Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
hoons90 wrote:Source: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/we ... 41133.html
https://blog.westjet.com/westjet-announ ... nt:twitter
Initial fleet is planned to comprise of 10 737-800s in a high-density layout. The new venture is yet to be named.
steviecanuck wrote:When Westjet first launched, they were the Low-Cost Carrier in Canada. Then they became just like all the other mainstream airlines, got greedy and they lost their identity. So can we say this new Ultra Low-Cost Carrier is bringing them BACK to their roots?
Noise wrote:Definitely a plow to block startups such as Canada Jetlines and to compete vs Air Transat and Air Canada Rouge.
jmt18325 wrote:OMG, Westjet will be trashing their own yields!!!!
Ha
obelau24 wrote:The whole point of a ULCC is you pay for the seat (and maybe the space under the seat in front of you) but that's it. You could easily introduce a basic economy-type fare where you get:
- no checked baggage (same as regular WS economy)
- one piece of hand carry
- no seat assignment until check-in
- online check-in only and extra charge to check-in at the airport (a la Ryanair)
- no WS dollars or OAL mileage accrual
- no connections, only one way tickets and therefore no baggage transfers or interlining
- non refundable, non changeable even for a fee
- only available for online purchase up to 1 hour from departure
jmt18325 wrote:OMG, Westjet will be trashing their own yields!!!!
Ha
MIflyer12 wrote:obelau24 wrote:The whole point of a ULCC is you pay for the seat (and maybe the space under the seat in front of you) but that's it. You could easily introduce a basic economy-type fare where you get:
- no checked baggage (same as regular WS economy)
- one piece of hand carry
- no seat assignment until check-in
- online check-in only and extra charge to check-in at the airport (a la Ryanair)
- no WS dollars or OAL mileage accrual
- no connections, only one way tickets and therefore no baggage transfers or interlining
- non refundable, non changeable even for a fee
- only available for online purchase up to 1 hour from departure
I don't know if that's 'the whole point' of ULCC but you do describe fare/service differentiation they could easily introduce with the existing fleet.
168 seats in the current WS fleet isn't exactly low density. How much $ can they realistically save with yet higher density?jmt18325 wrote:OMG, Westjet will be trashing their own yields!!!!
Ha
That would be my concern. Wasting money with dual advertising & branding. Confusing people between WS and WS-lite...
readytotaxi wrote:hoons90 wrote:Source: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/we ... 41133.html
https://blog.westjet.com/westjet-announ ... nt:twitter
Initial fleet is planned to comprise of 10 737-800s in a high-density layout. The new venture is yet to be named.
Sardine Airlines?
yycdel wrote:
I believe Westjet is reconfiguring their 738s to 174 seats anyways.
767333ER wrote:I think they are mostly aiming at New Leaf and Canada Jetlines
thekorean wrote:readytotaxi wrote:hoons90 wrote:Source: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/we ... 41133.html
https://blog.westjet.com/westjet-announ ... nt:twitter
Initial fleet is planned to comprise of 10 737-800s in a high-density layout. The new venture is yet to be named.
Sardine Airlines?
EastJet
cumulushumilis wrote:
How so?
obelau24 wrote:yycdel wrote:
I believe Westjet is reconfiguring their 738s to 174 seats anyways.
That's correct - they started the refurbishment to add a row 29 in 2014 or '15, about the same time they were introducing Plus. Easily the worst row possible being so close to the bathroom with no recline and very tight legroom. When I left row 29 was blocked off and used last unless specifically requested by a guest and one side was blocked for crew rest unless the booking was over 171. Seat pitch is tight in the whole economy class.
Whiteguy wrote:obelau24 wrote:yycdel wrote:
I believe Westjet is reconfiguring their 738s to 174 seats anyways.
That's correct - they started the refurbishment to add a row 29 in 2014 or '15, about the same time they were introducing Plus. Easily the worst row possible being so close to the bathroom with no recline and very tight legroom. When I left row 29 was blocked off and used last unless specifically requested by a guest and one side was blocked for crew rest unless the booking was over 171. Seat pitch is tight in the whole economy class.
Yes and no.....the 800s currently have 174 seats onboard but only 168 are sold, six seats in plus have a blocker in them. The 800s are being reconfigured to 180 seats, adding a row of 6 seats, and 174 will be sold. With the 700s it'll be increased to 140 seats with 134 being sold.
berari wrote:thekorean wrote:readytotaxi wrote:Sardine Airlines?
EastJet
Shoot me if you want to, but I found EasyJet to be superior to what we have with Westjet today.
