Westjet has announced that they will be suspending their Summer 2023 transatlantic routes from Halifax.
In previous summers the airline has offered direct flights from Halifax to London, Paris, Dublin and Glascow.
In a release from Westjet, the airline explained that the decision was made due to capacity constraints (lack of aircraft/pilots) not because of a shortage of demand.
The release also noted that Westjet is hopeful its recent acquisition announcement of 42 additional Boeing MAX aircraft will help alleviate some of its capacity constraints.
“Halifax remains an integral part of our network and we understand this is disappointing news for our guests and the local community,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. “As we continue to responsibly balance our schedule alongside operational requirements, capacity constraints and the deployment of our aircraft across Canada, we are making these difficult decisions now to enable us to re-position our investments to best serve the province for years to come.”
Westjet has labeled the move as a temporary suspension, however, they indicated that the decision to resume the routes in 2024 will be reevaluated later this year.
Despite Westjet suspending it’s transatlantic Summer schedule, there will still be direct flights going to Europe from Halifax. Air Canada plans to continue offering daily non-stop flights to London while a handful of European airlines also offer direct flights from Halifax during the Summer months.
