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WestJet has marked a key milestone in its 18-year history with the launch of its first scheduled transatlantic service between Toronto and Dublin, Ireland, with a brief stop in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The flight arrived in Dublin Monday, June 16 at 7 a.m. local time.
“It’s very exciting to think that we are about to take our guests across the Atlantic Ocean for the very first time tonight,” said Gregg Saretsky, WestJet president and CEO. “This represents a very significant strategic step in the growth of WestJet. As we’ve expanded our reach, grown our fleet and added new products to broaden our appeal to different travel segments, it’s always been a dream of many WestJetters to one day be able to fly our guests to Europe. Today, the dream comes true.”
Announced in November 2013, WestJet offered introductory fares between Toronto and Dublin starting from $199 including taxes, fees and surcharges on all flights in both directions from June 15 to Oct. 5, 2014 – fares which sold out within the first 24 hours. Today, the service is heavily booked and well ahead of projections, recently prompting a three-week extension to October 25, 2014.
“The response on both sides of the Atlantic has been nothing short of phenomenal,” said Gregg Saretsky. “With one in five Newfoundlanders able to trace their ancestry to Ireland, there is a great deal of travel between the two coasts and we are very pleased to have made it more affordable for so many families and friends to be together this summer. This service is about bringing our low fares and remarkable, people-driven guest experience to new routes and new markets including, for the first time, Europe.”
Gregg Saretsky also paid tribute to the hard work and dedication responsible for this milestone. “This is also a very proud moment for all of us,” he said. “Over the past 18 years our WestJetters have worked tirelessly to care for our guests, for one another and for our company, and that’s what makes this day so special. Our people have powered this airline across North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Today, they’ll bring us all the way to Europe.”
Alison Metcalfe, executive vice president, United States and Canada Tourism Ireland, said, “Tourism Ireland warmly welcomes the launch of WestJet’s service from Toronto, via St John’s, Newfoundland, to Dublin. The island of Ireland has a wealth of experiences for Canadians to enjoy on a relaxing vacation – from cities bustling with vibrant culture and rich history to spectacularly scenic coastlines and mountain regions. Canada is one of our top 10 markets and is a market that is set to develop further in the years ahead. We are working with WestJet to maximize the promotion of this welcome new service.”
“We are delighted with the overwhelming success of this new service to Dublin that clearly demonstrates the significant demand that exists for travel between our province and Ireland,” said Keith Collins, president and CEO, St. John’s International Airport Authority. “This improved accessibility between the two regions will strengthen both personal and business relations, and will expose new opportunities for trade on both sides of the Atlantic.”
