WestJet & Sunwing -Airlines in Canada

[August1991]

Canada? Politics? Business? Airlines? 

Where to begin.....

======

WestJet recently bought Sunwing. I reckon that WestJet is about to destroy a wonderful airline, name brand.

And in the process, WestJet may destroy itself.

You know, as Eaton's and Hudson's Bay no longer exist. At least Simon's still exists.

Edited July 10, 2025 by August1991

[August1991]

Is a country defined by its airline? Why?

France has Air France. Germany has Lufthansa. Dutch? KLM. Britain once had BEA/BOAC - now British Airways.

Soviet Union? Aeroflot.

We have Air Canada - once known as TCA.

I generally admire Lutheran Scandinavians -SAS- but the Finns have Finnair.

=====

America has no national state airline. Pan Am? It went broke.

[Nationalist]

Air Canada is probably the worst airline in the world. Westjet is not much better.

[LinkSoul60]

No, a country will be associated with an airline carrying the nations name, but not defined by it.

In our case with AC, consistently ranked as a top airline, as our country is consistently ranked among the best in the world.

[ExFlyer]

8 hours ago, August1991 said:

Canada? Politics? Business? Airlines? 

Where to begin.....

======

WestJet recently bought Sunwing. I reckon that WestJet is about to destroy a wonderful airline, name brand.

And in the process, WestJet may destroy itself.

You know, as Eaton's and Hudson's Bay no longer exist. At least Simon's still exists.

Sunwing is a disaster. It has garnered nothing but complaints for delays and cancellations. The issue was they did not have enough aircraft and when one aircraft broke, it affected it's schedule 

Westjet was having issues of their own, especially in the winter travel sector with cancellations and delays. 

Westjet bought Sunwing to try and alleviate the problems with it's own flights hoping Sunwing vacation destinations will help with aircrft fleet problems.

 

2 hours ago, Nationalist said:

Air Canada is probably the worst airline in the world. Westjet is not much better.

Air Canada has won and continues to win awards for its service etc. In 2025 alone it won https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/about/media/awards.html#/

and 

including Best North American Airline

https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-canada-named-best-airline-in-north-america-at-the-2025-skytrax-world-airline-awards-presented-at-the-paris-air-show/

 

[Nationalist]

44 minutes ago, ExFlyer said:

Sunwing is a disaster. It has garnered nothing but complaints for delays and cancellations. The issue was they did not have enough aircraft and when one aircraft broke, it affected it's schedule 

Westjet was having issues of their own, especially in the winter travel sector with cancellations and delays. 

Westjet bought Sunwing to try and alleviate the problems with it's own flights hoping Sunwing vacation destinations will help with aircrft fleet problems.

 

Air Canada has won and continues to win awards for its service etc. In 2025 alone it won https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/about/media/awards.html#/

and 

including Best North American Airline

https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-canada-named-best-airline-in-north-america-at-the-2025-skytrax-world-airline-awards-presented-at-the-paris-air-show/

 

I have had nightmarish bookings with AC and Westjet. I'd rather United or Luftansa or KLM or just about any other airline.

[LinkSoul60]

3 minutes ago, Nationalist said:

I have had nightmarish bookings with AC and Westjet. I'd rather United or Luftansa or KLM or just about any other airline.

You would have a real difficult time flying in Canada with United, Lufthansa or KLM.  All airlines are going to have booking or delay challenges from time to time - that's common and nature of the industry.  My career had me on planes more than most ever will be and despite 'seeing it all' from AC in particular, I'd also say they're a very good airline to fly with.

[Nationalist]

11 minutes ago, LinkSoul60 said:

You would have a real difficult time flying in Canada with United, Lufthansa or KLM.  All airlines are going to have booking or delay challenges from time to time - that's common and nature of the industry.  My career had me on planes more than most ever will be and despite 'seeing it all' from AC in particular, I'd also say they're a very good airline to fly with.

Then we have different experiences. 

[LinkSoul60]

19 minutes ago, Nationalist said:

Then we have different experiences. 

Point was, I don't believe AC is the 'worst airline in the world' or even close to that.  Like most interactions a consumer has though.... a negative experience has them telling give or take ~7 people while we only tell give or take ~2 people of a positive experience.  

[herbie]

Sunwing ISN'T and airline, it's a charter service.
WestJet would want it for its routes and infrastructure. Not particularly for its name or reputation.

 

[ExFlyer]

1 hour ago, Nationalist said:

I have had nightmarish bookings with AC and Westjet. I'd rather United or Luftansa or KLM or just about any other airline.

We all have personal stories about flights and airlines...no matter what flight or airline.

We flew Lufthansa and they ran out of food. We flew British Airways and they double booked the seats and we had to move to the back.

The links for the awards Air Canada got are cumulative surveys. 

[August1991]

On 7/10/2025 at 11:23 AM, ExFlyer said:

Sunwing is a disaster.

 

Vacation airlines are always difficult. Butts in seats.

Since Westjet bought Sunwing, it is an utter disaster

Before, Sunwing knew its customers, pilots, staff: Sunwing knew its market, business.

Westjet doesn't

====

You Albertans don't understand Canada, Quebec.

[August1991]

On 7/10/2025 at 1:35 PM, ExFlyer said:

We all have personal stories about flights and airlines...no matter what flight or airline.

We flew Lufthansa and they ran out of food. We flew British Airways and they double booked the seats and we had to move to the back.

.....

Precisely.

I'm with Trudeau Snr. An airline is not a measure of a country.

[August1991]

Trump is correct.

Air Canada is not "Canada".

Lufthansa is not "Germany". 

====

Delta should be able to fly from YUL to YWG. 

