Westjet – the right way to do low cost?

Cloud 9
Nothing you say is wrong but to be fair to me I was trying to illustrate the fact that the opportunity to fly with “british” low costs for silly fares doesn’t exist with Westjet or,for that matter,probably anywhere else in the world.Nitpicking about the choice of routes,or putting in extras which others,even in this post have said don’t cost much(!!!),is rather manipulating the argument around.I could equally argue one doesn’t have the opportunity to take the “unwanted” extras out of the Westjet fare!!!!!

Barry

Paul
Thank God you said it for me!That’s exactly my point,but in the past people seem to have (deliberately?) refused to take it on board.
That’s exactly what happened to my industry when people started ‘phoning,then later going online,to get cheap insurance.Moreover,I’ve been honest enough to grudgingly admit we half invited it with our arrogance,cosy T & Cs (yes-I had them,big time ….£29 per hour on overtime in 1992!!) and huge branch networks.
Tons of people who worked in my industry,or the nationalised utilities as another example,now work in call centres which I compare to the 19th century workhouses,on T & Cs as bad as the low cost airlines.I don’t see anyone fretting about their fate!If you were me wouldn’t you be slightly pleased to be taking advantage of travel that’s arrived through the same “competition”?
Finally,I might say I have good knowledge of BA and I know how cosy their T & Cs still are even after some savaging.

BTW,Paul,did you ever get my last PM re Moscow?

Barry

if blackkettle in 10 years time someone has devalued your line of work to the extent that your effective pay is half of what it is now and that you have to work far harder for even that money, then maybe you’ll understand.

In all fairness I think Barry has stated several times in the past that he’s now retired from working in insurance as a result of exactly what you mention. Is that right, Barry?

Paul

Shamrock321
I’m an aviation and travel fanatic……I want to be able to do what I do as economically as possible.

It seemed to be admired universally when Freddie Laker,Richard Branson and Harry Goodman (Air Europe RIP) tried it but because a couple came along who really knew how to stuff it to the opposition,they’ve become reviled.

Sad on a site for aviation enthusiasts,though,who one would have thought would welcome the rich variety to spot or photograph,or either or both.

The problem is not “stuff[ing] it to the opposition”. I have said before, I am not against low-fare airlines in general, just against the “sharp” practices that some specialise in. The worst part of the low-fare sector is that they refuse to take responsibility for a failure to deliver – flight cancelled, too bad, come back another day and don’t expect us to cover your costs in the mean time. If they would just take commit to “accommodate” the passenger until they have delivered what the customer contracted for (travel to a specific destination) – as WestJet say they will – that’d be a big step in the right direction. Oh, and stop ripping customers off with excessinve ancilliary charges – it doesn’t cost the airline a fiver to pre-allocate a seat, or a similar amount PER SECTOR per passenger to process a credit card payment, so stop charging so much.

The other problem I have, as I’ve said before, is that your cheap flights come at a cost to many airline employees and ground staff, who are now far more badly paid and work to far worse terms and conditions than they did in the past. Its not that I believe airlines should be a gravy-train for employees, but if blackkettle in 10 years time someone has devalued your line of work to the extent that your effective pay is half of what it is now and that you have to work far harder for even that money, then maybe you’ll understand. I don’t work in airlines now, so it doesn’t directly affect me, but I still morally believe that rediculously cheap travel has come at too high a cost.

Andy

I’m an aviation and travel fanatic……I want to be able to do what I do as economically as possible.

Likewise

There is no doubt that LoCos have made flying and travel a lot more accessible to a lot more people. To be honest I very rarely fly with these airlines (I have done Four flights with Ryanair, and they passed without any trouble). My biggest gripe with them and there low fare strategies is that “legacy” carriers are slowly picking away and “enhancing” there domestic/short haul operations in an effort to lower overheads and reduce prices. Were all going to be flying with the same type of service by the looks of things anyway.

It’s down to personal preference in the end, but I still look at flying as something a bit special. I want some of the nicer things that used to be offered, complimentary hot breakfasts on early morning domestic flights and so on. At least WestJet are looking at bringing some of the fun back into domestic flying.

Im not anti Ryanair/Easyjet and the like, I just don’t like how they are forcing other airlines into the same way of operating

Good on you WestJet. Hope it works out.

Shamrock321
I included the Irish one in my inverted commas around the word “British”.
I am proud that a group of airlines from these islands has put the skids under the complacent legacy carriers.I even rather admire their ruthlessness.
I am also proud that our charter airlines generally have proven far more long lived than those in the EEC,partly because the British Tour Operators screw better deals out of hotels etc abroad!!
I’m an aviation and travel fanatic……I want to be able to do what I do as economically as possible.
It seemed to be admired universally when Freddie Laker,Richard Branson and Harry Goodman (Air Europe RIP) tried it but because a couple came along who really knew how to stuff it to the opposition,they’ve become reviled.
IMHO it’s like show business…..be a big success and people want to bring you down.”British” disease!!
Sad on a site for aviation enthusiasts,though,who one would have thought would welcome the rich variety to spot or photograph,or either or both.

Barry

BTW Cloud 9,I think your comparison is worse than mine!Who the hell wants 2 checked bags on regional flights?I don’t want one let alone two.

Is YYZ-YUL not considered a ‘regional’ flight, even though they are only an hours flight time away from each other?

I think you have misunderstood my reason for choosing to add the two checked-in bags…I simply chose this as an option in order to represent the same level of service that Westjet offers. I didnt/wasnt suggest that it is something that someone would actually do (again it comes down to personal choice!), but you have to compare like for like…and as my example shows, whilst Easyjet is still cheaper than Westjet (even when you do add on the charges for the two check-in bags!), you still miss out on alot of other things that you get included in the price of the Westjet fare…hope that makes sense?

Don’t worry we’re used to it! Could always be worse…… Could be from a particular northern city *cough cough*

Newcastle?

Blackkettle, the British LOCOs may be cheap but they still dont compare to the Irish one 😉

(apologises to all those who live/work in Bristol!).

Don’t worry we’re used to it! Could always be worse…… Could be from a particular northern city *cough cough*

Sounds like a good way to do things. Even if it’s is more expensive than the equivalent euro lo-cos your always going to pay more for flexiblity. I like that they will accommodate on weather related delays/cancelations. Important in that part of the world.

Ah,but as I’ve said so many times you’re an insider with a view coloured by the way the lo-costs have changed your life.I’d be happier if I thought you all took the same high principle on buying Cds off Amazon or cheap car insurance or groceries farmed by child labour et al ad nauseam!. ‘Til then I’ll be B******D if I’m going to pass up cheap air travel for the first time in half a century.
BTW Cloud 9,I think your comparison is worse than mine!Who the hell wants 2 checked bags on regional flights?I don’t want one let alone two.Hand luggage for me thanks,even for a week,then incompetent airport staff can’t lose my precious aircraft shots.Sorry,there’s the aviation “enthusiast” creeping out,on a site related to an aviation magazine,for God’s sake!
Barry

Is this a pro-Westjet post or an anti FR one?

Both

Easyjet BRS-GLA out Tues 9/3 early am,back next day late pm £38.98 all in for 406 miles each way. Westjet same dates out 14.30,back 14.15 Toronto-Montreal £112.07 for 313.45 miles each way!!!!

Despite the hardly similar comparison (as already outlined by Cloud9) I’d gladly pay Westjet price rather than be subjected to a Ryanair style humiliation for 1/3 the price.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say you shouldn’t be allowed to fly that far for so low a price – in no way does that price reflect the cost of moving you from BRS to EDI and back, nor does it support the environmental impact you are causing by flying that route.

When Transport Minister Skymonster comes to power, you will be forced to pay a fair price for your flying – a price that makes you consider whether even travelling that trip, let alone flying, is economically and environmentally justifiable.

