WestJet and Swoop News

[Kip Powick]

On 12/19/2023 at 4:27 PM, Malcolm said:

Sad news 

Woman found dead in southwest Calgary home identified as WestJet pilot

By Ryan White  Global News

Posted December 19, 2023 12:40 pm

A photo of WestJet Capt. Christina Thomson, candles and a laminated WestJet image outside the home in southwest Calgary where Thomson and an unidentified man were found dead on Dec. 15. Global News

 

Classy, showing the "missing man/woman" formation, (laminated paper with silhouettes)  unfortunately I had to fly in two of those in DND.......

[Malcolm]

Mark well that the headline says "could" and not "will".  

WestJet could face costly delivery delays due to panel blowout on Boeing plane

DELIVERY DELAYS FOR WESTJET

The Canadian Press - Feb 12, 2024 / 10:06 am | Story: 471950

Photo: The Canadian Press

A WestJet logo is seen in the domestic check-in area at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Friday, May 19, 2023. The fallout from a mid-flight panel blowout on a Boeing Co.-made plane last month has reached Canada, as WestJet faces indefinite delays on dozens of aircraft deliveries.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

WestJet is facing indefinite delays on dozens of new aircraft deliveries after a panel blowout on a Boeing 737 Max plane last month that prompted a halt to production expansion at the U.S. aircraft maker.

The Calgary-based carrier bought 42 Boeing 737 Max 10 jetliners in 2022, with options for 22 more — on top of nearly two dozen earlier Max orders still in the pipeline.

The multibillion-dollar deals were slated to bolster WestJet’s fleet by at least 65 planes — 50 of them Max 10s — by 2029 in a move the airline called a "game-changer" that would reduce fuel costs and “underpin” its growth.

However, the Max 10 has yet to receive final certification and, after the panel incident, U.S. regulators said they would halt production expansion at Boeing until a full investigation was complete — a process that could take over a year.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration temporarily grounded all 737 Max 9s for inspection and launched a probe after a panel known as a door plug tore away from the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines plane while in flight on Jan. 5, leaving a refrigerator-sized hole in the cabin wall and prompting an emergency landing.

WestJet said it could handle the production turbulence.

"We continue to work closely with Boeing on all aspects of aircraft delivery and timelines. We believe our order book and fleet planning have the built-in flexibility to support WestJet’s growth plans," spokeswoman Madison Kruger said in an email.

The Max 10 is the largest plane in the latest line of 737s and offers 20 per cent fewer carbon emissions per passenger than the previous generation. Fleet rejuvenation is essential to ensure efficiency, bringing down costs — jet fuel and labour are airlines' two biggest expenses — and showing a commitment to green targets.

"The ability of WestJet to do that is compromised by Boeing," said John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University.

“The older the fleet becomes, the more expensive and the less efficient its becomes," he said.

“If that airplane isn't going to see the light of day for years — if ever — because of what's going on, the plans that WestJet has for fleet renewal are going to be in jeopardy."

The 65 new aircraft ordered by WestJet amount to nearly 40 per cent of its current fleet, according to Airfleets.net. Many of them would likely replace some of the 88 airliners from the previous generation of 737 planes over time.

The list price of the 42 Max 10s ordered in 2022 totalled $7.6 billion, though large purchases typically come with major discounts.

At the time, both Boeing and WestJet stressed the importance of the deal.

"The 737-10 will be a game changer, with one of the lowest costs per seat among mid-range aircraft. This will foster our low-cost positioning and affordability for Canadians," said Stan Deal, who heads Boeing's commercial airlines division, in a statement in September 2022.

WestJet said then that the planes would "strengthen the airline’s presence in Western Canada and underpin growth in transcontinental and leisure offerings" from Eastern Canada.

[dagger]

Delta said today its Max 10 deliveries will begin "well past 2025". Ouch.

[Malcolm]

Encore pilots could be on strike by mid-april

`Things are slowly progressing' with money, career advancement key issues

• Calgary Herald
• 27 Feb 2024
• MATT SCACE mscace@postmedia.com X: @mattscace67

JEFF MCINTOSH/THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES The union representing more than 300 pilots with Westjet's regional subsidiary Encore has started the clock on potential job action — though any moves on that front are still almost two months away.

Negotiations between Westjet and its regional pilots continue to “drag along,” according to Westjet Encore pilots, with a strike for the more than 300 pilots possible as soon as mid-april.

A federal conciliation officer was appointed in January, but the Westjet Encore pilot group says it hasn't helped negotiations with the Calgary-based airline. Pilots could go on strike by 12:01 a.m. on April 17 if an agreement isn't reached, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said Monday.

“Things are slowly progressing, but not a lot of movement,” said Carin Kenny, chair of the Westjet Encore master executive council. In a Monday news release, the ALPA said negotiations continue to “drag along at a slow pace.”

Encore pilots are seeking 15- to 30-per-cent wage increases, depending on seniority, and better career progression allowing pilots to move from Encore to Westjet's mainline. (Many Westjet pilots work for several years in the Encore division before becoming fulltime pilots on the airline's larger commercial planes.)

Encore is Westjet's regional arm, which provides flights to small communities on the airline's De Havilland Dash 8 Q400 planes. ALPA represents more than 300 Westjet Encore pilots — separate from Westjet's main division, which has nearly 2,000 pilots represented by ALPA.

`LEAST-PAID REGIONAL PILOTS IN CANADA'

Encore's wages are significantly lower than what pilots make at Air Canada Jazz and Porter, considered its two main competitors in Canada's regional airline sector, Kenny said. She didn't cite specifically how much Encore pilots earn compared to those airlines, but said they're “the least-paid regional pilots in Canada.”

In a January interview, Kenny said pilots have been leaving Encore for better situations at competitors. It often takes six to nine years for Encore pilots to progress into the mainline, Kenny said, where it used to take just three to six years.

“That's all company-controlled, how that movement goes between the two companies, which is where we're stuck at in the negotiation process,” Kenny said. “If a pilot doesn't know when they're going to reach the mainline, they just look for careers elsewhere.”

In a statement to Postmedia, Westjet said it's “committed to productive discussions in pursuit of reasonable outcomes to collaboratively reach an agreement with ALPA.”

“Our focus remains on jointly addressing issues raised by our valued pilots and ensuring business as usual for the travelling public as we move through this process,” the airline wrote.

ALPA has meanwhile approved a $1-million “war chest” for the Encore pilots group to help set up strike centres and fund media advocacy campaigns.

Encore pilots will host their first informational picket on the morning of March 22 at Calgary International Airport.

The potential job action would be the second Westjet management has stared down in the past year. Last summer, the airline had already cancelled more than 200 flights in anticipation of a strike when executives and the ALPA struck an eleventh-hour agreement substantially increasing wages for its mainline and thenswoop pilots.

Article Name:Encore pilots could be on strike by mid-april

Publication:Calgary Herald

Author:MATT SCACE mscace@postmedia.com X: @mattscace67

Start Page:A2

End Page:A2

[Maverick]

WESTJET THREATENS TO CEASE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Mar 08, 2024

March 8, 2024 In a company-wide webinar held on March 5, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech described negotiations with the carrier’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) as “contentious” and denigrated the Union for seeking American standard terms and conditions of employment for its members. Von Hoensbroech then read from his teleprompter: “With regards to tech ops, there are various operating models in the airline industry. There are airlines that have the majority of their tech ops done in-house. There are airlines that actually have no in-house tech ops at all and outsource it all. So, there are various ways.” Von Hoensbroech then said that he was “optimistic” that WestJet would continue to perform its aircraft maintenance “in-house for the most part” … “But it also requires that the cost at which we operate is in line with the market because at the end of the day, we have to compete with other airlines and these other airlines are free to choose in the market as well with how they operate their tech ops.” “Perhaps von Hoensbroech felt he was being subtle,” commented AMFA Region II Director Will Abbott, “subtle like an anvil dropped on a man’s head.” “Von Hoensbroech’s comments were an unmistakable threat to outsource WestJet’s maintenance operations unless the AMEs moderate their demands. Such threats during the collective bargaining process are unlawful under the Canada Labour Code and we will be filing the appropriate charge with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).” “But it’s also bad business. No passenger wants to hear that an airline is getting out of the business of maintaining its own aircraft. When you buy a ticket, you expect your airline to deliver a qualified Pilot, a qualified Flight Attendant, and an aircraft maintained by qualified AMEs. A reputable airline cannot abdicate its responsibility to stand behind the airworthiness of planes.” Fraternally, Will Abbott Region II Director

https://www.amfanational.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=918334

 

Bad faith bargaining on WestJet's part.

