The airline company was founded on June 27, 1994, and commenced operations on February 29, 1996. WestJet Airlines is a Canadian airline headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, and it is the second largest Canadian airline behind Air Canada. It operates an average of 777 flights and carries more than 66,130 passengers daily.

The airline company carried 25.49 million passengers in 2018, which makes it the ninth-largest airline in North America by the total number of passengers carried.

The airline company was founded in 1994 and began operations in 1996. The airline company started as a low-cost alternative to the country’s competing major airlines. The airline provides scheduled and charter air service to more than hundred destinations in Canada, the USA, Europe, Mexico, Central America, Asia and the Caribbean.

Kestrel BidcoInc, an Onex Corporation subsidiary, owns the airline company. It is not a former airline alliance member, and the company has codeshare agreements with many other airlines.

History

The airline company was founded by Clive Beddoe, Mark Hill, Tim Morgan, Donald Bell and Neeleman. The airline company was based on the low-cost carrier business model pioneered by Morris air and Southwest airlines in the United States. The original route was also located in Western Canada, which gave the airline its name.

The first WestJet flight departed on February 29 1996, and initially the airline also served Calgary, Kelowna, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Edmonton. The airline served with a fleet of three used Boeing 737-200 aircraft and 225 employees. However, by the end of 1996, the company also had added Victoria, Regina and Saskatoon to its network.

WestJet’s fleet was also grounded in mid-September 1996 due to a slight disagreement with Transport Canada over maintenance schedule requirements, and the airline also suspended all the service for two weeks before resuming the flights.

ClivieBeddoe stepped down as the CEO of the airline company in early 1999. Former Air Ontario executive Steve Smith replaced him, and in July 1999, the airline made a public offering of the stock at 2.5 million shares. In 1999, Grande Prairie, Prince George and Thunder Bay were added to WestJet’s route Map.

Steve Smith, the CEO of the airline company, was released from Westjet after eighteen months in 2000 and in the position due to differences about management style. He also went on to head rival Air Canada’s low-cost subsidiary Zip.

2000-2003

WestJet expanded into Eastern Canada and began its service in Hamilton, Ontario, Ottawa, New Brunswick and Moncton. The airline company expanded in 2001 and continued with routes to Fort McMurray and Comox. The airline also added Marie, Ontario, Thompson, Brandon, Manitob and Sault Ste.

The airline also added another two new Eastern Canadian destinations in 2002, the Ontario cities of London and Ontario. The airline also added Windsor, Montreal, Gander, St. John’s and Halifax.

The airline entered into a two-year agreement with Air Transat in August 2003. The chartered flights also operated to the destinations in Caribbean and Mexico. The planes were also operated by the WestJet crews. However, in 2009, the agreement between Air Transat and WestJet got terminated.

Air Canada, which was the rival airline in 2004 accused WestJet of the industrial espionage and also filed a civil suit against WestJet in Ontario Superior Court. Air Canada also accused the airline company of accessing Air Canada’s confidential information via a private website for gaining a business advantage.

Ownership and structure

The airline company is operated by WestJet airlines ltd, which is a private company incorporated in Canada.