After seeing a sharp drop in demand during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, WestJet expects to face different types of challenges as bookings resume.
Angela Avery, Executive Vice President of External Affairs, said at the virtual roundtable: “We have seen that 90% of our needs have been reduced overnight.”
“When you look back on some very dark days in the spring of 2020, we did fly less than 1% of the number of guests we usually fly on certain days.”
Avery said WestJet lost 82% of its customers at its worst time since spring 2020, but demand is gradually picking up.
WestJet’s nationwide polls show that more than 60% of Canadians intend to travel domestically within the next six months, mainly to visit family members they did not see in the early stages of the pandemic.
Avery said that more than one-fifth of Canadians expect to come to Alberta for family and tourist trips.
She said that one-third of Canadians are looking for upcoming trips to the United States, one-third are looking for sunny destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, and one-fifth are looking for European destinations.
Leisure travel will only be part of WestJet’s recovery, and cargo and business travel are expected to play an important role in the projected growth.
“We will basically increase the value of WestJet by 11 years in just six months,” Avery said. “This means various pain points.”
Some of these pain points will include delays in systems and services such as luggage, catering and even IT.
‘please wait’
One of the current challenges is the call volume of WestJet’s call center.
“We basically experienced 140% of the number experienced in 2019,” Avery said. “You said,’How is that possible? You did not fly 140% of the flight in 2019.
“This is possible because basically everyone who calls now has more complicated calls to manage.”
Customer service agents must help callers understand travel considerations related to COVID-19 when booking previously restricted travel (travel in the coming weeks or months).
The airline’s website previously listed estimated waiting times, and now has a menu system to try to answer common questions or guide customers to choose self-service.
A week after the call back request resulted in bookings, the Calgary-based airline lost 70% of its employees during the pandemic.
The head of WestJet said: “Our current staffing is not enough to provide services to our customers in accordance with our habit of serving customers, but we do have a recruitment plan and a recall plan to solve this problem.” Commercial officer John Weatherill Tell global news.
Bob Sartor, President and CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority, emphasized the challenges that Calgary International Airport will face in keeping up with WestJet’s expanding operations.
“Our biggest concern is convenience facilities, because with WestJet’s peak period-which is very reasonable from an efficiency and effectiveness point of view-we see disproportionate business volume in small windows, and then We will have gaps,” Sartor said.
He expects that airport operations such as retail and restaurants will not return to previous levels until next year, but he welcomes WestJet’s “positive posture”.
“The successful and safe restart of the travel and tourism industry is critical to our economy,” Sartor said, referring to WestJet as the “primary catalyst” for bringing international tourists to Alberta.
According to the airline, WestJet added US$1.74 billion to GDP in 2019. But even if it is expected to achieve 11 years of growth by the end of 2021, WestJet’s business can only return to 2013 levels.
Weatherill said that YYC’s location with the airline as a hub means that Calgary Airport will soon return to pre-pandemic travel levels.
“I can say with certainty, absolutely, because we are focused on YYC,” Weatherill said.
“During the pandemic, we maintain more services in Calgary than at any other major airport, and as we enter the recovery phase of the pandemic, we will restore services to Calgary faster than in any other major city. Gary provides services.”
Sartor added that the historic transportation links and proximity to the center of the United States will be a competitive advantage for Calgary and its international airport.
Navigate the rest of the pandemic
But Avery emphasized that in the later stages of the pandemic, confidence in safe air travel is needed.
Deborah Yedlin, chief executive of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, agrees.
Yedlin said: “We have always heard that we have to transition to this post-pandemic world consistent with other jurisdictions so that we can attract people to visit and work.”
“We cannot be seen as being offside with other jurisdictions because people will be concerned about safety issues, and I have heard that some organizations are focusing on the province, focusing on their workers and what their safety might be.”
Avery pointed out that as more and more jurisdictions remove health restrictions and vaccinations, small and medium-sized companies are in a leading position, calling them a catalyst for early growth.
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi stated that tourism is one of the seven growth industries in the city, noting that the other six industries will support business travel.
Relaxing restrictions on American travelers is “good news” for Alberta, but recovery may take time: Director of Tourism
The former university professor emphasized the importance of de facto branding in cities and regions and its impact on travel decisions.
“I don’t mind telling you that due to some short-term decisions we made around the economy and some short-term decisions around COVID, our economic development work and tourism work have become more difficult,” Nenshi said.
He cited the considerations made by the Calgary Stampede Committee when it held its annual rodeo performances and exhibitions this year, and took a number of measures to mitigate COVID-19.
“What we care most about is not this year’s Denim Festival; this is for Stampede in the next few years.”
Brad Parry, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Calgary Department of Economic Development, stated that WestJet’s ability to connect the city with commerce, tourism and logistics around the world is an important part of CED’s long-term economic vision. part.
“This is indeed a strategic long-term game, especially in the world we live in,” Parry said. “This is not something we can answer the phone. We have a company in two days and will move or expand here.
“We must take time to cultivate this relationship and prove to them that we can deliver on the promises we made.”
© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