Edited March 8 by Maverick

[J.O.]

Alexis may have been doing the talking, but he sounds an awful lot like Gerry Schwartz.

[conehead]

46 minutes ago, Maverick said:

WESTJET THREATENS TO CEASE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Mar 08, 2024

March 8, 2024 In a company-wide webinar held on March 5, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech described negotiations with the carrier’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) as “contentious” and denigrated the Union for seeking American standard terms and conditions of employment for its members. Von Hoensbroech then read from his teleprompter: “With regards to tech ops, there are various operating models in the airline industry. There are airlines that have the majority of their tech ops done in-house. There are airlines that actually have no in-house tech ops at all and outsource it all. So, there are various ways.” Von Hoensbroech then said that he was “optimistic” that WestJet would continue to perform its aircraft maintenance “in-house for the most part” … “But it also requires that the cost at which we operate is in line with the market because at the end of the day, we have to compete with other airlines and these other airlines are free to choose in the market as well with how they operate their tech ops.” “Perhaps von Hoensbroech felt he was being subtle,” commented AMFA Region II Director Will Abbott, “subtle like an anvil dropped on a man’s head.” “Von Hoensbroech’s comments were an unmistakable threat to outsource WestJet’s maintenance operations unless the AMEs moderate their demands. Such threats during the collective bargaining process are unlawful under the Canada Labour Code and we will be filing the appropriate charge with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).” “But it’s also bad business. No passenger wants to hear that an airline is getting out of the business of maintaining its own aircraft. When you buy a ticket, you expect your airline to deliver a qualified Pilot, a qualified Flight Attendant, and an aircraft maintained by qualified AMEs. A reputable airline cannot abdicate its responsibility to stand behind the airworthiness of planes.” Fraternally, Will Abbott Region II Director

https://www.amfanational.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=918334

 

Bad faith bargaining on WestJet's part.

Wow! What a negotiation tactic!! 

[Malcolm]

WestJet Encore pilots hold information picket at Calgary International Airport | CTV News

Updated March 22, 2024 4:59 p.m. MDT

Published March 22, 2024 8:43 a.m. MDT

WestJet Encore pilots held an information picket at Calgary International Airport on Friday afternoon, seeking improved working conditions and wages, along with career progression in the company.

The job action comes after seven months of negotiations between the workers and the company as they try to work out a fair contract.

“When most pilots started working at WestJet Encore, they believed working for our airline was a step towards a long career within the WestJet family," said Capt. Carin Kenny, WestJet Encore's master executive council chair. "Now we are nothing more than a training ground for pilots looking to leave for better opportunities.

"We are here to fight for a contract that will change that and make working within the WestJet Group a career goal.”

The group says it doesn't want to see flights disrupted by any possible strike and remains committed to negotiations through both the conciliation period and 21-day cooling off period.

John Gradek, an aviation professor at McGill University, says the information picket comes as the division deals with a shortage of pilots.

“WestJet Encore operates 47 turboprop airplanes, they’ve got 322 pilots,” said Gradek.

“That’s a little low in terms of the number of pilots they would need to fly those planes.”

Encore pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, which looks after 77,000 pilots in U.S. and Canada.

“They have a point that they're overworked, that their schedules are more demanding than they would normally be for a WestJet pilot,” said Gradek.

According to Gradek, WestJet pilots got a new contract last year.

“The gap between WestJet pilots and Encore pilots grew significantly,” he said.

If a deal has not been struck by April 14, the pilots can file a 72-hour strike notice and be in the position to legally strike on April 17.

'SHOW UNITY'

WestJet CEO Alexis Von Hoensbroech said management respected the rights of pilots and maintenance engineers, who are also negotiating a deal, to picket.

"What we're seeing today is picketing of both our pilots from WestJet Encore and of our aircraft maintenance engineers that are maintaining all the airplanes that we have," Von Hoensbroech said.."We are in bargaining with both groups and  picketing is something that usually happens in bargaining.

"It's the right and the wish of those groups to show unity and they've show great unity today -- and we, of course, appreciate that," he added.

"I'm here to show my respect to our valued staff members and our valued unions," he said, continuing. "They come out here in the cold today to picket and to show their unity and i think it's part of paying respect to them that I'm here in the cold as well, and I look at it and take notice.

