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Fourth year in a row for airline in Nielsen EquiTrend Study

CALGARY, May 4, 2015 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced that WestJet Airlines and WestJet Vacations received the highest brand equity scores among airline and vacation package supplier brands in Canada for the 2014 Nielsen EquiTrend^® Study. This is the fourth consecutive year WestJet has received top marks in the travel domestic airline category and the third for WestJet Vacations in the travel package supplier category, introduced in 2012.

"We have never lost sight of the brand promise that makes WestJet different from other airlines and other vacation package operators," said Bob Cummings, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience. "Success in our industry requires us to adapt and evolve, but the core of our brand ̵̶ low fares and a remarkable guest experience delivered by caring and committed WestJetters ̵̶ will not change. Recognition in the categories representing the focus of our business confirms that the way WestJetters make our guests feel and the value offered by our products and services differentiate us with Canada's travelling public."

Nielsen EquiTrend^® Methodology
A sample of 4,103 Nielsen Canadian panel members ages 15 and over were surveyed online from November 21 to December 22, 2014 and the survey took an average of 30 minutes to complete. The total number of brands rated was 204. Each respondent was asked to rate a total of 50 randomly selected brands. Each brand received approximately 1,000 ratings. Data were weighted by age and sex within region to be representative of the entire Canadian population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in our panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

The Brand Equity Index is the keystone to the EquiTrend program, providing an understanding of a brand's overall strength. A brand's equity is determined by a calculation of familiarity, quality and purchase consideration.

About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's most-preferred airline, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to more than 90 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 120 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods ̶  even on seat sales. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2014 Interbrand Canada's Best Canadian Brands (Rank #20)
2014 Brands of the Year (Strategy magazine)
2014 Canada's Most Preferred Airline (Ipsos)
2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport World magazine)
2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2014/2013 WestJet RBC MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (Money Sense magazine and RewardsCanada.ca) 
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest Brand Equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Nielsen EquiTrend Study)

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SOURCE WestJet