WestJet Airlines Ltd. is preparing for an B次元官网网址渋mmediate and dramaticB次元官网网址� uptick in demand in the wake of the government of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 decision to remove pre-entry COVID-19 testing requirements for vaccinated travellers.
Ottawa announced Thursday that as of April 1, travellers arriving in Canada by air, land or water from any country no longer have to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to gain entry, as long as theyB次元官网网址檝e had at least two doses of an accepted vaccine.
The move comes after months of lobbying by the Canadian travel industry, which had argued that the requirement to seek out and pay for a rapid antigen test before boarding a flight home was an unnecessary barrier to family and business travel.
B次元官网网址淥ur view is that the desire to travel has remained throughout COVID, but it hasnB次元官网网址檛 translated into booking demand because of the restrictions that have been imposed on the industry,B次元官网网址� said WestJet chief commercial officer John Weatherill in an interview Thursday.
In February, the federal government announced that double-vaccinated air and land travellers no longer need to present a negative result from a molecular test, such as a PCR test, before departure for Canada.
The government also lifted a mandatory self-isolation requirement for unvaccinated children under 12 returning to the country, as well as a blanket travel advisory against trips abroad.
Weatherill said WestJet has seen a dramatic jump in bookings as a result of these changes, meaning that March break is shaping up to be the airlineB次元官网网址檚 busiest period since before the pandemic began.
B次元官网网址淲e are in some cases approaching the demand levels we saw in 2019, pre-pandemic, and thatB次元官网网址檚 really encouraging for us. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be quite a busy spring break and spring travel season for us,B次元官网网址� Weatherill said.
Earlier this week, WestJet announced it will restore 94 per cent of its pre-pandemic routes in time for summer. Most notably, the airline is restoring and even adding capacity to its transatlantic schedules B次元官网网址� adding increased service between Halifax and European destinations like Paris, London, Glasgow and Dublin; as well as non-stop service between Rome, Italy and WestJetB次元官网网址檚 home hub of Calgary.
Weatherill said WestJetB次元官网网址檚 investments in its European network speak to the airlineB次元官网网址檚 confidence in what the removal of restrictions and barriers will do for travel demand this summer.
B次元官网网址淭hat is the region for us right now that is booking the most quickly. We have the most bookings at this point, relative to pre-pandemic, in the European region,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 really about pent-up demand.B次元官网网址�
Many March break travellers booked at the last minute this year, Weatherill said, a trend that has existed throughout COVID and likely intensified in 2022 due to the rapid rise and fall of the Omicron variant.
B次元官网网址淏ut I expect that as we recover from COVID, weB次元官网网址檒l see a reversal of that trend, and people will go back to a more normal booking curve,B次元官网网址� he said.
Still, Weatherill added that the pandemic has fundamentally changed the way airlines plan their networks and schedules.
B次元官网网址淲e learn a little more through each wave, and weB次元官网网址檝e become much more flexible and adaptable,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been able to adapt our schedule as required depending on whatB次元官网网址檚 occurring with travel restrictions or the virus itself B次元官网网址� and as we move forward, itB次元官网网址檚 going to be the same.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擜manda Stephenson, The Canadian Press