 

"Both our aircraft maintenance engineers and our pilots, they should know and they do know that we are committed to come up with a deal that makes sense for them and that makes sense for us," Von Hoensbroech said.

 

 

 

 

[Malcolm]

WestJet Encore pilots vote for strike mandate, adding to airline's turbulence

Strike could begin as soon as April 17

Christopher Reynolds · The Canadian Press · Posted: Apr 02, 2024 1:23 PM MDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A parked WestJet aircraft is pictured. Pilots with WestJet Encore voted 97 per cent in favour of strike authorization after contract talks around pay and career progression stalled, the Air Line Pilots Association said. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

WestJet Encore pilots could go on strike as soon as April 17 after they approved a strike mandate Tuesday, increasing the prospect of headwinds after a bumpy year for the airline's owner.

Aviators at WestJet's regional carrier voted 97 per cent in favour of strike authorization after contract talks around pay, schedules and career progression came to a "near standstill," the Air Line Pilots Association said. Some 89 per cent of pilots cast a ballot.

"What that signals to me is that our pilots are frustrated," said Carin Kenny, who heads the union's WestJet Encore contingent.

The 355 pilots it represents can walk off the tarmac 72 hours after union leadership files a strike notice. The potential job action or lockout can only take place after a 21-day cooling-off period that started when federal conciliation between the two sides wrapped up last week.

WestJet Encore employs the lowest-paid regional pilots in Canada, driving some to seek jobs elsewhere, Kenny said.

The pilot shortage that she says persists at Encore makes the leap to WestJet's higher-wage mainline operation a rare feat, since flight crew for its roughly 35 De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprop planes are needed at the regional service.

"Right now, there's nobody coming in, particularly into the captain ranks," Kenny said. "We're not replacing them, and the captains are generally the ones that have the seniority to move over to WestJet. It's sort of a revolving door of trying to fix that."

Encore is recruiting newer pilots, she qualified. "But the problem is that they're not staying. They're getting their experience and then they're going elsewhere — to Porter or Jazz or Air Canada or Flair. Some are going overseas."

WestJet Airlines president Diederik Pen said a strike authorization vote marks a common step by unions in the context of labour negotiations.

"We are steadfast in our commitment to reach an agreement with ALPA that addresses the unique concerns of our Encore pilots, is competitive within Canada's airline industry and ensures we have a long-term sustainable future so that we can continue to operate critical air service for millions of Canadians, while providing meaningful employment for thousands at the WestJet Group," Pen said in a statement.

the airline narrowly averted a strike last year after talks with a different set of pilots came down to the wire, prompting the carrier to cancel more than 230 flights in preparation for job action before a deal was reached hours ahead of the walkout deadline.

The collective agreement with pilots at WestJet and its Swoop subsidiary — but not WestJet Encore — granted a 24 per cent pay bump over four years.

WestJet announced in June last year it would wind down the five-year-old Swoop and fold the budget airline's operations under its main banner.

The potential labour disruption comes as Canada's second-largest carrier faces indefinite delays on dozens of new aircraft deliveries after a panel blowout on a Boeing 737 Max plane in January pushed back certification for the Max 10 as the U.S. aircraft maker contends with greater scrutiny from regulators.

[mrlupin]

Press Release: WestJet Prepares for Strike By Aircraft Maintenance Engineers; Union Files Opposition to WestJet's Integration With Sunwing

https://www.amfanational.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=919800

CENTENNIAL, Colo. – April 2, 2024 – WestJet Executive Vice President Angela Avery issued an internal statement yesterday advising WestJet employees that the carrier was preparing for a strike by its Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA).

AMEs have expressed fury at WestJet's "comprehensive" offer, which proposes a five-year contract with wage increases limited to 3.5%, 2%, 2%, 1%, and 1% in successive years.  The low offer was made notwithstanding WestJet's admission that it cannot fill AME vacancies due to its low entry-level wages. Ms. Avery advised WestJet employees that, "we are actively developing business continuity plans to minimize operational disruption should labour action occur ..."

"We are the engineers who keep WestJet's planes airworthy and flying," commented AMFA National President Bret Oestreich.  "Given the expected rate of inflation, the proposal actually constitutes a wage reduction with a continued chokehold on industry wages for these skilled professionals.  If that is WestJet's offer then, yes, the carrier should be preparing for a strike."

Today, AMFA filed with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) its opposition to WestJet's proposed integration with Sunwing Airlines.  Concurring with Ms. Avery's appraisal, AMFA's filing observed:  "Labour relations at WestJet are in a state of chaos with AMFA and WestJet on a path toward a strike or lockout in a matter of weeks."  

The filing also recounted that WestJet has engaged in an ongoing challenge to the CIRB definition of the AMFA-represented bargaining unit on two separate fronts and that a new group of airline employees should not be added to an undefined unit.

###

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association is a craft/trade-oriented, independent aviation union representing licensed and unlicensed technicians/engineers and related employees actively involved in the aviation industry. These skilled professionals work directly on aircraft and/or components, support equipment, and facilities. AMFA is committed to elevating their professional standing and to achieving progressive improvements in wages, benefits, and working conditions of the skilled employees it represents. For more information about AMFA visit www.amfanational.org.

[mrlupin]

It's surreal to see the major aviation companies struggle to find AMEs and wonder why they can't find them. While the blame can't be completely attributed to them for the AME supply collapse, they had such an important role in reducing the attractiveness of the trade through stagnation of wages, reduction in benefits and a general contempt for their workforce that a wage uplift offer such as the one offered by Westjet, is both ridicule and insulting.

Best of luck to Westjet maintenance staff!

[mrlupin]

An update...

JOINT RELEASE: AMFA AND WESTJET ANNOUNCE GO-FORWARD COMMITMENT

https://www.amfanational.org/?zone=%2Funionactive%2Fview_article.cfm&HomeID=920052&fbclid=IwAR3GGZpPT3lo7hz0v8UoX5vhTxrPDmNfcl6yZVmxvPVC8wH8avrqUNBAlTw_aem_AUOZjvty08RzMx9hluLgSmgRZ8_82VY6lRNXTVnuQUACRKxmgUkOZCmykcKXA7FuZ2g

[Maverick]

10 hours ago, mrlupin said:

An update...

JOINT RELEASE: AMFA AND WESTJET ANNOUNCE GO-FORWARD COMMITMENT

https://www.amfanational.org/?zone=%2Funionactive%2Fview_article.cfm&HomeID=920052&fbclid=IwAR3GGZpPT3lo7hz0v8UoX5vhTxrPDmNfcl6yZVmxvPVC8wH8avrqUNBAlTw_aem_AUOZjvty08RzMx9hluLgSmgRZ8_82VY6lRNXTVnuQUACRKxmgUkOZCmykcKXA7FuZ2g

It's good news indeed. I truly believe that WestJet was unprepared for how professional the AMFA team and the WestJet Engineers that are on the negotiating team were going to be in the negotiations.

The Air Canada Maintenance Engineers have a great desire to leave the IAM&AW and I wish them well. We are living in different times now.

Edited April 6 by Maverick

[Kip Powick]

Bonus! Intrepid columnist offers ‘extra extra’ analysis of WestJet’s ‘Previous Seat’ at ‘Extended Comfort’ prices

Air travel could be made comfortable and attractive again if airlines kept it simple, re-classed the extras as basic, and raised their fares much higher. They don’t do this because they fear competitors will take advantage.

 

 

 

 

 

Air travelers are being seduced into “cheap” airfares made expensive by adding extra

Jet is now selling an extra service category that gets you a little more legroom, maybe a free drink, and, yes, early access to the overhead bin for your carry-on.

WestJet calls it an Extended Comfort Seat. I call it a Previous Seat, as in the kind of seat you once got as a matter of course before airlines began nipping smaller and smaller bites out of you.

You, lucky readers, get an extra extra: deep analysis of what the Extended Comfort Seat category means to you as a citizen passenger, to the airline industry, and extra extra extra, to the planet’s health being incrementally damaged by your unnecessary flight.

WestJet hasn’t yet announced what the deal will cost but I’d pay it sight unseen, if I ever flew WestJet, which I won’t. The kind of passengers who think they’re flying a Greyhound bus do tend to erupt over minor issues like seat recline and switching seats with strangers. But the biggest stress right now seems to be carry-ons.

Many people love their carry-ons because that’s their luggage. They pack with such care and privation that they won’t need to wait at the luggage carousel for suitcases that may never arrive. That’s it. They fly light.

Others fill the carry-on with essentials on the assumption that the airline will lose their luggage and destroy the vacation, or that the flight will go astray and they’ll spend three days in an airport hotel with the minimum comforts and a handbag.

