WestJet Roundtable Event a Success
Back to Search
Medicine Hat Economic Development staff attended a WestJet Roundtable discussion put on by the Medicine Hat Regional Airport and the Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce on October 2. WestJet representatives Jared Mikoch-Gerke, the Director of Alliances and Airport Affairs, and Tara Jago, the Senior Manager of External Affairs, presented the rationale behind changes to WestJet service on their route between Medicine Hat and Calgary.
Many individuals have expressed concern about the decrease in the number of flights to and from the City since the changes were announced to reduce the number of daily flights from three to one as part of a move from WestJet Link to WestJet Encore. Residents and business owners considered this to be a significant reduction of service to the region.
The motivation behind this frequency change was, in fact, to increase the quality of service received by those flying to and from YXH. WestJet officials shared that the company was seeing decreasing numbers of completed, on-time flights into the region by Pacific Coastal (the company sourced to provide service under the banner of WestJet Link). Seeing the downward trend, WestJet moved to make a change, shifting the service delivery under its own wing, so to speak, as WestJet Encore. This will allow WestJet to service YXH travellers with a larger, newer, faster, more reliable, and more comfortable aircraft.
Additionally, given that 85 per cent of traffic leaving from Medicine Hat is connecting to another flight, the morning departure time is strategically planned to connect to the approximately 70 per cent of flights departing YYC in the morning.
Another primary point of feedback out of this roundtable was that return time from Calgary to Medicine Hat was inconveniently late in the day, especially during the week for business professionals needing to work the following morning. To allow for the most opportunities to connect on flights back through Calgary, WestJet had scheduled the return flight to depart Calgary at 11:40 p.m., touching down in Medicine Hat at 12:35 a.m.
The resounding feedback at the roundtable on this return time quickly spurred a planned schedule change. Just over two weeks after the event, WestJet announced they would be making the following changes to flight times between Medicine Hat and Calgary, effective December 5, 2024:
YXH to YYC
· Depart Medicine Hat: 7:30 a.m.
· Arrive in Calgary: 8:16 a.m.
YYC to YXH
· Depart Calgary: 6:35 p.m.
· Arrive in Medicine Hat: 7:30 p.m.
WestJet reiterated their intention of continuing service to the Medicine Hat Regional Airport over the long term, sharing that they would be willing to increase the flight service if the need was clear and sustained. Fortunately, this has been demonstrated to WestJet in the past with strong ridership seen in 2018 and 2019. Ultimately, the more people who fly out of YXH, the more likely we are going to see an increase in flight frequency.
To stay up-to-date on Medicine Hat Economic Development news, business success stories and other relevant information, sign up for our newsletter.
Have a great idea and don't know how to get started? Know of a great business story or want your business featured in an upcoming blog? Need support with your current business? Medicine Hat Economic Development is here to help!
Send us an email for more information on business incentives, contacts and resources.
Subscribe