Westjet has announced plans to streamline its business “for a competitive future following the Covid-19 crisis”.
The changes will see the Canadian carrier lay off a total of 3,333 employees, with Westjet’s call centre in Alberta being consolidated, airport operations being contracted out at all domestic airports (except for Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto), and a “strategic restructure” of its office and management staff.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Westjet’s CEO Ed Sims said:
“Throughout the course of the biggest crisis in the history of aviation, Westjet has made many difficult, but essential, decisions to future-proof our business.
“Today’s announcement regarding these strategic but unavoidable changes will allow us to provide security to our remaining 10,000 Westjetters, and to carry on the work of transforming our business.
“Westjet will once again serve the needs of Canadian travellers with low fares and award-winning service levels tomorrow and years from now.”
The carrier said that as it worked to select new airport partners, it would “seek out preferential employment opportunities” for as many of the affected airport roles as possible.
Next month Westjet will operate its first regular international services since March 22, operating the following US and Mexican routes:
- Vancouver – Los Angeles
- Vancouver – Las Vegas
- Calgary – Los Angeles
- Calgary – Las Vegas
- Calgary – Atlanta
- Toronto – Las Vegas
- Toronto – New York LaGuardia
- Toronto – Orlando
- Toronto – Cancun
European routes continue to be suspended at the time of writing.