News Releases

Airline celebrates the launch of new connection between Canada and Scotland in advance of busy summer travel season

CALGARY, AB, June 3, 2022 /CNW/ - WestJet today, is celebrating the launch of service to Edinburgh with the departure of WS16 from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) at 9:25 p.m. local time last night. With the addition of the airline's latest connection to Europe, WestJet will now fly non-stop to five European destinations from Toronto this summer including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, London-Gatwick and Barcelona, Spain.

 "We are thrilled that Edinburgh is the final European connection to inaugurate from Toronto this summer, rounding out the restoration of our network and strengthening our offerings from Toronto. These cities are some of the world's most vibrant and iconic destinations and we are working diligently as demand for international travel continues to ramp up," said John Weatherill, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. "Seamless connectivity between Europe and Canada is critical to the recovery of Canada's travel and tourism industry.  We look forward to welcoming more Canadians and global guests on board this summer as we continue to restore our network to pre-pandemic levels."

"The launch of this route is cause for celebration, not only because it connects our valued passengers with the capital of Scotland, but also because it rounds out WestJet's European service for the summer at Toronto Pearson," says Janik Reigate, Director of Strategic Customer Relationships at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. "As the public begins to think about where their summer adventures will take them, WestJet's suite of European destinations is the perfect choice for an unforgettable vacation."

WestJet's newest transatlantic flight will operate during peak season, three-times weekly. WestJet currently offers service to two Scottish destinations with service from Toronto to Edinburgh and Glasgow and flights between Halifax and Glasgow.

"Welcoming a new airline partner to our airport is always an exciting day and we are delighted to see the WestJet tailfin in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh. This new service will open up Canada and Scotland to travellers from both countries, whether that be seeing family and friends for the first time in a while, strengthening business connections with existing and new partners, or just experiencing the fantastic sights and culture that these two amazing cities have to offer. North America is one of our strongest markets and we hope that by making a success of this route it demonstrates the desire there is for greater direct connectivity and something we can work towards with our partners."

- Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport

 "Congratulations to WestJet on the launch of their new Edinburgh service which is very much welcomed by Scotland's tourism industry. Before the pandemic, Canada was one of our top international markets for visitors and growing. We have worked hard to keep Scotland top of mind here, but the return of direct connectivity is vital and will help support the recovery of our industry.

VisitScotland enjoys a very positive partnership with WestJet and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them to promote this new service.  We know there is strong pent-up demand from Canadians to travel to Scotland. With WestJet now serving our two biggest cities there has never been a better time to discover Scotland. Our message and that of the Scottish tourism industry is simple we are open and cannot wait to welcome back visitors."

- Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland 

"I welcome the launch of WestJet's new service between Edinburgh and Toronto, which is real demonstration of confidence in the Scottish aviation market, as well as another significant milestone in the recovery of our international connectivity. Canada is a very important market to us when it comes to tourism and business, and this is also great news for passengers in Scotland who now have another option to connect directly to Toronto. The aviation industry has been severely impacted by COVID-19, so I'm pleased to see these signs of connectivity recovering given the vital role the sector plays in our economy. I wish Edinburgh Airport and WestJet every success with this service."

- Jenny Gilruth, Minster for Transport, Scotland

In 26 years of serving Canadians, WestJet has cut airfares in half and increased the flying population in Canada to more than 50 per cent. WestJet launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees and five destinations, growing over the years to more than 180 aircraft, 14,000 employees and more than 100 destinations in 23 countries, pre-pandemic. 

Since the start of the pandemic the WestJet Group of Companies has built a layered framework of safety measures to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly through the airline's Safety Above All hygiene program. During this time, WestJet has maintained its status as one of the top-10 on-time airlines in North America as named by Cirium. 

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2020/2019 Number-One Ranked Canadian Airline Loyalty Program in Member Engagement (Bond Brand Loyalty)  

2019/2018/2017 Best Airline in Canada (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)
2019 Winner Among Mid-Sized Airlines in North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)  

2019/2018 Number-One-Ranked Airline Credit Card in Canada (Rewards Canada)  

SOURCE WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership