Brandon flights unaffected for now: WestJet
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Brandon air travellers may not see immediate changes to their scheduled flights between Calgary and the Wheat City for now, a WestJet official told the Sun.
“Currently, our schedule adjustments have not impacted our operations in YBR (Brandon Municipal Airport),” the airline’s media relations advisor, Julia Kaiser, told the Sun.
WestJet confirmed it has begun consolidating flights on lower-demand routes in response to rising global fuel prices, reducing overall capacity by about one per cent in April and three per cent in May.
A WestJet plane turns on the tarmac at the Brandon Municipal Airport in preparation for takeoff. The company confirmed that Brandon air travellers may not see immediate changes to their flights for now. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files)
While these changes have not yet affected Brandon, the airline signalled that could change depending on how fuel costs evolve.
“We are monitoring the impact of fuel prices very closely, and additional adjustments may be required in the coming months,” Kaiser said in an email.
Flights between Brandon and Calgary currently operate daily, except on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with arrivals at 12:30 p.m. and departures at 1:20 p.m.
By the end of April, the schedule is expected to return to daily service seven days a week, according to the airline’s website.
Kaiser’s comments come as the Calgary-based airline rolls out a series of cost-control measures, including a temporary $60 surcharge.
When asked whether the $60 surcharge would affect Brandon passengers, Kaiser referred the Sun to a broader company statement.
The surcharge will apply to bookings made using WestJet Rewards companion vouchers starting today, the statement said. The fee will appear under the “Other ATC” section of bookings.
WestJet said global factors are a key driver behind rising fuel prices.
“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has strained global oil supplies and led to a spike in the price of oil and a larger increase in the price of jet fuel, which typically accounts for approximately 20 per cent of an airline’s costs,” the company said.
The airline said the surcharge is necessary because, unlike standard fares, companion vouchers do not allow for flexible pricing adjustments.
“Fuel is the largest contributor to airline operating costs, and a temporary surcharge helps us manage the recent surge in fuel prices,” the company said.
Additional surcharges are also being introduced on vacation packages.
A $50 per-person fee will apply to new bookings with Sunwing Vacations and Vacances WestJet Québec starting April 14, though existing bookings will not be affected.
Return flights between Brandon and Calgary typically range from about $260 to nearly $400, depending on timing and availability.
» aodutola@brandonsun.com
» X: @AbiolaOdutola