Direct Westjet Flights Calgary to Belize

REQUEST FOR REINSTATEMENT OF DIRECT WESTJET FLIGHTS CALGARY TO BELIZE

To: Westjet Management.

We, the undersigned, hereby request reinstatement of Westjet direct flights from Calgary to Belize City.  Several years ago, Westjet responded to the requests for a direct flight from Calgary to Belize City.  By offering this flight, Wesjet demonstrated that they were listening to their customers and making every attempt to meet their needs.   The flights were scheduled for one or two days per week and were in high demand.  This flight attracted passengersfrom Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.  They fly to Belize on a regular basis, as do their friends and family members.  

During the past several weeks, customers who have booked direct flights from Calgary to Belize have been notified that the flights have been rerouted through Toronto.  A 5 ½ hour trip has become a 13 to 20 hour trip.  Since I received our notification, I have been in contact with many people who are equally disappointed and frustrated andI  realize that there is a need for Westjet to hear from them. Some customers plan to cancel their flights and are looking to United Airlines or Alaskan Airlines. United Airlines travels from Calgary to Belize City in 7 hours and 40 minutes.  Alaskan Airlines has a direct flight from Seattle.   For others, especially those with small children, a 13 to 20 hour trip is impossible without booking overnight accommodations in order to break up the trip.  This adds unnecessary additional costs to the trip, as well as reducing vacation time. We want to support our Canadian airline but if we are forced to double or triple our flight time, we will be required to seek the shortest flights. 

The rerouting through Toronto also exacerbates health concerns.  In the midst of the Covid pandemic, this altered flight unnecessarily increases the vulnerability of Westjet travellers since they will, now, spend twice the time in close quarters enroute, as well as several hours of waiting time in an extremely busy airport.

Westjet has always been known as an airline for “the regular people” which prioritizes good customer service.  Western  Canadians have taken pride in our locally based airline; the little airline that could.  However, this arbitrary rerouting seems to disregard the interests of guests who have faithfully supported Westjet over the years. We would hope that Onex purchased Wesjet because of its special qualities and that the bottom line would not take precedence over the needs of the clientele. 

The purpose of this petition is to bring to your attention the demand for this flight. If we accept the flight changes with no feedback, Westjet may be unaware of how many people are being affected and the significance of the demand for the direct flight from Calgary to Belize.

We would ask that real people, not computers, take the time to re-evaluate this route and look at the historical loads of the direct flight as well as the personal considerations.  

We believe this route has been financially successful in the past and that there is a significant demand for it.   Westjet has a profitable customer base in western Canada which travels regularly to Belize, and, hopefully, this petition will give some indication of that.  We would hope that Westjet could schedule one or two flights per week, during high season, as has been done in the past.  We pledge to patronize you and are certain that this would be beneficial to Wesjet, as well. Please take a serious look at this and, hopefully, revert to the Westjet we have supported faithfully and which has always endeavored to put the customer first. 

Glenda Kemp    Contact the author of the petition