Westjet 2014 Annual Report Download - page 11

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WestJet Annual Report 2014│ 9
WestJetters
WestJetters are at the core of our business. It is with their continued dedication and hard work that we are able to create a
positive, safe and caring experience for our guests and ensure the success of our airline. In 2014, we welcomed on board
approximately 19.7 million guests, an increase of 6.3 per cent over 2013. During 2014, we were honoured to receive a
number and variety of awards and recognitions, which would not otherwise have been possible without the commitment and
care delivered by more than 10,000 WestJetters.
• In March 2014, we were ranked 74th among the top 100 Canadian Brands by the London, England based brand
valuation consultancy, Brand Finance.
• In April 2014, both WestJet and WestJet Vacations received top marks in brand recognition from the 2013 Harris Poll
Canada EquiTrend® Study.
• In May 2014, our Chairman of the Board of Directors, Clive Beddoe, was inducted to Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.
• In June 2014, we were named one of Canada’s most valued brands by Interbrand Canada’s 2014 Best Canadian
Brands report.
• Also in June 2014, we were awarded two Bronze Lions from the 2014 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
for the WestJet Christmas Miracle: Real Time Giving video released in December 2013.
• In October 2014, we were honoured to be named one of the Brands of the Year by Strategy Magazine.
• In November 2014, we earned a place on the list of Canada's Top 50 Employers based on Aon Hewitt's 16th annual
Best Employers in Canada study for 2015.
In December 2014, we announced that our pilots voted in favour of a new agreement, which will expire on April 30, 2019. We
were able to reach this new agreement as a result of the dedication and hard work of the WestJet Pilots Association and we
look forward to the continued stability this new agreement will provide to us.
In 2014, we also announced a three-year enhanced partnership with the Canadian charity Live Different and its Hero Holiday
program. WestJet has been supporting Live Different since 2012, and our renewed partnership with the organization is a
testament to WestJet’s continued goal to extend in meaningful ways the WestJet culture of care into the communities we
serve.
Network expansion
With the support of our WestJet Pilot Association, in 2014 we announced our plan to take the next steps to begin operating
four wide-body aircraft. We initially expect to deploy the Boeing 767-300ERW series aircraft on routes between Alberta and
Hawaii, replacing the service currently operated by Thomas Cook.
During 2014, we achieved a major milestone and began our first transatlantic flights to Dublin, Ireland and we announced our
second transatlantic destination, Glasgow, United Kingdom. We will begin daily non-stop flights from Halifax, Nova Scotia to
Glasgow, on May 29, 2015, with direct (same-aircraft) service from Toronto, to be operated with our Boeing 737 NG 700
series aircraft. The expansion of our transatlantic flights provides a great opportunity for us to bring our brand and guest
experience to new routes and new markets.
We also launched service in 2014 to a new Canadian destination, Penticton, British Columbia, operated by WestJet Encore. In
addition, WestJet Encore further expanded east and began servicing its first two central Canada destinations offering service
between Winnipeg, Manitoba and Thunder Bay, Ontario and between Thunder Bay, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario, along with
an announcement in July 2014 of its first Maritime destination, Fredericton, New Brunswick, with service from Toronto,
Ontario beginning on April 15, 2015. WestJet Encore achieved an important milestone in July 2014, welcoming its one-
millionth guest on board. We are pleased with WestJet Encore’s first full year of successful operations, providing service to
new communities.
As at December 31, 2014 we have a registered fleet of 122 aircraft. As of the date of this MD&A, WestJet, including WestJet
Encore, offers scheduled service to 93 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Subsequent
to December 31, 2014, we announced two new destinations: Houston, Texas, and Gander, Newfoundland.