Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet has announced the addition of four new tropical destinations for the 2012/2013 winter schedule.

From the Toronto Pearson Airport, WestJet will offer flights to Antigua and Barbuda, Curacao, and Costa Rica. It will also fly to Manzanillo, Mexico, via the Calgary International Airport.

The 2012/2013 winter schedule will also see the expansion of several routes including non-stop service from Toronto to Kingston, Jamaica increasing from seasonal to year-round service and non-stop service from Toronto to Aruba increasing to 2 flights per week.

“The addition of these new sun destinations as part of our 2012-2013 winter schedule demonstrates our ongoing strategic focus on expanding our offerings within the popular sun destination market,” said John MacLeod, WestJet Vice-President, Alliances, Strategy and Chief Network Officer. “With some two dozen Caribbean hotspots and seven destinations in Mexico, Canadians looking for the sun this winter will have no shortage of choices for their getaway vacations.”

WestJet, the Canadian low-cost airline, has launched direct flights from Toronto to New York, USA. The initial schedule will be 7 roundtrip flights per day to LaGuardia Airport, increasing to 8 per day on July 12.

In a statement, WestJet Vice-President of Network Management and Alliances John MacLeod said: “This is another significant milestone for WestJet. Toronto to New York is the largest transborder market from Canada, and this new non-stop service, offered on our Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, will offer business and leisure travelers alike the convenience, comfort and affordability they’ve been looking for.

Round-trip fares between Toronto and New York start from $300 CAD including taxes and airline surcharges.

WestJet, the Canadian low-cost airline, revealed plans to create a subsidiary regional airline that will fly to short-haul destinations. The proposed airline will hopefully launch by the end of 2013.

WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky said the proposed subsidiary will still use the WestJet brand, but will have a separate operating certificate. To keep costs down, it will operate a single-type fleet of either Bombardier Q400s or ATR 72-600 turboprops.

“We’re trying, to the degree possible, to replicate exactly how WestJet was started in 1996: single fleet, low cost, highly productive, good utilization, a seating configuration that provides us with a cost advantage over other operators,” said Saretsky.

WestJet launched new non-stop, seasonal service between Toronto and Palm Springs, California. “Palm Springs is the 43rd WestJet destination with non-stop service from Toronto Pearson International Airport, as we continue to expand and enhance our award-winning service to and from Canada’s largest city,” said Hugh Dunleavy, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Planning. “Now with nearly 70 flights per day in and out of Toronto Pearson, an increase of 70 per cent over the last five years, WestJet is well positioned to continue to grow its market share in central Canada.”

WestJet will fly between Toronto and Palm Springs on Wednesdays and Saturdays until April 30, 2011. The outbound flight leaves Toronto at 10:15 a.m. EST and arrives at Palm Springs International Airport at 12:30 p.m. PST. The return flight leaves Palm Springs at 1:15 p.m. and arrives in Toronto at 8:38 p.m.

“We’re very pleased to see WestJet continuing to grow their network at Toronto Pearson by adding to the great travel opportunities already available to our guests,” said Pamela Griffith-Jones, Chief Marketing and Commercial Development Officer for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. “This new route to Palm Springs will be a great addition to their service in Toronto and shows WestJet’s ongoing commitment to providing great service to travellers in the GTA.”

“We are all very excited to see WestJet continue to grow Canadian air service to Palm Springs International Airport,” said Thomas Nolan, Executive Director, Palm Springs International Airport. “This new Toronto service should be a welcome complement to their existing service here because it will be this airport’s first direct flight to eastern Canada. Thank you to all of our Canadian visitors and residents for making our wonderful Coachella Valley their destination of choice, and we are anxious and well poised for continued growth in this sector of our market.”

One-way fares between Toronto and Palm Springs, available in both directions on non-stop flights only, are available from $199 plus applicable taxes and fees.

WestJet’s non-stop service from Toronto Pearson also includes many popular sun destinations such as Cancun, Fort Lauderdale, Grand Cayman, Miami, Nassau, Punta Cana, Santa Clara, St. Lucia, St. Martin, and Turks and Caicos.

WestJet launched new seasonal non-stop service between Windsor and Calgary. The inaugural flight from the City of Roses departs Windsor International Airport at 4:15 p.m. EDT today.

