London International Airport is set to become a busy place over the coming weeks as airlines ramp up service for the summer travel season.
Several airlines will introduce new flights to the city, while others, such as WestJet, plan to increase flight frequency to existing destinations.
Airport officials announced Friday that the Calgary-based airline plans to bring back daily service between London and Calgary starting this Sunday, followed by twice-daily service in June. WestJet currently offers thrice-weekly service between the two cities.
In a statement, Gerry Vanderhoek, director of commercial and air services at London International Airport, said the organization was excited about the return of daily Calgary service.
“Not only is the non-stop service convenient to connect two of Canada’s fastest growing cities, the daily route provides an efficient way to reach WestJet’s largest hub and catch connecting flights to anywhere in the world,” he said.
“The two daily flights that start in June show the commitment and confidence that WestJet has in the London market.”
WestJet also plans to introduce twice-weekly flights to Edmonton starting next month, according to the airport.
The airport is also gearing up for new service from WestJet-owned Swoop next month. The low-cost airline will start twice-weekly service to Abbotsford, B.C. on May 19, increasing to four flights per week on June 25. The airline previously operated seasonal service to Orlando, Fla. until March 23.
Air Canada, which currently operates thrice-daily flights to Toronto, will introduce daily flights to Montreal starting in June, according to the airport.
That same month, Flair, a low-cost competitor to Swoop, will begin offering flights to Calgary, Halifax, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Winnipeg will see twice-weekly service, while the others will see thrice-weekly service, the airport says.
Air Transat service to Cancun in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic is set to wind down at the airport on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Sunwing service to Cancun, Punta Cana, and Varadero also ends this month.
It remains to be whether the WestJet flights will be disrupted by a possible pilot strike. The Air Line Pilots Association said earlier this month that its 1,600 WestJet pilots could launch a strike as early as May 16.
The workers’ issues revolve around job protection, pay and scheduling at the airline and its discount subsidiary Swoop, according to a union official.
— with files from The Canadian Press