mahasamatman

I really had high hopes for WestJet, and even enjoyed our first couple of flights because of status matches. However, in the past year, the airline has gone downhill fast to the point where I can no longer book with them. Fares are higher than the competitors, and the service is worse. With no status, it's a miserable experience. Our last few flights have been late by an average of two hours, with much of the delay directly attributable to incompetance. The aircraft schedulers are ameteurs - any third-year software engineer could write superior and more customer-friendly algorithms.

Maybe if the airline gets new management, I'll consider flying WestJet again in a few years, but it's definitely going to be a while.

The one bright spot is that the employees are friendly, but that just can't make up for such an inferior product.

aerobod

Symmetre

I can't say I've had too many late WS flights recently. I did have one leg that was a half-hour late getting out of YYC about a month ago, but we got a good tailwind and made up for it en route, arriving in YYZ right on sked. I find they're generally very good with OTP, certainly better than what I had become used to.

Arthurrs

Indeed, I've flown a bunch of times on Westjet in the last two months between Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Las Vegas, and even if the flight left a bit late, most made up for the time lost at arriving on time or a bit early. I only had one late arrival of maybe 30 minutes coming in from Las Vegas on the red eye, but I was heading home to bed anyway. Maybe you got a string of bad luck?

Sopwith

Firing an airline for bad service or bad OTP is like playing a game of musical chairs. Eventually you'll be the last one standing, with no chairs.

FlyerJ

Really interesting data, aerobod ... thanks for the link!

It's interesting to see that - in every month that I checked (Dec to current) - WestJet actually outperformed Air Canada. Every single month!

While I continue to be a WestJet fan, I've experienced quite a few delays recently. Solely based on that, I would have assumed - like the OP - that they were getting worse. And I absolutely would have assumed that AC would be outperforming WS on OTP.

But ... the stats don't lie. (Good job, WestJet. Now just make it even better please.)

Frequentlander

My recent experience is quite the opposite. WS are by no means perfect but I've had some bad experience on AC.

tcook052

Curious as to why?

robsaw

Given that Westjet product and their primary competitors' products (in economy class) are virtually indistinguishable in most every meaningful aspect I find it extremely difficult to ascribe any particular value to this comment. Given that a similar rant has been applied at one time or another to all the other virtually indistinguishable competitors only amplfies the indistinguishability of it all.

FlyerJ

FlyerTalker70

You're correct to say that for the average flyer WS and AC are virtually the same. Perhaps WS has the upper hand since they give out free booze on flights in the triangle (i.e. YYZ -> YUL).

However, the thing that pushes me to choose AC/UA over WS is the frequent flyer program. As a UA Gold member I get VIP service when flying AC (or other *A partners) which include business class check-in, security, boarding and baggage claim, access to the business lounge (with showers at YYZ!) and free baggage allowance. Also when things go sideways on AC (which they sometimes do) I get priority rebooking and accommodation, even if the issue is outside AC's control (i.e. weather cancellation). Finally when flying UA I get complimentary premium seat selection and access to complimentary upgrades to F when flying in North America! I get all that for flying 50,000 miles in economy every year on *A partners like AC and UA which works out to a spend of between $2,500 - $3,000 CAD (2 trips to Asia and a trip to Hawaii). If I were to spend a similar amount with WS I'd be at the Silver tier which gives me 4 airport vouchers and 4 advanced seat selection vouchers :O.

Perhaps things will change with WS. They're starting to introduce a competitive J product on the 787, expanding routes internationally and partnering up with the likes of AF and AA. Who knows, maybe WS will become the AS of Canada, especially if they revamp their FF program to provide reciprocal benefits to partner airlines and expand the benefits to be competitive with UA/AC's.

On a side note, it is possible to fly UA "domestically" without hitting cabotage. In my case I drove an hour to DTW (2 hours closer to me than YYZ) and boarded a flight to the Canadian city (via a UA hub) I want to go to. The last time I did that I was flying DTW to YVR for around $300 CAD a price that's unheard of out of SW Ontario. This also had the added benefit of giving me access to the LH lounge at DTW which has an excellent food spread and beer selection.

Safe Travels,

James

CanuckFlyHigh

35 Westjet flights in the past 3 months. 0 delays.greater than 25 minutes.

FlyerTalker70

I'm curious though if WS OTP is different out on the west as it is on the east. My experiences with WS (save one) have been flying within the East Coast of Canada (i.e. YYZ -> YUL or YXU -> YYZ -> YOW). I suspect the sector YYZ -> YUL is the most troublesome for WS in Canada, although I don't have any data to back it up, just anecdotal experience.

Safe Travels,

James

Symmetre

Sunny Day

Standing in line for security screening at T3 YYZ, guy in front commented that he flies WJ YYZ-YUL a lot on the Q400 and experienced a lot of delays.