WestJet's Interesting New Calgary To Rome Flight

I was looking for a decently priced one-way return from Italy next summer (outbound is an award ticket), and like to take advantage of Delta partners when I can (as a lowly GM). I see the FCO-YYC flight is available on the date I need and there's a connecting flight to LAX later that day that seems to work (although it's not letting me book the whole way through at this point).

Definitely going to monitor this flight; thanks for the heads up!

There's got to be a Letterkenny joke in here somewhere.
Help me out!

How many miles does it cost?

Nicely done WestJet. Interesting and wondering why those Choose Calgary over Toronto though.

@Sharon

My guess is Westjet is headquartered in Calgary, not Toronto & there's no other competitor for this route.

@DeePeePDX it would be more interesting if they were flying from Calgary to Cagliari

WS already flies to C.America, Caribbean and Mexico from YYC. My guess they would probably upgauge these routes during wintertime or add more routes to the region. So happy we get more choices from YYC!!

YYC is not supposed to be very convenient to transfer from international to domestic. However, FCO-YYC may be an option for those in Vancouver and Seattle.

What dates/cities is WS flying 787s to Hawaii this winter? Can’t find this in their schedules.

WS needs help in their commercial and network departments to understand that Rome isn't a profit generating destination. I struggle to understand how they think they're going to make this route viable given the historically bad yields by all airlines operating there combined with their LCC approach. Sure there's demand and flights will be full. But they'll be full of discount passengers who are notoriously and don't provide help on the ancillary front either. They're better off attempting Barcelona, Munich or even Tokyo for a summer seasonal service. At least there is bi-directional traffic demand with a known business class component. Unless this is an Onex mandate, WS is going to need some serious help in trying to make their 787 program profitable and viable because things like Rome are going to doom it!

Are there any points redemption opportunities for flying this route in business class? I’ve previously booked Eco flights on WestJet using Skypesos but never saw an option for business class.

Obviously - they are WestJet, operating flights to Europe (to the West).
If they wanted to launch flights to Asia (East), their name would have been changed to East-WestJet.
How about flights to South-America ? Then their name would be East-South-Westjet.

Kevin....huh? Europe is East to Calgary or Canada and Asia is West. Not sure where you were going with your post :).

Ben not sure if I would call Rome, interesting. Now if they flew to Dubai or Delhi it would be. Those would be ultra long hauls in Westjet's world.

@Marco:

I think @Kevin is maybe referring to Europe as being the western world. As in the The West. And Asia is The East, the Orient, The Eastern World.

@Jeff it's YYC-OGG only. @Juan, we'll see. FCO is not easy to get to from Western US and Canada and their business cabin is small. Prices are cheaper if you originate in the US and connect via YYC rather than go direct. @Sharon - YYZ is Air Canada fortress, and lots of competition in YYZ on this route. @Jules - WestJet's CEO on record saying if you want to fly business you pay, no award seats. WestJet is cautious, this move is a safe play.

ROME makes perfect sense: WestJet is Delta partner and Delta is about to take over Alitalia. There are "synergies" for everyone involved.

With regard to fares - ROME is not cheap in the summer!

Barcelona? There is a fare on KLM today: USA-Barcelona USD $220 roundtrip with all taxes (albeit it is Economy Light and Northern Hemisphere winter).

Until WS gets connected to an airline partner in real life they will continue to be of no value to me. OW would be my choice.

@AR.. if you look at it that way :). Thanks

Boring!!! Out of Calgary?! Bad decision!! Westjet, Calgary isn't the central of the universe!! Wake up!!!

Not sure what WestJet is upto. How is their CDG experiment going so far - does anyone know? Looks like they are off their rocker.

@Kannan CDG must be doing well - they are starting it back up earlier than originally planned.

@Peter You must be from Toronto.