Guest M. McRae Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Attention Business Editors: WestJet and Transat Enter into Charter Partnership MONTREAL, Quebec, Aug. 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Transat A.T. inc., announced today a two- year agreement which will allow Transat and its two main tour operators, World of Vacations and Air Transat Holidays, to charter a number of WestJet's state- of-the-art Next-Generation Boeing 737 aircraft and crews for specific routes from several Canadian cities. For the duration of the agreement, Transat's two main tour operators will fill the WestJet planes with passengers from Canada heading for several Southern destinations. During the first season, the contract is worth an estimated $29 million Canadian dollars. "We are pleased with this partnership agreement. The addition of WestJet's narrow-bodied aircraft will complement Air Transat's wide-bodied fleet. We will now be able to increase our service offering in certain markets and broaden our offering in areas which could not otherwise be served by our aircraft," stated Lina De Cesare, Executive Vice-President, Tour Operators at Transat A.T. inc. Bill Lamberton, WestJet's Vice President, Marketing and Sales, said today: "We are delighted to have extended our partnership with Transat for the next two years. Destinations such as the Dominican Republic, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, and Varadero will all be served by WestJet aircraft and crews through the partnership with Transat." Transat A.T. Inc., with its head office in Montréal, is an integrated company specializing in the organization, marketing, and distribution of holiday travel. The core of its business consists of tour operators in Canada and France. Transat is also involved in air transportation, value-added services at travel destinations, as well as in distribution through travel agency networks. Transat is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE:TRZ). WestJet serves the 26 Canadian cities of Victoria, Comox, Vancouver, Abbotsford/Fraser Valley, Prince George, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, London, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, Windsor, Montreal, Moncton, Halifax, Gander and St. John's. WestJet is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WJA. http://www.newswire.ca/releases/August2003/20/c2968.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 ...and the plot thickens. If I was a gambling man... I'd be gambling that Airmail and Dagger, and anyone else that gives a hoot, oughta be lobbyin' the boys in the towers at AC to wise up and actually shift gears.... else they'll be still on pit lane when the race is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest M. McRae Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I guess the next notice we will see could be Westjet getting into an interline agreement with some of the foreign carriers so as to provide movement to / beyond their gateways in Canada. Of course there are a few things that would have to be sorted out, the major ones being the difference in onboard services and baggage connection, but I imagine that could be done. That would be a divergence from Westjet's "model" but I guess so was transcon service. Interesting times indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WA777 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 WJ leaving its' niche.......have we seen this before??.....I think sooooo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsgas Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 The Air Transat pilots recently receiver a nice pay raise, maybe some of there work is being shifted to a non union airline ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 (insert eerie music here) WestJet has operated a very successful charter division almost right from the start so one could argue that this IS our niche. Let's see....someone wants to rent your airplane on a slow day (Saturday or Sunday), they give us a fixed price plus gas and WJ doesn't have to sell the seats? yuppers, a recipe for disaster...now if WestJet launched WestJet vacations or Vacance OuestJet then perhaps we are moving out of our niche. Perhaps we are profitable because we do things differently than you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 "maybe some of there work is being shifted to a non union airline ?" Maybe some of the markets are too small to support a wide body? Nah, you're right it's the union thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEFCON Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Have you considered the possibility that Transat & WJ are preparing for the ultimate demise of a seriously screwed up AC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ECB Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 WestJet is not leaving its niche at all. The company will not have any, not one, dedicated charter aircraft. The charter stuff is all gravy, $29 million worth of gravy in fact. If WestJet had dedicated aircraft and crews it would be a major departure from the business plan and would get lots of internal resistance as a result. Todays announcement is really nothing new, we've been doing extra charters for Transat for years now. Instead of day dreaming about our doing something wrong, Id be trying to get your outfit to do something right there WA777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steam Driven Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I like that... Good one Mav! Speed Demon (d) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WA777 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 If you guys keep praying for AC to collapse then you will have to be prepared to step up to the big leagues and become an International Carrier....Is that what you really want to be...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WA777 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 No....you're profitable because you're smaller than we are........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Well then, the path to profitability is paved with the carcasses of the airplanes you are parking? That is about the stupidest argument I've heard for the state Air Canada is in. By this logic the most profitable carrier would be the airline with no airplanes. Frankly I am amazed that anyone could think this way, the biggest road block AC has is between the ears. Look inward and a solution to save your carrier might be found. We are not your problem, we are the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WA777 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 The one thing I've learned from over 35 years in the airline business(3 different major airlines) is that being bigger means MUCH BIGGER problems....it's as simple as that......! I think you will find that the answer will be perfectly clear to you in a few years.....Fortunately or maybe unfortunately, I've already been there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsgas Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 And why would Air Transat be stuck with only wide body aircraft ? The B-757 is the same width as the B-737. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Air Transat no longer operates any B757's it also had 90 seats more than a B737-700 but that's kind of moot now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ECB Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 The prerequisite for our success is not based on anyone else's failure (unlike A/C master plan). We will soar to new heights or fail based on our own merits and hard work. As a result we don't stand around praying for A/C, Jetsgo or CanJet's demise. In fact, Air Canada's downfall would probably do far more harm then good (yes, now that would cause deviation from our business plan). So you do your thing, we'll do our thing. Again I suggest you worry about your own sinking ship then praying we spring a leak. Any problem at WestJet wouldn't help you guys out. 35 years and you still don't understand how this business works? Guess thats why you guys are in this mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WA777 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Actually I never said I knew how this business works.....just that I've learned a few things along the way.....you however seem to have all the right answers...... Quote: "The prerequisite for our success is not based on anyone else's failure (unlike A/C master plan)" Not even remotely true!!.....why do all WJ employees seem to have this drilled into them from day 1...that AC is the evil empire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 uhhh... 'cause it's true? Air Canada does everything in it's power to hurt other airlines, even when they have to hurt themselves more in the process. The kamikaze business model at Air Canada has been powered by an urge to destroy the competition at any cost. had AC not been so driven to drive CP out of business at any cost, Air Canada would not be in the condition it is today. The Japanese kamikaze pilots did manage to sink allied ships, but they had to kill themselves in the process. Air Canada isn't fighting for the empire, they are fighting for a market monopoly. What good is a monopoly when you are dead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjaer Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Y'know you are right...It is not milton's mismanagement or the unions...It is your size! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEFCON Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I'm part of AC's world and have little desire to see it collapse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JakeYYZ Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 ...of all the impertinent twaddle...utter tripe...why I oughta...I’ll set my dog...how dare.....searches pockets for gloves for slapping callow cheeks or gauntlets for throwing down...coughing fit ensues, loud < hakkaf and harrumphs>...turns to faithful Dagger and emits falsetto FAP!...closes eyes and centers self in philosophy of Amnesia indifference, rereads offending ad homonym attack, admires Japanese kamikaze pilots reference, muses on legal murder and benefits, wonders what rank would I be, sees self as amalgam of Evelyn Waugh and Randolph Churchill &%$@! as newts supposedly helping Marshall Milton and partisans and Waugh staggering about accusing Clive B. of actually being a woman, no good, no good at all he says to self. Think of Byron at Missolonghi…ah, that's a bit better. Gives self brigade rank, sends for adjutant ‘chiselcharter’ and drummer boy ‘givemeabreak redux’, busts them both to buck private, gives option of peeling potatoes til resurrection day or leading an attack on tard infestation at The Airline Website...has armory issue two rolled up Sunday N.Y. Times WITH literary supplement. Offers firm dry handshake and thanks of a grateful forum and a chirpy “well lads, over the top!” Satisfied with this imagery, he turns over and in moments --- is peacefully snoring again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ECB Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 now thats funny! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoChico Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 BETS RANT EVER..period! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoChico Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 BEST RANT EVER...period! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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