Canadian airline WestJet has received the first of ten Boeing 787 Dreamliners, marking the start of the airline’s global expansion.
WestJet’s 787-9 will accommodate 320 passengers in a three-class configuration, giving passengers a choice of Economy, Premium and Business cabins.
WestJet’s Dreamliners feature lie-flat business cabin seats accompanied by luxurious blankets and pillows, turndown service and in-seat TVs, offering a premium service with a distinctly Canadian feel.
WestJet Premium will offer seats in a 2x3x2 configuration, an elevated passenger experience with a separate and private cabin, cozy blankets and pillows available on every seat along with a self-serve social area.
The Dreamliner features turbulence-dampening technology, improved air quality to reduce jetlag and larger windows that give an increased sense of space.
The first Dreamliner will fly passengers domestically on Toronto/Calgary routes starting February 20 to assist with crew familiarisation before the first international service from Calgary to London (Gatwick) on April 28.
The second and third WestJet Dreamliners are currently on the production line at Boeing’s factory and will be delivered in February and March this year.
Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO:
“Today’s delivery marks a new chapter for WestJet. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner is one of the most technologicSally advanced aircraft ever flown and is the perfect platform for our transition to a global network carrier. We look forward to bringing Canadians to the world and the world to Canada in comfort and style.”
Ihssane Mounir, Senior Vice-President of Commercial Sales & Marketing for The Boeing Company:
“We are excited to welcome our friends at WestJet to the Dreamliner family. The airline has achieved impressive growth with the Boeing 737 and will now use the 787’s unmatched performance and passenger comforts to profitably launch a new ‘global era’.”
About WestJet
WestJet Airlines is a Canadian carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to over 100 destinations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. It is currently the second-largest Canadian airline, behind Air Canada.
Routes: Over 100 destinations in 22 countries in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. It has a regional airline, WestJet Encore.
Fleet: WestJet operates a fleet of over 120 aircraft comprised of :
- 4 Boeing 767-300
- 13 Boeing 737 -600
- 54 Boeing 737 -700
- 44 Boeing 737 -800
- 8 Boeing 737 MAX 8
WestJet Encore operates a fleet of over 40 Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprops.
Alliance: None
(All route and fleet information is approximate and is the best information available at date of publishing this story.)
N.B. Image credit: Boeing