 

All this misses the point. Air travel could be made comfortable and attractive again if airlines kept it simple, re-classed the extras as basic, and raised their fares much higher. They don’t do this because they fear competitors will take advantage.

 

But really, they have a customer base who can only be convinced to buy what they cannot afford if it’s sold to them in dribs and drabs. Sadly, the same thing has happened with taxes. Governments, harried by tax-haters for decades, are afraid to raise taxes.

So they shuffled tax responsibilities onto other levels of government — hot potato taxing — and taxed bit by bit as with carbon pricing (excellent), Toronto rainwater fees, garbage collection fees, recycling fees and so on.

They pray that voters don’t add it all up, which many do. And many say, these fees sound reasonable, but why can’t you just tax me once a year and stop making me go through this sieve of fees, this fishing net?

It’s the same psychology as making you buy a place for your carry-on, a bag you bought specifically to fit the little cage they test you on at the gate. Theatre chains charge you for booking online, which is actually cheaper for them than hiring ticketing staff.

First came tipping for staff standing behind a counter. Perhaps apocryphally, some grocery stores are offering a tip option for people who self-checkout. Amazingly, the tip doesn’t go to you. 

 

Venice is now charging €5 for day-trippers, meaning people on cruise lines who land, litter, clog the place, buy nothing nice, lower the tone, and leave six hours later. This will help but it won’t save Venice. Only big decisions will do that.

Big price hikes across the board will make flying attractive for those who need to fly, as in cross an ocean. A cloud of fees, the little flying bugs that the Scottish call “no-see-ums,” will not achieve this.

If fares rose, people would agitate for high-speed trains that European and Japanese governments seem to drape over their landscapes like necklace chains. Instead we are seduced into “cheap” airfares made expensive. They are driving many low-budget airlines out of business.

I never thought I would see industry-wide price hikes as collective action, but collective is the way to go now. Individually, we’re being fleeced.

 

 

[J.O.]

15 hours ago, Kip Powick said:

You, lucky readers, get an extra extra: deep analysis of what the Extended Comfort Seat category means to you as a citizen passenger, to the airline industry, and extra extra extra, to the planet’s health being incrementally damaged by your unnecessary flight.

I have a hard time taking seriously anyone who engages in this level of judgy hyperbole.

[Malcolm]

21 minutes ago, J.O. said:

I have a hard time taking seriously anyone who engages in this level of judgy hyperbole.

The author is Toronto Star   Heather Mallick Star Columnist

[Malcolm]

WestJet Encore pilots announce tentative deal in labour dispute with regional carrier

Deal must still be approved by 355 union members

The Canadian Press · Posted: Apr 15, 2024 9:21 PM MDT | Last Updated: April 15

Pilots with WestJet's regional subsidiary approved a strike mandate on April 2 by 97 per cent. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

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The union representing WestJet Encore pilots says a tentative deal has been struck with their employer, narrowly avoiding strike action. 

In a statement released Monday afternoon by the Air Line Pilots Association, the head of the union's WestJet Encore contingent says the tentative agreement brings "wages and working conditions significantly more in line" with those of other regional pilots across the country.

Spokesperson Carin Kenney also says it "delivers on providing better job security, industry-standard pay, and more flexible schedules to allow for a better work-life balance."

Pilots with WestJet's regional subsidiary approved a strike mandate on April 2 by 97 per cent, according to the union, and they were in a legal position to strike on Wednesday although they would have needed to serve 72-hours notice before walking off the job.

The tentative deal must still be approved by the 355 members it covers, and the union says it's still setting a timeline for a ratification vote.

Kenney had said earlier this month that WestJet Encore employs the lowest-paid regional pilots in Canada, driving some to seek jobs elsewhere, but she now says the tentative agreement "will go a long way towards changing that."

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News

[Malcolm]

WestJet adds six additional Asian destinations to its network through enhanced Korean Air codeshare agreement

---

NEWS PROVIDED BY

WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership 

Apr 22, 2024, 12:00 ET

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

•  
•  
•  
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---

CALGARY, AB, April 22, 2024 /CNW/ - Beginning May 17, 2024, WestJet guests will gain access to six additional cities across four Asian countries from Incheon International Airport (ICN) through an expansion of WestJet's codeshare agreement with Korean Air, one of the world's only 5-star airlines as awarded by Skytrax.