767333ER wrote:I think they should call it WestJet Rodeo. It screams west and also would tell customers that a high density 738 really is a heck of a ride.
berari wrote:767333ER wrote:I think they should call it WestJet Rodeo. It screams west and also would tell customers that a high density 738 really is a heck of a ride.
You must be from Toronto and its environs. There's more to YYC than the rodeo.
Whiteguy wrote:obelau24 wrote:yycdel wrote:
I believe Westjet is reconfiguring their 738s to 174 seats anyways.
That's correct - they started the refurbishment to add a row 29 in 2014 or '15, about the same time they were introducing Plus. Easily the worst row possible being so close to the bathroom with no recline and very tight legroom. When I left row 29 was blocked off and used last unless specifically requested by a guest and one side was blocked for crew rest unless the booking was over 171. Seat pitch is tight in the whole economy class.
Yes and no.....the 800s currently have 174 seats onboard but only 168 are sold, six seats in plus have a blocker in them. The 800s are being reconfigured to 180 seats, adding a row of 6 seats, and 174 will be sold. With the 700s it'll be increased to 140 seats with 134 being sold.
rbavfan wrote:I would say all coach 189 seats as they indicated high density layout vs 12/156 on their current fleet.
tphuang wrote:Whiteguy wrote:obelau24 wrote:
That's correct - they started the refurbishment to add a row 29 in 2014 or '15, about the same time they were introducing Plus. Easily the worst row possible being so close to the bathroom with no recline and very tight legroom. When I left row 29 was blocked off and used last unless specifically requested by a guest and one side was blocked for crew rest unless the booking was over 171. Seat pitch is tight in the whole economy class.
Yes and no.....the 800s currently have 174 seats onboard but only 168 are sold, six seats in plus have a blocker in them. The 800s are being reconfigured to 180 seats, adding a row of 6 seats, and 174 will be sold. With the 700s it'll be increased to 140 seats with 134 being sold.
goodness, i'm flying on them tomorrow. Not looking forward to it at all.
yycdel wrote:rbavfan wrote:I would say all coach 189 seats as they indicated high density layout vs 12/156 on their current fleet.
Current fleet is moving to 30" pitch (higher in plus), 12/162
obelau24 wrote:yycdel wrote:rbavfan wrote:I would say all coach 189 seats as they indicated high density layout vs 12/156 on their current fleet.
Current fleet is moving to 30" pitch (higher in plus), 12/162
Is that for real? How can they justify that move when so many of their bread-and-butter routes are at least 3 hours - everything in the Americans and Caribbean and transcontinental. Guests will vote with their feet for sure. Honestly, WS needs to reinvest in itself to improve the product offering or go back to LCC. If they do go along with the ULCC plan then they need to go full service. Dispense with the Plus seating and install real business class, introduce actual meals for purchase and the opportunity to buy meals in advance, instead of sandwiches and cheese platters, improve seat pitch in Economy, and improve WestJet rewards to include more carriers and options for reward redemption on Partners. This isn't the WS I once knew and I'm liking it less and less. We used to joke with our guests at check in that every seat on WestJet was first class. Now it's an insult to injury.
obelau24 wrote:Is that for real? How can they justify that move when so many of their bread-and-butter routes are at least 3 hours - everything in the Americans and Caribbean and transcontinental. Guests will vote with their feet for sure. Honestly, WS needs to reinvest in itself to improve the product offering or go back to LCC. If they do go along with the ULCC plan then they need to go full service. Dispense with the Plus seating and install real business class, introduce actual meals for purchase and the opportunity to buy meals in advance, instead of sandwiches and cheese platters, improve seat pitch in Economy, and improve WestJet rewards to include more carriers and options for reward redemption on Partners. This isn't the WS I once knew and I'm liking it less and less. We used to joke with our guests at check in that every seat on WestJet was first class. Now it's an insult to injury.
ryan78 wrote:The main reason why Westjet has slowly become worse and worse is due to lack of legitimate competition.
tphuang wrote:Whiteguy wrote:obelau24 wrote:
That's correct - they started the refurbishment to add a row 29 in 2014 or '15, about the same time they were introducing Plus. Easily the worst row possible being so close to the bathroom with no recline and very tight legroom. When I left row 29 was blocked off and used last unless specifically requested by a guest and one side was blocked for crew rest unless the booking was over 171. Seat pitch is tight in the whole economy class.
Yes and no.....the 800s currently have 174 seats onboard but only 168 are sold, six seats in plus have a blocker in them. The 800s are being reconfigured to 180 seats, adding a row of 6 seats, and 174 will be sold. With the 700s it'll be increased to 140 seats with 134 being sold.
goodness, i'm flying on them tomorrow. Not looking forward to it at all.
