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Founded | November 24, 2017 | ||||||
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Commenced operations | June 21, 2018 [1] | ||||||
Ceased operations | October 26, 2024 | ||||||
Hubs | |||||||
Frequent-flyer program | WestJet Rewards | ||||||
Fleet size | 5 | ||||||
Destinations | 8 | ||||||
Parent company | WestJet | ||||||
Headquarters | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||||||
Website | www |
WestJet Link was a brand name under which Pacific Coastal Airlines operated feeder flights for WestJet. Service was originally planned to commence March 7, 2018, but was delayed until June 21, 2018. [2] The brand was created to primarily connect smaller cities in western Canada with WestJet's domestic hubs at Calgary International Airport and Vancouver International Airport [3] and stimulate air travel in smaller markets. [1] On May 13, 2024, WestJet announced that the brand will cease all operations on October 26, 2024, with all operations to be transferred to the WestJet Encore brand. [4]
WestJet Link connects the WestJet mainline service with 9 Destinations in British Columbia and Alberta. All flights operate into or out of Calgary International Airport or Vancouver International Airport. [3]
All WestJet Link flights are operated by Pacific Coastal using its fleet of 34-seat Saab 340 aircraft. Only the first two WestJet Link aircraft display the word 'Link' on the livery, the rest use the standard WestJet colours. [11] As of September 2023, Pacific Coastal Airlines had 5 Saab 340s painted and operating for WestJet Link.
Airline | IATA service | ICAO code | Callsign | Aircraft | In service | Passengers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pacific Coastal Airlines [12] | 8P | PCO | PASCO | Saab 340 | 5 | 34 |
Total | 5 |
WestJet Airlines, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, is the second-largest airline in Canada. It began operations in 1996 with 220 employees, three aircraft, and five destinations. It was launched as a low-cost alternative to the country's major airlines. Today, WestJet operates scheduled, charter, and cargo air service, transporting more than 25 million passengers per year. The airline has a significant domestic and international network, which serves over 100 destinations across North America, Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Central America. WestJet has an average of 777 flights per day, solidifying its position as the eighth-largest airline in North America by frequency.
Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is located 12 km (7.5 mi) from Downtown Vancouver. YVR is the second busiest airport in Canada by passenger traffic, behind Toronto Pearson International Airport in Ontario. As a trans-Pacific hub, the airport has more direct flights to China than any other airport in North America or Europe. It is a hub for Air Canada and WestJet. Vancouver International Airport is one of eight Canadian airports that have US Border Pre-clearance facilities. It is also one of the few major international airports to have a terminal for scheduled float planes.
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Calgary International Airport, branded as YYC Calgary International Airport, is an international airport that serves the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) northeast of downtown and covers an area of 20.82 square kilometres. With 18.5 million passengers in 2023 and 124,108 aircraft movements in 2021, Calgary International is the busiest airport in Alberta and the fourth-busiest in Canada by passenger traffic. This airport is served by the Calgary International Airport Emergency Response Service for aircraft rescue and firefighting protection. The region's petroleum and tourism industries have helped foster growth at the airport, which has nonstop flights to an array of destinations in North and Central America, Europe, and Asia. Calgary serves as the headquarters and primary hub for WestJet.
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Pacific Coastal Airlines is a Canadian regional airline that operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its head office is located in the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia. Its main base is Vancouver International Airport.
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Penticton Regional Airport, also known as Penticton Airport, is a regional airport located 1.8 nautical miles southwest of Penticton, British Columbia, a city in the Okanagan region of Canada. It is owned and operated by Transport Canada, serving the South Okanagan, Similkameen and West Kootenay areas. Initial examination for the airport's construction began in 1937. The proposed locations were owned by the Penticton Indian Band at that time, but expropriated in 1939.
Canadian Forces Base Comox, commonly referred to as CFB Comox or 19 Wing, is a Canadian Forces Base located 2.5 nautical miles north northeast of Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora anti-submarine/maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 19 Wing, commonly referred to as 19 Wing Comox.
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