WestJet reports highest load factor in 16-year history

WestJet announced August 2012 traffic results with an all-time record load factor of 88.9 per cent. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 9.2 per cent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 2.3 per cent over the same period. The airline flew nearly 172,000 more guests this August compared to August of last year.
"We are extremely pleased to report the highest single-month load factor in WestJet history and I thank our caring WestJetters for their added energy in this record-breaking month," commented WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "The demand environment remains strong and we are seeing a growing contribution from our airline code-shares and interline partnerships."
August 2012 traffic results

	August 2012	August 2011	Change
Load factor	88.9%	83.3%	5.6 pts.
ASMs (billions)	1.900	1.858	2.3%
RPMs (billions)	1.690	1.548	9.2%

	Year-to-date 2012	Year-to-date 2011	Change
Load factor	83.5%	80.7%	2.8 pts.
ASMs (billions)	14.878	14.188	4.9%
RPMs (billions)	12.427	11.450	8.5%

WestJet continues to grow its airline partnerships and currently has 27 alliance relationships with airlines around the globe. These partnerships bring additional guest traffic to the airline and have also made it easier for WestJet guests to reach an expanded network. Guests can make bookings directly via WestJet to an additional 48 destinations in the U.S. and Caribbean that are serviced by its code-share partners.
Another great Caribbean destination, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago was recently added to the list of new destinations that WestJet plans to serve as part of its 2012/2013 winter schedule. It joins the other four recent additions of Antigua and Barbuda, Liberia, Costa Rica, Curacao and Manzanillo, Mexico that will launch service this winter season.
WestJet Vacations was recently rated highest in guest satisfaction and loyalty among the most used tour operators in Canada. "We launched WestJet Vacations in 2006 and have been successful in extending our signature fun and friendly guest experience to the packaged-vacation market," said Bob Cummings, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience. "I thank our travel agent partners and our guests who continue to make us their provider of choice."