February 2025 brought the most extreme winter weather conditions in recent memory to Canadian air travel. Despite these disruptive conditions, WestJet teams safely operated approximately 96 per cent of scheduled flights.
Extreme weather brings inconsistent and unavoidable disruptions:
- High winds limit safe flight operations.
- Snow and ice require runways to be plowed and aircraft to undergo extended and lengthy de-icing procedures.
- Extreme cold prevents outdoor tasks from being completed and mechanical equipment from operating as usual.
All of this leads to compounding delays that can last several days, affecting carriers and airports from coast to coast, as few additional seats are available to reaccommodate guests or crew members or aircraft that are out of position.
Travel disruptions are frustrating, but behind every delay or cancellation is a team doing everything possible to ensure a safe journey.
Watch WestJet’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Diederik Pen, together with Vice-President Safety, Captain Travis Brassington thank guests and team members for their support through this extraordinarily disruptive winter period.
Watch WestJet’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Diederik Pen, together with Vice-President Safety, Captain Travis Brassington thank guests and team members for their support through this extraordinarily disruptive winter period.