Andy

Easyjet BRS-GLA out Tues 9/3 early am,back next day late pm £38.98 all in for 406 miles each way.

Westjet same dates out 14.30,back 14.15 Toronto-Montreal £112.07 for 313.45 miles each way!!!!

Thats hardly a fair comparison in my opinion seeing as you’ve chosen to compare two completely different types of routes with a rather large difference in mileage travelled.

Granted, Bristol is a city, however, I would not consider it be a “major” city if you are trying to compare it to the likes of Toronto and/or Montreal (apologises to all those who live/work in Bristol!).

I personally think London to Edinburgh would have been a far better comparison in terms of city choices, which when I did it I chose flying from Gatwick on the same dates as you have chosen in your example above…however I added on the extra fees that Easyjet charge, so I added two checked-in bags and Speedy Boarding in order to replicate the seat choice (even though with EZY this is still done as you board the aircraft and not online!)…and the total cost comes out at £113.98rtn.

Now, compared to Westjet for the same dates and as near same times to make it as fair as possible…they’re total price is CAN$288, which when converted into GBP’s is approx £171rtn, but you have to bear in mind the fact that you do not get the same amount of legroom, and you do not get the seatback TV and/or the free snacks and drinks when travelling with Easyjet, hence why Westjet’s fare is approx £57 more expensive!

[i]Easyjet vs Westjet[/i]

We will not charge you for call centre bookings. (Easyjet do charge!)
We will not charge you to change or cancel your flight for 24 hours after you book. (Easyjet do charge!)
We will not overbook your flight.
We will not charge you for two checked bags. (Easyjet do charge!)
We will have the lowest change, cancel and pre-reserved seating fees in Canada.
We will accommodate you if your flight is delayed – even if it’s Mother Nature’s fault.
We will fly you in the youngest all-jet fleet in North America.
We will provide live seatback TV on our flights. (Easyjet don’t)
We will give you ample legroom and overhead bin space. (Seat pitch comparison…Easyjet = 29in; Westjet = 32-34in!)
We will publish our on-time, lost baggage and cancellation rates.
We will always let you know how we’re doing as a company.
We will offer free online seat selection 24 hours before departure. (Easyjet don’t!)
We will allow you to transfer your credit files to friends or family for free. (Easyjet don’t!)
We will give you free snacks and refreshments on your flight. (Easyjet don’t!)

The problem is, in the cut-throat European market no-one would pay the level of fares that WJ can command as the only real loco in a sparsely populated country.

I would gladly pay the fare that WJ charge because you actually get ‘value for money’ because you get a far better level of service.

I think what this proves (and has already been proven on many occasions already, but still fun to do none the less!) is that it really depends on who you are as a person in general (not just you black kettle!) as to which airline you travel with…if you simply fly to get from A to B, then price is going to be far more of an issue to you compared to the service you recieve, whereas if your someone like me (and I like my frills…lol!), then I take everything from the price, service and general reputation of the airline into account before choosing who I fly with.

(Have I just created the longest post in KP forum history for one the most simplest of answers?!…:o)

I too would be much happier with Westjet.The problem is,in the cut-throat European market no-one would pay the level of fares that WJ can command as the only real loco in a sparsely populated country.

Is this a pro-Westjet post or an anti FR one?

A bit of both. 😉

They certainly seem to have a damned good ethos. I wish there were more airlines who worked similar!

Paul

I would fly with them I guess…

Is this a pro-Westjet post or an anti FR one?

Easyjet BRS-GLA out Tues 9/3 early am,back next day late pm £38.98 all in for 406 miles each way.

Westjet same dates out 14.30,back 14.15 Toronto-Montreal £112.07 for 313.45 miles each way!!!!

They’ve already built one night’s hotel into the fare!

No-one gets near the “British” lo-cos on price and that’s why there’s so many swingeing conditions.

BTW……nice pic of nice plane with b****y silly slogan

Barry