Through the agreement, guests will have more opportunity to explore unique transpacific Asian destinations beyond Seoul with a seamless single connection at ICN and the convenience of booking their entire journey with one ticket, baggage transfers, and earning WestJet Dollars throughout.

New WestJet Codeshare Destinations

• Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)
• Da Nang, Vietnam (DAD)
• Hanoi, Vietnam (HAN)
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (SGN)
• Hong Kong, China (HKG)
• Singapore (SIN)

"As we prepare for WestJet's inaugural flights between Calgary and Incheon, the timing of this codeshare expansion is ideal.  We are enhancing connectivity to more destinations in Asia for our guests and WestJet Rewards members from one of the world's busiest cities, and Korean Air's global hub" said Jeff Hagen, WestJet Vice-President of Commercial Development and Strategic Partnerships. "Our longstanding reciprocal partnership with Korean Air opens up exciting opportunities for leisure and business travellers to more locations in the Asian continent and offers new guests in Asia access to all of Canada through our global hub in Calgary."

Following the success of WestJet's entry into Asia, the airline recently introduced seasonal service between YYC and ICN. The new route launches on May 17, 2024, and will fly on WestJet's 787 Dreamliner up to three days per week during peak travel periods.

"We are excited to announce an expanded codeshare with our longstanding partner WestJet, offering our valued customers access to a wide range of transpacific destinations," said Tae Joon Kim, Korean Air Senior Vice President and Head of International Affairs & Alliance. "The launch of WestJet's Calgary - Seoul Incheon route will bolster connectivity between Korea and Canada, while our strengthened partnership will seamlessly connect customers to an expanded array of Asian and Canadian cities through our hubs in Incheon and Calgary, respectively."

All WestJet codeshare destinations are now available through WestJet's website, the WestJet app, and travel agent partners, where WestJet Rewards members can earn and redeem WestJet Dollars on their entire journey. Visit WestJet.com for further details.

[Maverick]

Go time.

 

AMFA-WJA NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE #13: UNION AUTHORIZES STRIKE BALLOT Apr 26, 2024 April 26, 2024 Participants for AMFA: Bret Oestreich – National President Will Abbott – Region II Director Ian Evershed – Airline Representative Simon Weizman – Member-at-Large Negotiator Lee Seham – Legal Counsel Peter Manikowski – Economist Participants for WestJet Airlines: Diederik Pen – President and COO, WestJet Group Gandeephan Ganeshalingam – Vice President Tech Ops Jason Begley – Director, Labour Relations Virginia Swindall – Senior Manager, Labour Relations Richard Tanner – Associate General Counsel Alex Hunt – Corporate Counsel – Labour Relations Alisha Visanji – Cost Controller John Romane – Person Responsible for Maintenance Darren Cook – Line Maintenance Manager UNION AUTHORIZES STRIKE BALLOT The AMFA-WestJet Negotiating Committee (the “Committee”) is providing this update to the Membership at WestJet, an Alberta Partnership (“WestJet”). This is the only officially authorized source of negotiating communications. WestJet and AMFA representatives met in Calgary, Alberta on April 23-26, 2024. On a parallel track, AMFA administrators were updating employee contacts and making arrangements with its balloting contractor to proceed with a strike vote if required.  It is required. It is our intention to issue the strike ballot next week. A secret ballot vote will be conducted, and bargaining unit members will be allowed seven calendar days to submit their vote. In the coming weeks of negotiations, however, we are determined to make every reasonable effort to achieve contractual wages and work rules commensurate with your skills. The Company persists in its failure to submit written proposals throughout the week on significantly enhancing your wages, benefits, layoff/recall, and quality of life work rules. In that case, the Union will call a strike in conformance with the requirements of the Canada Labour Code. Please make sure you have registered on the AMFA National website with your personal email address to receive important future strike vote information. Stay engaged with your Union updates and officers and continue to watch what the Company does as opposed to what it says in written updates or video messages. Remain informed and continue to support the Negotiating Committee as that support increases the ability to bargain a collective agreement your hard work deserves. AMFA thanks the numerous members who came to observe negotiations. Your input is valued, and your presence has an impact. Your AMFA representatives will continue to provide regular updates throughout the negotiating process. Thank you for your continued support. Fraternally, AMFA-WestJet Negotiating Committee   AMFA (amfanational.org)