WestJet reports record May load factor of 81.4 per cent

Airline increases traffic by 14.4%, flies a record 1.8 million guests for the month of May

CALGARY, June 9, 2016 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced May 2016 traffic results with a record load factor of 81.4 per cent. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 14.4 per cent year-over-year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 8.4 per cent over the same period. The airline flew a record 1.8 million guests in May, a year-over-year increase of 9.6 per cent or approximately 157,000 additional guests.

"We are very pleased with our continued strong traffic growth as we flew a record 1.8 million guests for the month of May and ushered in a new chapter in the History of WestJet with the launch of our wide-body transatlantic service to London," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "I want to thank our more than 11,000 WestJetters for continuing to deliver our brand of friendly caring service each and every day."

May 2016 traffic results

	May 2016	May 2015	Change
Load factor	81.4%	77.2%	4.2 pts
ASMs (billions)	2.371	2.187	8.4%
RPMs (billions)	1.931	1.688	14.4%
	Year-to-date 2016	Year-to-date 2015	Change
Load factor	81.7%	80.5%	1.2 pts
ASMs (billions)	12.060	11.286	6.9%
RPMs (billions)	9.848	9.083	8.4%

In May, WestJet launched its new non-stop service between London (Gatwick) and six Canadian cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, and St John's). WestJet flies a total of 56 weekly flights in both directions between Canada and London, including the only non-stop transatlantic service available from Winnipeg. London (Gatwick) is WestJet's third transatlantic destination. In 2014, it launched non-stop service from St. John's to Dublin, followed by service between Halifax and Glasgow in 2015.

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:
2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture (Waterstone Human Capital)
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)
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]