WestJet reports August load factor of 86.5 per cent

Airline increases traffic by 11.3 per cent and flies an all-time monthly record of 2.1 million guests

CALGARY, Sept. 12, 2016 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced August 2016 traffic results with a load factor of 86.5 per cent an increase of 1.9 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 11.3 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 8.8 per cent over the same period. The airline flew an all-time monthly record of 2.1 million guests in August, a year-over-year increase of 5.3 per cent or approximately 105,000 additional guests.

"We are pleased with our fourth consecutive month of double-digit traffic growth as we welcomed on board the highest ever monthly number of guests in our twenty year history," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "My sincere thanks go out to our almost 12,000 WestJetters for their continuing commitment and passion through this very busy summer period."

August 2016 traffic results

	August 2016	August 2015	Change
Load factor	86.5%	84.6%	1.9 pts
ASMs (billions)	2.646	2.432	8.8%
RPMs (billions)	2.289	2.057	11.3%
	Year-to-date 2016	Year-to-date 2015	Change
Load factor	82.6%	80.9%	1.7 pts
ASMs (billions)	19.682	18.279	7.7%
RPMs (billions)	16.265	14.788	10.0%

In August, WestJet announced new service to Belize commencing October 29^th and that it will offer members of any airline or travel rewards program the opportunity to obtain gold status in its WestJet Rewards program. Gold flight benefits for eligible WestJet Rewards members include two free checked bags, 10 airport lounge vouchers, four advance seat selection vouchers, no fee to change to an earlier or later flight on the same day of travel, advance boarding and priority security screening at select airports.

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 vacations 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:
2016/2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)
2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture (Waterstone Human Capital)
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in the Canada's Choice ranking (RewardsCanada.ca)
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)
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)

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SOURCE WestJet

WestJet Media Relations, 1-888-WJ-4-NEWS (1-888-954-6397), Email: [email protected], Website: www.westjet.com; WestJet Investor Relations, 1-877-493-7853, Email: [email protected]