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Airline increases traffic by 7.8 per cent year over year, flies a record 1.7 million guests for the month of January

CALGARY, Feb. 4, 2016 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced January 2016 traffic results with a load factor of 80.1 per cent. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.8 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 7.0 per cent over the same period. The airline flew a record 1.7 million guests in January, a year-over-year increase of 7.4 per cent or approximately 119,000 additional guests.

"We are pleased with our strong January traffic growth to start off 2016," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "I want to thank our more than 11,000 WestJetters for their ongoing commitment to delivering our brand of caring friendly service."

January 2016 traffic results

In January, WestJet announced its 2016 summer schedule, including additions to its Toronto hub and enhanced schedules for business travellers. WestJet's 2016 summer schedule includes new non-stop service from Toronto to Nashville and Los Angeles as well as Calgary to Thunder Bay. Other additions to WestJet's Toronto hub include increased service to Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Myrtle Beach. Routes with enhanced schedules for business travellers include Toronto to Ottawa, Montreal and Fredericton as well as between Ottawa and Halifax.

About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's highest-rated airline for customer service, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to 100 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 150 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:
2015/2011/2008-2005 Canada's 10 Most-Admired Corporate Cultures (Waterstone Human Capital) 
2015/2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad) 
2015/2014/2013/2012 Top three brands in Canada (Canadian Business magazine) 
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt) 
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine) 
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in the Canada's Choice ranking (RewardsCanada.ca) 
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) 
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)

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SOURCE WestJet