will have state-of-the art in-cabin delivery of stored content via the wifi to all guests who want to view it on their own devices, combined with cheap tablet rentals for those who don't have their own device.

Seat back monitors are typically installed with a 10 year life in mind, but are obsolete within 3 years or so. Commodity tablets are less than 10% of the price per unit and can be replaced easily as technology evolves.

The latest IFE&C solutions are flexible and extensible from a software configuration perspective, providing fully integrated solutions that move the aircraft more towards an extension of the airline's WAN with Internet gateway. This compares with the traditional standalone IFE server with a rigid configuration combined with a tacked-on Internet service that most airlines who have IFE&C are offering at the moment.

Maclock

Sorry, but frequent flyers or those who fly in business class on a regular basis expect preferential service. That's the model followed by just about every serious full service carrier the world over. The people who like the "we're all the same" attitude to which WestJet may have hoped to appeal in the beginning may not appreciate that, but that's the reality of it all. WestJet needs to develop a real business class section, it needs to develop a network of good quality airport lounges, it needs to develop a proper frequent flyer plan, it needs to offer complementary industry competitive IFE, it needs to improve its kiosk check-in process, etc. My post may have struck a nerve, but this doesn't disturb the reality that WestJet needs to seriously improve its game. If I came off of a long-haul business class or first class flight experience offered by an allied carrier and I had to deal with all of the many shortcomings of WestJet, then I'd be seriously underwhelmed and disappointed.

Doc Savage

Or you might face the reality that they have a different business model and feel that all those add ons aren't worth the cost. Check out Southwest Airlines.

Maclock

Can I use WestJet dollars to book travel on these carriers? Will I earn mileage in any of the frequent flyer plans of these real airlines by flying WestJet flights?

I expect that any carrier worth its salt would offer interlining agreements with virtually every other carrier. As for the marketing partnerships, they benefit WestJet as much as its passengers and the passengers of such carriers. It makes commercial sense for WestJet to market its flights through such arrangements and to sell seats on its flights through the websites of such airlines.

True, but you're not setting the bar very high there.

Maclock

Yeah, most serious flyers that I know wouldn't seek to fly SWA unless they absolutely had to. VFR folks, sure, but road warriors?

TheGreatestX

I see you collect AA miles, you can earn AA miles by flying WestJet and redeem on AA.

Doc Savage

The point being that WestJet, like WN, feels that any added revenue from these types of flyers is insufficient to justify the costs of all the add ons you want.

Last I saw, WN was doing pretty well.

You are free to fly the competitors who add on all the perks.

elitetraveler

WN is actually a road warrior airline -- lots of short haul, point-to-point business fliers that value its high frequencies -- not every business traveler is going to China. There are lots of folks who cover a region of several states and in many places WN is the best choice - nonstop - no hub connections - lots of flights. Also why WN isn't always cheap, you won't find any $1,500 450 miles flights.

Maclock

But you can't earn WestJet dollars by flying anyone else's metal, can you?

TheGreatestX

You can earn WestJet Dollars flying AA.