[BeaverFever]

I haven’t had too many bad experiences with airlines. Just one a couple of years ago with American Airlines out of Cancun when the flight was delayed nearly 7 hours because a flight attendant went over her hours and they didn’t have a backup  and then the connection out of Texas 

Sunwing also had a reputation as the white trash airline,  always in the news for having to make emergency diversions due to drunk passengers fighting, assaulting the crew, trying to smoke in the bathroom and so on. Although the one time I flew it I had no issues. 

[August1991]

2 hours ago, BeaverFever said:

...

Sunwing also had a reputation as the white trash airline...

...

Sunwing was a cheap flight south.

=====

I am surprised that WestJet has now identified itself with this - rather than keeping the name brand separate.

And WestJet can't speak French.

[ExFlyer]

On 7/10/2025 at 8:31 AM, Nationalist said:

Air Canada is probably the worst airline in the world. Westjet is not much better.

And yet, the awards keep coming LOL

Air Canada Picks up Major Honours at 2025 Skytrax Awards, including being named Best Airline in North America. Other Skytrax awards include:

• World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining for the Air Canada Signature Suite in Toronto
• Most Family Friendly Airline in North America
• Best Premium Economy Class Onboard Catering in North America
• Best Business Class Onboard Catering in North America
• Best Cabin Crew in North America
• Best Cabin Crew in Canada
• Best Business Class Lounge in North America
• Best Low-Cost Airline for its Rouge subsidiary

https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-canada-named-best-airline-in-north-america-at-the-2025-skytrax-world-airline-awards-presented-at-the-paris-air-show/

 

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/about/media/awards.html#/

[WestCanMan]

On 7/10/2025 at 8:08 AM, LinkSoul60 said:

In our case with AC, consistently ranked as a top airline, 

🤮

FYI AC used to get more bailouts than the CBC, and were also using unscrupulous business practices to run their competition out of business. 

[LinkSoul60]

14 minutes ago, WestCanMan said:

🤮

FYI AC used to get more bailouts than the CBC, and were also using unscrupulous business practices to run their competition out of business. 

Have you ever met a subject that wasn't a conspiracy?

[WestCanMan]

1 hour ago, LinkSoul60 said:

Have you ever met a subject that wasn't a conspiracy?

Have you ever just accepted the reality of a fact that you don't like?

How the F is any of that conspiratorial, cult-girl? Which part of it do you believe to be untrue or exaggerated? 

Try having a fact-based discussion at least one time in your life. I promise it won't hurt too much. Cognitive dissonance is actually an important part of adulthood, and you really need to grow up. 

Edited July 15, 2025 by WestCanMan

[herbie]

A simple NO would've been fine.......

[August1991]

On 7/15/2025 at 6:51 PM, herbie said:

A simple NO would've been fine.......

Bien dit.

[cougar]

On 7/10/2025 at 8:23 AM, ExFlyer said:

Air Canada has won and continues to win awards for its service etc.

 

Not with me.

Last week they overbooked my flight by 8 passengers. Left me for 24 hours at the airport!  Then gave me a compensation voucher with the wording "This is confirmation of your denied boarding compensation which has been applied to your credit card."  Guess what ?  Nothing was applied to the card. When I phoned them, their rep could not even see a copy of the voucher to read the wording, but said I had a travel credit with AC (a far cry from "compensation applied to my card")

Then it turns out their supposed compensation was only 1/2 of what I was entitled to based on their own guidelines on their own website!

So I filed a request now and I am waiting to see when I have to file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency to teach the slimy ba-tards some sense.

They cram every jet full and continue to overbook, enjoy constant growth due to constant population growth of imports who need to travel overseas and apparently do not even pay their own employees! 

[cougar]

On 7/15/2025 at 5:22 AM, ExFlyer said:

And yet, the awards keep coming LOL

Air Canada Picks up Major Honours at 2025 Skytrax Awards, including being named Best Airline in North America. Other Skytrax awards include:

• World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining for the Air Canada Signature Suite in Toronto
• Most Family Friendly Airline in North America
• Best Premium Economy Class Onboard Catering in North America
• Best Business Class Onboard Catering in North America
• Best Cabin Crew in North America
• Best Cabin Crew in Canada
• Best Business Class Lounge in North America
• Best Low-Cost Airline for its Rouge subsidiary

https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-canada-named-best-airline-in-north-america-at-the-2025-skytrax-world-airline-awards-presented-at-the-paris-air-show/

 

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/about/media/awards.html#/

I will soon nominate them for the best f-u-c-k of the year!  🤣

[ExFlyer]

7 hours ago, cougar said:

Not with me.

Last week they overbooked my flight by 8 passengers. Left me for 24 hours at the airport!  Then gave me a compensation voucher with the wording "This is confirmation of your denied boarding compensation which has been applied to your credit card."  Guess what ?  Nothing was applied to the card. When I phoned them, their rep could not even see a copy of the voucher to read the wording, but said I had a travel credit with AC (a far cry from "compensation applied to my card")

Then it turns out their supposed compensation was only 1/2 of what I was entitled to based on their own guidelines on their own website!

So I filed a request now and I am waiting to see when I have to file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency to teach the slimy ba-tards some sense.

They cram every jet full and continue to overbook, enjoy constant growth due to constant population growth of imports who need to travel overseas and apparently do not even pay their own employees! 

 

Everyone has a sad travel story...

If you denied compensation...then your credit card statement would show....nothing.... as you denied it LOL

Family members of 3 were offered $1800 and a hotel and meals and upgrade to business class the next day for an overbooked flight. They took it and got home 1 day later.