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From the air to the air waves

WestJet gives TV viewers chance to travel without leaving the couch

CALGARY, Nov. 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Have you ever wanted to see the world without leaving home? Starting this week, WestJet will show television viewers the plane truth with the launch of the WestJet Channel on Rogers for customers in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Flying until February 2, 2014, on Rogers channel 206, viewers will experience WestJet in a way they've never seen before. Cameras will capture ground crews preparing the airline's Boeing Next Generation 737 aircraft for take-off as they load baggage and push the aircraft back prior to taxiing to the runway.

Viewers can catch a short video about the channel on WestJet's YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/4ipxuGFBQVs

Audiences will also be able to escape to some of WestJet's many beautiful destinations including Grand Cayman, Bermuda, Puerto Plata, Holguin and St. Martin-St. Maarten. Breathtaking destination montages will include attractions, dining, shopping and of course, world-class beaches.

Over the course of the channel's 13-week run, viewers will have the opportunity to participate in three Twitter contests. The first of the three #TweetTheBeach contests running until November 17, 2013, 11:59 p.m. MT, will ask audiences to send a tweet mentioning @WestJet, include the #TweetTheBeach hashtag, plus name a beach they saw on the WestJet channel. Contest participants will be entered to win a trip for two with WestJet. For full contest details, visit http://blog.westjet.com/TweetTheBeach.

Viewers are also encouraged to chat with WestJet about the channel by tweeting with the hashtag #WestJetChannel.

"This is an amazing opportunity to pull back the curtain and show people what we do and how we do it," said David Soyka, WestJet Director, Marketing. "We're looking forward to taking viewers behind the scenes at our airports as well as to some of our most spectacular destinations, without ever having to leave the comfort of their couch. We're always in the air -- and now we're on the air, too."

About WestJet
WestJet is Canada's most preferred airline, offering scheduled service to 87 destinations in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Powered by an award-winning culture of care, WestJet pioneered low-cost flying in Canada. Recognized nationally as a top employer, WestJet now has more than 9,600 WestJetters across Canada. Operating a fleet of more than 100 Boeing Next-Generation 737 and Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft, WestJet strives to be one of the five most successful international airlines in the world. This year, WestJet launched its new regional airline, WestJet Encore.

About WestJet Vacations
WestJet Vacations provides guests with affordable, reliable and easy-to-book travel experiences to 55 destinations in 18 countries, including the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Leveraging WestJet's fun and friendly image, extensive network and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations offers guests a great flight schedule and a wide variety of hotel and resort options to create fun and affordable vacation experiences.  For more information visit www.westjetvacations.com.

About WestJet Rewards
WestJet Rewards members earn WestJet dollars on WestJet flights, vacation packages and more. WestJet dollars can be used like cash towards the purchase of WestJet flights and WestJet Vacations packages on any date to any WestJet or WestJet Encore destination with no blackout periods, even on seat sales. More flights equal more benefits, including bonus WestJet dollars and Jet-Aways. Guests who use their WestJet RBC MasterCard will earn WestJet dollars even faster.

Connect with WestJet on Facebook at www.facebook.com/westjet
Follow WestJet on Twitter at www.twitter.com/westjet
Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at www.youtube.com/westjet
Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com

SOURCE WestJet

For further information:

Media contact:
Media Relations, 1-888-WJ-4-NEWS (1-888-954-6397), media@westjet.com.