“It’s a very special honour for me to be the WestJetter chosen to host this inaugural flight because I lived, attended school and worked in Windsor,” said Ferio Pugliese, WestJet Executive Vice-President, People and Culture. “I know first-hand that there are many people in southwestern Ontario with relatives in Western Canada, and WestJet’s seasonal service is a wonderful way to connect family and friends during the warm summer months. With convenient connections to cities like Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Kelowna, Abbotsford, Vancouver and Victoria, this service is ideal for both leisure and business travellers.”

WestJet will fly daily between Windsor and Calgary until October 30, 2010.

“Our community has been waiting for the return of WestJet and we are absolutely thrilled that WestJet will once again provide our community with direct access and service to Calgary,” said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis, who is also Chair of the YQG (Windsor International Airport) Board of Directors. “WestJet’s commitment and loyal service to its customers complement our continued efforts at YQG to offer our residents and passengers premiere service.”

“We are delighted for the launch of daily service to Calgary on WestJet today,” said Federica Nazzani, President and CEO of Windsor International Airport. “Windsor Essex and the region can now enjoy the convenient, hassle-free and friendly experience of flying to many WestJet destinations from Windsor International Airport. Thank you to our partner, WestJet, for choosing Windsor. We look forward to welcoming and serving the needs of the community at YQG.”

The schedule details of WestJet’s new service are:

Calgary – Windsor (daily)
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Flight Departure Arrival
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From Calgary – WS706 10 a.m. 3:23 p.m.
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From Windsor – WS707 4:15 p.m. 6:14 p.m.
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One-way fares, available in both directions on non-stop flights only, are available from $195 plus applicable taxes and fees. Fares are available by calling WestJet’s Sales Super Centre at 1-888-WESTJET (937-8538), your preferred travel agent or by visiting WestJet.com.

As part of its 2010 summer schedule, WestJet is also resuming its seasonal service from Calgary to three other destinations – check out the bright lights of New York (via Newark), the coastal charm of St. John’s and the stunning landscape of San Francisco, with one-way fares starting at $215 for New York, $199 for St. John’s and $119 for San Francisco, plus applicable fees and taxes.
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WestJet announced the introduction of new seasonal non-stop service from Toronto to St. Lucia (UVF). Service to this new sun destination begins December 16, 2007. WestJet’s enhanced winter schedule also includes new non-stop flights from Hamilton to Nassau, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa.

“St. Lucia represents the fifth international country for scheduled service,” said Chris Avery, WestJet Vice-President, Network and Revenue Management. “These announcements are part of WestJet’s measured expansion plans to fly to over 60 destinations by 2013. Our fleet of 68 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft is perfectly suited for these destinations, providing live seatback TV and pay-per-view movies at every seat. We are confident that the exceptional guest experience provided by our more than 6,500 WestJetters will make these destinations a success.

“We are also pleased to announce exciting news for Hamilton, Ontario. Hamiltonians have embraced WestJet since our arrival in 2000 and these new routes demonstrate our commitment to southwestern Ontario. Connecting Hamilton to these sun destinations is another way for WestJet to meet the needs of our guests. Our record load factors announced today shows, yet again, that WestJet’s schedule fits with the travel demands of Canadians.”

“Over the past three years, WestJet has grown to 19 sun destinations offering guests across Canada the opportunity to travel south in the winter. WestJet also recently announced the addition of six other new hot spots: Montego Bay (Jamaica), Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic) and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Mazatlan (Mexico), Cabo San Lucas (Mexico) and Kona (Hawaii).”

“This is exciting news for WestJet Vacations,” said John Hamilton, Vice-President, WestJet Vacations. “This expansion enriches the already strong package offerings to our sun destinations. I am confident that our value-added vacation packages will offer something for everyone.”

“We are pleased that WestJet has chosen St. Lucia as its first destination in the Southern Caribbean. A partnership with WestJet is an important component of St. Lucia’s continuing commitment to increasing tourism from the Canadian market,” says Senator Allen Chastanet, St. Lucia’s Minister of tourism and civil aviation. “We hope Canadian travellers will take advantage of this new service to visit friends and family, conduct business or simply vacation on our beautiful island.”