With the departure of the sold-out WestJet Flight 38, WestJet marks its seventh direct connection to Europe from its global hub in Calgary this summer

CALGARY, AB, May 15, 2024 /CNW/ - The WestJet Group today celebrated the takeoff of its highly anticipated service between Calgary and Reykjavik (Keflavik). The exclusive service, linking the Group's global hub in Calgary to Iceland, not only bolsters the airline's efforts to enhance YYC Calgary International Airport's connectivity but reinforces the city's standing as the best connected mid-sized city in North America.

"Iceland offers one of the most geologically diverse and breathtaking landscapes in the world and we are thrilled to provide convenient direct access to Reykjavik as we continue to expand our European network," said Angela Avery, WestJet Group, Executive Vice-President, Chief People, Corporate and Sustainability Officer. "As the only airline providing direct connectivity between Calgary and Iceland, WestJet continues to build its presence as Canada's leisure champion, providing our guests with unprecedented and affordable access to fulfill their travel aspirations year-round."

WestJet's service to Reykjavik (Keflavik) will be propelled by its growing 737 MAX fleet, operating four times weekly through to October 13, 2024.

As WestJet executes upon its growth strategy, delivering an expansive network of convenient domestic connections into its global hub in Calgary, WestJet's impressive European network, is made easily accessible for Canadians across the country. With the inclusion of Iceland to its network, guests travelling from or through Calgary will gain access to seven transatlantic connections via WestJet's network this summer. For full details on WestJet's service between Calgary and Europe, visit WestJet.com.

"On behalf of The Calgary Airport Authority and our entire YYC Crew, I am thrilled to congratulate WestJet on its inaugural non-stop route from Calgary to Reykjavik," said Chris Dinsdale, President and CEO of The Calgary Airport Authority. "This new route is about more than just the connection between two cities, it's about recognizing a mutual commitment to global connectivity. In advancing that commitment, every step, every new destination, counts towards solidifying YYC's role and status as a global hub."

Further enhanced by the airline's interline agreement with Icelandair, WestJet's service to Reykjavik will enable guests to travel across Icelandair and WestJet's network via one boarding pass, with the convenience of a single check-in and baggage tagged and checked to their final destination.

"KEF is thrilled to greet its newest partner WestJet today," says Gudmundur Dadi Runarsson, Director for Airline Relations and Route Development Chief Commercial and Airport Development Officer at Keflavik Airport. "WestJet is showing confidence in Iceland as a destination by adding it to its impressive selection of travel opportunities, while at the same time opening Icelanders up to the experience of the great city of Calgary and all that the province of Alberta can offer. We look forward to forging a strong partnership with WestJet well into the future."

In 28 years of serving Canadians, WestJet has cut airfares in half and increased the flying population in Canada to more than 50 per cent. WestJet launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees and five destinations, growing over the years to more than 180 aircraft, 14,000 employees and more than 100 destinations in 26 countries. 

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SOURCE WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership