WestJet (WS, Calgary) says it will absorb its ultra-low-cost subsidiary Swoop (Hamilton, ON) by October but will not complete the integration of Sunwing Airlines (WG, Toronto Pearson) until 2024. WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech says combining the three airlines will "provide reliable and affordable travel to a broader spectrum of guests."
Providing an update on timelines earlier this week, Von Hoensbroech said it is business as usual until the WestJet Group finalises the integration process. H said the outcome will increase choices for consumers and make fares more affordable. "The integration of all jets from Sunwing Airlines, Swoop and WestJet into one fleet will provide us with the scale to enhance our collective operational resilience, while offering more affordable fares and vacation opportunities across our entire network.”
Von Hoensbroech recently said that he believes it is "conceptually wrong" to have different airlines in the one group targeting different customer segments. The WestJet Group only finalised its acquisition of Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations on May 1, almost immediately to announce it would integrate the airline arm and send its twelve B737-800s and nine B737-8 over to the mainline WestJet operation. The Sunwing Vacations brand will continue to operate.
The WestJet Group has owned Swoop since it was established in 2018 to better compete against Flair Airlines (F8, Kelowna). Earlier this month, the integration of that airline was confirmed, with it finishing flying on October 28. Swoop operates ten B737-800s and six B737-8s.
The three airlines, operating as WestJet, will field 180 aircraft. In the face of mounting consumer concerns that the integration will reduce competition and lead to increased fares, Von Hoensbroech says this is not the case. He says because the three airlines are already WestJet Group entities, there is already little competition between them and the point of the integrations, from the Group's perspective, is to create scale, which would have flow-on consumer benefits. The integrated airlines will operate under the one air operator's certificate, allowing crews to fly across all aircraft.
