U.S./Canada
joint venture to offer more choices for transborder flying
ATLANTA and CALGARY, Dec. 6,
2017 /CNW/ - Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) and WestJet
(TSX: WJA) have agreed to deepen their existing partnership by
entering into a comprehensive transborder joint venture that will
increase travel choices between the U.S. and Canada.
The airlines have entered into a preliminary memorandum of
understanding regarding their intention to deepen their existing
partnership to form an commercial joint venture arrangement, which
will offer customers access to an extensive transborder route
network, world-class airline products, enhanced frequent flyer
benefits, shared airport facilities and amenities, and a more
seamless travel experience.
Highlights of the planned joint venture arrangement, subject to
board approvals, execution of definitive agreements and applicable
regulatory approvals, in the United
States and Canada,
include:
- Coordinated flight schedules for new nonstop flights to new
destinations, expanded codesharing and seamless and convenient
connections on the airlines' extensive networks in the U.S. and
Canada.
- Enhanced frequent flyer benefits including reciprocal benefits
for top tier members of both airlines.
"With its strong brand and employee- and customer- centric
culture, WestJet is the perfect partner for us in the
U.S./Canada transborder segment
and together we will produce great results for our respective
employees, customers and investors" said Steve Sear, Delta's President – International
and Executive Vice President – Global Sales. "We look forward
to applying Delta's experience building successful joint venture
partnerships to this important segment of transborder travel, the
second largest international segment for U.S. travel."
"This agreement will bring heightened competition and an
enriched product offering to the transborder segment, both of which
will benefit our guests," said Ed
Sims, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Commercial. "This is
an important step in WestJet's mission to become a global airline.
We are delighted to be working with the premier U.S. carrier, Delta
Air Lines, in this joint venture."
Delta has a 25-year track record of partnering closely with
airlines around the globe, beginning with the first successful
transatlantic partnership, when Northwest and KLM launched their
joint venture in 1993. With this agreement, Delta will have eight
partnerships with leading carriers in the world's biggest aviation
segments spanning Europe,
Latin America, Asia, Australia and Canada. Through deep relationships and
immunized joint ventures, Delta has successfully achieved many
benefits of cross-border co-operation for its customers.
WestJet, Canada's
second-largest airline currently has 45 airline partners providing
access to more than 175 destinations in over 20 countries. WestJet
has also entered into a definitive purchase agreement for 10 Boeing
787-9 Dreamliners with the first aircraft expected to be delivered
in January 2019. With one of the
youngest fleets in the airline industry, WestJet continues its
global growth while controlling operating costs and providing an
award-winning guest experience.
Further information about Delta Air Lines and WestJet is
available at delta.com and westjet.com.
Caution regarding forward-looking information
Certain information set forth in this document is
"forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable
securities laws. Such forward-looking information includes, but is
not limited to, information respecting: the proposed joint venture,
and the parties' intention to deepen their existing partnership;
the anticipated benefits, amenities, and product offerings expected
to be provided to customers as a result of the joint venture; the
resulting impact on flight schedules, and other network effects;
WestJet's mission to become a global airline; and implementation of
the joint venture following receipt of required approvals and
execution of definitive agreements.
The forward-looking information contained in this document is
based on certain material factors and assumptions, including,
without limitation with respect to: the negotiation of definitive
agreements relating to the joint venture on terms and conditions
satisfactory to the parties; receipt, in a timely manner and on
acceptable terms, of applicable regulatory approvals in respect of
the transaction; board approvals being obtained; the anticipated
benefits of the joint venture, including strategic and operational
opportunities and benefits. Although WestJet and Delta believe that
the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking
statements are based are reasonable,
undue reliance should not be
placed on the forward‐looking statements as
WestJet and Delta can give no assurance that they will prove to be
correct.
By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to
numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond
WestJet's control. The risks and uncertainties that may impact
WestJet include, but are not limited to: potential delays in
obtaining applicable regulatory approvals; challenges to the
proposed joint venture, or the imposition of conditions in respect
thereof, by applicable regulatory authorities that reduce the
anticipated benefits of the joint venture or prevent the
implementation of such on satisfactory terms or at all; the ability
of WestJet to successfully implement its strategic initiatives and
whether such strategic initiatives will yield the expected
benefits; the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects;
changes in general economic and competitive conditions; operational
risks inherent in implementing the joint venture including risks
related to route scheduling and operations, network management, and
information technology and reporting systems; and other factors and
risks described in WestJet's public reports and filings. Readers
are urged to consult the risks set forth in WestJet's annual
information form and management's discussion and analysis for the
year ended December 31, 2016, which
are each available under WestJet's profile on SEDAR at sedar.com,
for important additional information.
Readers are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed
on forward-looking information as actual results may vary
materially from the forward-looking information provided. WestJet
does not undertake to update, correct or revise any forward-looking
information as a result of any new information, future events or
otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.
About Delta
Delta Air Lines serves more than 180
million customers each year. In 2017, Delta was named to Fortune's
top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most
admired airline for the sixth time in seven years. Additionally,
Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline
survey for an unprecedented seven consecutive years. With an
industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection
carriers offer service to 306 destinations in 52 countries on six
continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000
employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800
aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global
alliance and participates in the industry's leading
transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia
as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its
worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than
15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including
Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los
Angeles, Mexico City,
Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK
and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, São Paulo, Seattle, Seoul, and Tokyo-Narita.
Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities,
global products and services, and technology to enhance the
customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional
information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as
delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and
Facebook.com/delta.
About WestJet
WestJet is proud to be named Best
Airline in Canada and one of the
best Low Cost Airlines in North
America, based on authentic reviews from the travelling
public on Trip Advisor, the world's largest travel site. We are one
of very few airlines globally that does not commercially overbook.
Together with our 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 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:
Best Low-Cost Airline – The Americas for 2018
(www.airlineratings.com)
2017 Five-Star Airline in the Low-Cost Category (The Airline
Passenger Experience Association)
2017/2016 Canada's Most Trusted
Airline (Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria)
2017 Best Airline in Canada and
Travellers' Choice Winner Mid-Sized and Low Cost Airlines –
North America (TripAdvisor
Travelers' Choice awards for Airlines)
2016 Canada's most reputable
company for Corporate Social Responsibility (Reputation
Institute)
2016/2015/2014/2013/2012 Ranked top three for Canadian Brands
(Canadian Business Magazine)
2016/2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in
Canada (MoneySense magazine)
2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture
(Waterstone Human Capital)
2015 Best Employers in Canada
(Aon Hewitt)
Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet
Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet
Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet
Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com
SOURCE WestJet