CALGARY, Sept. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - WestJet Airlines Ltd. (TSX:WJA) today announced the appointment of Christopher Burley, as an independent director, to its Board of Directors. The appointment is effective immediately and will bring the total number of Board members to twelve.

Clive Beddoe, WestJet's Chairman of the Board commented, "We are extremely pleased to have Chris join the Board. His integrity, business insights and experience as a director will serve the Board well and benefit WestJet as we continue to deliver against our strategic and operational plans."

Christopher Burley is a Director of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan where he is Chair of the Audit Committee and is the current Non-Executive Chairman of Parallel Energy Inc., a publicly traded oil and gas mutual fund trust. He spent over two decades in the investment banking industry and was Managing Director and Vice Chairman, Energy at Merrill Lynch before his retirement in 2008. Mr. Burley has a Bachelor of Science degree with a certificate of Honours Standing (Geophysics) and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Western Ontario. He is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors Education Program and holds the ICD.D designation.

About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's highest-rated airline for customer service, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 150 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacation packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods  ̶  even on seat sales. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:

2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2014 Interbrand Canada's Best Canadian Brands (Rank #20)
2014 Brands of the Year (Strategy magazine)
2014 Canada's Most Preferred Airline (Ipsos)
2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport World magazine)
2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2014/2013 WestJet RBC MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (Money Sense magazine and RewardsCanada.ca)
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)
Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet
Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet
Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet
Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com

SOURCE WestJet