CALGARY and ATLANTA, June 27,
2019 /CNW/ - WestJet (TSX:WJA) and Delta Air Lines
(NYSE:DAL) today announced that their proposed U.S. – Canada transborder joint venture has received
clearance under Canada's
Competition Act from the Canadian Competition Bureau (CCB). The CCB
issued a no-action letter confirming that it does not intend to
challenge the proposed joint venture agreement between WestJet and
Delta Air Lines.
"Today's clearance by the CCB is an important step towards
satisfying the conditions necessary to implement the proposed
WestJet-Delta transborder joint venture," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "We thank
the CCB for its timely and thorough review. The joint venture
will lead to more consumer choice, connectivity, and economic
benefits on both sides of the border by growing U.S.-Canada business and tourism travel."
"This significant achievement brings us closer to implementing a
joint venture that provides a world-class experience for customers
travelling between the U.S. and Canada," said Ed
Bastian, Delta's CEO. "The joint venture between Delta
and WestJet will create an expanded network with more frequencies
and destinations, improved airport connections and significantly
enhanced frequent flyer benefits."
The proposed joint venture between the two airlines is still
subject to regulatory approval from the Department of
Transportation in the United
States.
Upon receipt of all regulatory clearances or approvals the new
joint venture will enable Delta and WestJet to deepen their
existing partnership with expanded codesharing, reciprocal elite
frequent flyer benefits, optimized growth across the
U.S.-Canada transborder networks, and co-location at key hubs
with initiatives designed to deliver a more seamless guest
experience. The partners will also begin implementing joint sales
and marketing activities and increase belly cargo
cooperation.
Further information about WestJet and Delta Air Lines is
available at westjet.com and delta.com.
About WestJet
Together with WestJet's regional airline, WestJet Encore, we
offer scheduled service to more than 100 destinations in
North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe and to more than 175 destinations in
over 20 countries through our airline partnerships. WestJet
Vacations offers affordable, flexible vacations to more than 60
destinations and the choice of more than 800 hotels, resorts,
condos and villas. Members of the WestJet Rewards program
earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more.
Members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of flights and
vacations packages to any WestJet destination with no blackout
periods and have access to Member Exclusive fares offering deals to
WestJet destinations throughout our network and those of our
partner airlines.
WestJet is proud to be recognized for three consecutive years as
Best Airline in Canada (2017-19)
and awarded among travellers' favourite Mid-Sized Airlines in
North America (2019). From
2017-2018, WestJet was also awarded among travellers' favorite
Mid-Sized and Low-Cost Airlines in North
America. The airline was also recognized among the Economy
Class winners in North America,
2018. All awards are based on authentic reviews from the travelling
public on TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site. We are one
of very few airlines globally that does not commercially
overbook.
WestJet is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange
(TSX) under the symbol WJA. For more information about
everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.
Recent
recognition includes:
2019/2018/2017 Best
Airline in Canada (TripAdvisor
Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)
2019 Winner Among Mid-Sized Airlines in North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice
awards for Airlines)
2018/2017 Winner Among Mid-Sized and Low Cost Airlines –
North America (TripAdvisor
Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)
2018 Winner – Economy, North
America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for
Airlines)
2018 Number-One-Ranked Airline Credit Card in Canada (Rewards Canada)
2018 North America's Best Low-Cost
Airline (Skytrax)
2018/2017/2016 Canada's Most
Trusted Airline (Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria)
Connect with WestJet on Facebook at
facebook.com/westjet
Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet
Follow WestJet on Instagram instagram.com/westjet/
Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet
Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com
About Delta
Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is the U.S.
global airline leader in products, services, innovation,
reliability and customer experience. Powered by its 80,000 people
around the world, Delta continues to invest billions in its people,
improving the air travel experience and generating industry-leading
shareholder returns.
- Delta serves nearly 200 million people every year, taking
customers across its industry-leading global network to more than
300 destinations in over 50 countries.
- Headquartered in Atlanta,
Delta offers more than 5,000 daily departures and as many as 15,000
affiliated departures including the premier SkyTeam alliance, of
which Delta is a founding member.
- Through its innovative alliances with Aeromexico, Air
France-KLM, Alitalia, China Eastern,
GOL, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia, Delta is
bringing more choice and competition to customers worldwide.
- Delta operates significant hubs and key markets at airports in
Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, London-Heathrow, Los
Angeles, Mexico City,
Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK
and LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de
Gaulle, Salt Lake City, São
Paulo, Seattle, Seoul-Incheon and
Tokyo-Narita.
- Delta has been recognized as a Fortune's top 50 Most Admired
Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for
the eighth time in nine years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1
in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an
unprecedented eight consecutive years and named one of Fast
Company's Most Innovative Companies Worldwide for two consecutive
years.
- As an employer, Delta has been regularly awarded top honors
from organizations like Glassdoor and recognized as a top workplace
for women and members of the military. Delta CEO Ed Bastian was named among the "World's Greatest
Leaders" by Fortune magazine in 2018.
- More about Delta can be found on the Delta News Hub as well as
delta.com, via @DeltaNewsHub on Twitter and
Facebook.com/delta.
SOURCE WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership