One week after The WestJet Group confirmed that it would integrate its budget carrier Swoop into its mainline, the company is now doing the same to its newly-acquired brand, Sunwing Airlines.
PAX has obtained a screenshot of an internal memo sent to Sunwing employees on June 14 stating that Sunwing Airlines will, indeed, be absorbed into WestJet in a similar fashion to Swoop.
“This is a long-term move that will unlock greater scale and growth opportunities for our people, and specifically for our airline employees within the Group,” the memo reads.
While an exact timeline for the Sunwing integration was not shared, the process is “expected to take up to a couple of years,” the communication says.
A one-jet AOC
According to information that was shared with employees at a company town hall on Thursday (June 15) – presentation slides that PAX has obtained – the vision is to create a one-team, one-jet AOC (air operator certificate) airline that combines the WestJet, Swoop, and Sunwing brands.
The strategy is being driven by WestJet identifying four customer types – business people, private travelers, sun-seekers, and savvy travelers – and developing a future product that operates as a one-brand WestJet.
The WestJet Group recently completed its acquisition of Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations.
The transaction, first announced in March 2022, combines the two Canadian aviation and leisure companies, promising "greater choice, competitive airfares and increased direct access to sun destinations to Canadian travelers," WestJet said in May.
The merger will also allow Sunwing to continue its growth across Canada, the company said.
The memo PAX obtained states that employees of Sunwing Airlines “remain a critical part” of the WestJet Group’s strategy.
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