WestJet to offer travel from Calgary to Seoul, South Korea

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WestJet announced Thursday that it will soon offer flights from Calgary to Seoul, South Korea. Local aviation consultants say the move is encouraging.

The Calgary-based airline announced it will offer three-day-a-week service on WestJet’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft next summer.

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Ticket bookings are expected to begin in early 2024, with travel officially starting from May 17th.

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“We are thrilled that WestJet will serve as Alberta’s only direct flight to South Korea, further strengthening the 787’s global connectivity from our home base in Calgary. , WestJet’s service between Seoul and Calgary will increase connectivity between Western Canada and Asia, creating unique business and cargo opportunities,” said WestJet Group Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. John Weatherill said in a news release. .

Calgary Airport Authority CEO Chris Dinsdale said in a release that the company is excited to welcome the new route.

“This expansion will provide additional opportunities for our guests to explore the locations and experiences these two great regions have to offer, demonstrating YYC’s strength as an international gateway,” Dinsdale said.

The airline also Win round trip tickets for 2 people WestJet destinations in Canada to Seoul. The contest will begin at 8am on December 14th and end at 11:59pm on January 4th.

WestJet Airlines may be considering forming an international partnership with Delta Air Lines – expert

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Calgary-based aviation consultant Rick Erickson said the announcement marks the first time Calgary will offer direct flights to South Korea.

“We’re happy with what we’re seeing so far,” Erickson said. “I think this is a growth, a maturation, if you will, of a renewed focus on the West.”

Erickson sees this as a fuller picture of the airline’s route changes after significantly reducing the number of routes it flies in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

John Gradek, an aviation expert and lecturer at McGill University, said new international destinations are “an interesting target for them.”

In particular, several SkyTeam carriers, including Delta Air Lines, Air France and Korean Air, fly out of Seoul, and WestJet may be considering forming an international partnership with Delta Air Lines, he said. said. (WestJet Airlines is currently partnership At Delta. )

“I think WestJet is building quite a bit of an international partnership with Delta Air Lines to compete in the Air Canada/United (airline) Star Alliance world,” Gradek said. “This is a way for WestJet to reach the world.”

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Star Alliance is a group of 26 airlines that share airport terminals and offer a two-tiered rewards program.

Announcements that expand with our growing international network

The news comes about a month after the airline announced it would also be offering non-stop flights from Calgary to Iceland.

WestJet will begin flying four times a week to Reykjavik (Keflavík), Iceland starting in May 2024. We are the only airline offering direct flights from Calgary to Iceland.

This service will be enhanced by the airline’s interline agreement with Icelandair, which allows guests to travel across the Icelandair and WestJet networks with one boarding pass and one check-in. Now you can have the convenience of tagging your baggage and checking it in until your final destination.

The airline plans to add flights from Tokyo, Rome, Barcelona, ​​Edinburgh, Paris, London and Dublin in 2024.

Starting March 16, flights from Calgary to Rome will increase from five times a week to six times a week.

Starting April 30, flights from Calgary to Barcelona will increase from three times a week to four times a week. From May 12th, the same frequencies will be offered between Calgary and Edinburgh.

Flights from Calgary to Paris and London will continue to operate daily throughout the year.

Starting April 29, there will be five weekly flights from Calgary to Dublin.

Meanwhile, Air Canada on Thursday announced adjustments to its Calgary service for summer 2024. This includes reintroducing daily flights to Ottawa, adding additional flights to Edmonton and introducing larger aircraft to Winnipeg.

— With files from Jordan Stricker and Postmedia

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