WestJet is gearing up for delivery of its first Boeing Dreamliner 787 by breaking ground on a new $50-million hangar at the Calgary International Airport.
The company announced in April it had placed a firm order for 10 of the Boeing 787-9 widebody jets, which will allow it to serve new destinations in Asia, South America and Europe with higher-end offerings like lie-flat seating.
READ MORE: WestJet orders up to 20 Boeing Dreamliners as part of international expansion plan
The new hangar will occupy 125,000 square feet and stand eight stories tall, with two floors of office space.
WestJet says only one Dreamliner at a time will fit into the hangar, although it will be big enough to hold four Boeing 737s.
WestJet’s Dreamliners are to be delivered between 2019 and 2021 and it has the option of buying another 10 between 2020 and 2024.
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The Dreamliner is touted as Boeing’s most fuel-efficient jet. Currently, there are three variations of the plane, with the 787-9 being the middle-sized version that can typically seat about 280 passengers.
WestJet currently offers service to more than 100 destinations, including North America, Central America, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom.
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— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News
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