Is WestJet moving away from its origins as the no-frills, low-cost airline?
Those are terms that have been coined by the media. We are certainly low-cost and high-efficiency. Having TVs on board, in a perverse sense, actually is a benefit from an economic point of view. If it allows us to be more profitable without having higher fares, then the public benefits. Part of your plans include going after business travellers. Will we see a business-class section with free drinks? No, no , no. No. Our whole airplane is first class! As we become more appealing, we become a much more viable alternative to Air Canada. As such, we can then promote ourselves more to the business community. How do you make sure you don’t turn into your competition? That is a cultural phenomenon. It’s a matter of training the right people, bringing the right people into the company and ensuring the wrong people don’t stay with you. We have a team of people who are passionately committed to the company. You also have staff who are now looking for a raise and a return to profit-sharing. They