ACDC8 wrote:tphuang wrote:Whiteguy wrote:
Yes and no.....the 800s currently have 174 seats onboard but only 168 are sold, six seats in plus have a blocker in them. The 800s are being reconfigured to 180 seats, adding a row of 6 seats, and 174 will be sold. With the 700s it'll be increased to 140 seats with 134 being sold.
goodness, i'm flying on them tomorrow. Not looking forward to it at all.
In regards to the seat pitch, as someone one who flies WS several times a month, the leg room on the 700s/800s is very generous, and I'm 6'3". I try to book Plus or at least upgrade as often as possible on longer flights, but even a 4.5 hour flight from YLW-YYZ or YVR-SJD or CUN is very comfortable leg room wise.
On the WS charter flights we have for work, most flights are full so the middle seat is used in Plus as well as the last row(s) on both the 700/800 and the leg room is not an issue at all.
If you want cramped leg room, fly on one of their -600s with the older seats.
hoons90 wrote:Source: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/we ... 41133.html
https://blog.westjet.com/westjet-announ ... nt:twitter
Initial fleet is planned to comprise of 10 737-800s in a high-density layout. The new venture is yet to be named.
tphuang wrote:ACDC8 wrote:tphuang wrote:goodness, i'm flying on them tomorrow. Not looking forward to it at all.
In regards to the seat pitch, as someone one who flies WS several times a month, the leg room on the 700s/800s is very generous, and I'm 6'3". I try to book Plus or at least upgrade as often as possible on longer flights, but even a 4.5 hour flight from YLW-YYZ or YVR-SJD or CUN is very comfortable leg room wise.
On the WS charter flights we have for work, most flights are full so the middle seat is used in Plus as well as the last row(s) on both the 700/800 and the leg room is not an issue at all.
If you want cramped leg room, fly on one of their -600s with the older seats.
I guess I am spoiled, but the couple of times I flew WestJet when I was not in plus seating were not great experiences.
Now I am waiting in the LGA terminal d, because WestJet is late again. It takes them 40 minutes to board on a flight that is 3 hours late. I am totally not kidding here looking at ws1211 still boarding while I type. And all of this is on a one hour flight. This is what I get for picking them because I can earn miles with AA.
tphuang wrote:ACDC8 wrote:tphuang wrote:goodness, i'm flying on them tomorrow. Not looking forward to it at all.
In regards to the seat pitch, as someone one who flies WS several times a month, the leg room on the 700s/800s is very generous, and I'm 6'3". I try to book Plus or at least upgrade as often as possible on longer flights, but even a 4.5 hour flight from YLW-YYZ or YVR-SJD or CUN is very comfortable leg room wise.
On the WS charter flights we have for work, most flights are full so the middle seat is used in Plus as well as the last row(s) on both the 700/800 and the leg room is not an issue at all.
If you want cramped leg room, fly on one of their -600s with the older seats.
I guess I am spoiled, but the couple of times I flew WestJet when I was not in plus seating were not great experiences.
Now I am waiting in the LGA terminal d, because WestJet is late again. It takes them 40 minutes to board on a flight that is 3 hours late. I am totally not kidding here looking at ws1211 still boarding while I type. And all of this is on a one hour flight. This is what I get for picking them because I can earn miles with AA.
Whiteguy wrote:tphuang wrote:ACDC8 wrote:In regards to the seat pitch, as someone one who flies WS several times a month, the leg room on the 700s/800s is very generous, and I'm 6'3". I try to book Plus or at least upgrade as often as possible on longer flights, but even a 4.5 hour flight from YLW-YYZ or YVR-SJD or CUN is very comfortable leg room wise.
On the WS charter flights we have for work, most flights are full so the middle seat is used in Plus as well as the last row(s) on both the 700/800 and the leg room is not an issue at all.
If you want cramped leg room, fly on one of their -600s with the older seats.
I guess I am spoiled, but the couple of times I flew WestJet when I was not in plus seating were not great experiences.
Now I am waiting in the LGA terminal d, because WestJet is late again. It takes them 40 minutes to board on a flight that is 3 hours late. I am totally not kidding here looking at ws1211 still boarding while I type. And all of this is on a one hour flight. This is what I get for picking them because I can earn miles with AA.
WS1211 aircraft has been running back and forth between YYZ and LGA all day, you can't be that surprised it's running behind. With the runway construction in YYZ and the weather in LGA, 1/4 mile in fog and 2-300 foot ceilings which you conveniently omitted in your post, there are going to be delays. The first flight this morning was an hour late, likely due to flow delays. But hey blame the airline!!!