WestJet has today shared its ramped-up schedule for next month. One of the notable services that will return is the Canadian outfit’s transatlantic European Boeing 787 flights. The Dreamliner will be used for trips to the United Kingdom and France.
Back in action
According to an official press release seen by Simple Flying, from August 20th, the carrier will restart its direct 787 operations to London Gatwick and Paris Charles de Gaulle from Calgary International. The global health crisis had previously forced it to suspend services such as these.
The operator now plans for the London-bound flight to leave three times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Meanwhile, the Paris trip to depart twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays.
The airline currently holds six units of the 787-9 variant of the Dreamliner, with the most recent one joining in June 2020. However, at least three of these have been in storage with all the groundings in place over the last few months.
WestJet chief commercial officer Arved von zur Muehlen spoke about how the airline has several measures in place to ensure that operations are safe while it expands. Moreover, the carrier is continually analyzing the market to keep on top of demand in the current conditions.
“With the many safeguards and procedures in place, we are certain Canadians can safely resume travel to destinations across our network,” von zur Muehlen as per the press release.
“We continue to adapt our schedule to meet the needs of our guests and through our continued investments economies can begin to recover with the support of domestic tourism driven by air travel.”
Expansions across the nations
The businessman added that despite the challenges, his team is committed to ensuring that air travel remains affordable and accessible to Canadians from coast-to-coast during this tough period. Even though an increase in flight activity is a positive sign, WestJet is are rigorously monitoring passenger loads to make sure that it is operating responsibly.
This update is part of the announcement that WestJet’s August schedule features over 200 daily flights to 48 destinations across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe. Key transborder services include trips to Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York LaGuardia, and Orlando.
New initiatives
If you’re planning to travel on these services, it’s essential to be up to date with the travel policies in place. For instance, transport Canada currently requires all fliers over the age of two to wear a face mask.
Moreover, WestJet has a series of sanitary procedures in place to reduce risk across its operations. One of the cleaning processes is called fogging. Here, the entire interior of the plane is disinfected using a hydrogen peroxide-based solution cleaner.
Additionally, HEPA filters will introduce fresh air into the cabin every two to three minutes. They will also filter 99.99% of all airborne particles to help passengers breathe easier.
Altogether, WestJet will be glad to be resuming services such as these transatlantic 787 trips. Restrictions are still strict in Canada, but following close monitoring, the airline feels that August is the right time to get the ball rolling again. Nonetheless, it’s advisable to check the travel policies in place before planning any international trip over the next few months.
What are your thoughts about the return of WestJet’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights to Europe? Will you be flying with the airline this summer? Let us know what you think of these services in the comment section.
