en.Wedoany.com Reported - WestJet now operates 20 European routes using Boeing 737 MAX 8 twin-engine jets, a record high for the airline. According to the latest scheduling data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, the Canadian carrier has significantly expanded its transatlantic network with the addition of two new routes, covering destinations from smaller airports in northeastern Canada to multiple European countries.

Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) is the core of WestJet's transatlantic operations, with nine of its 20 European routes departing from there. In July, the busiest route is Halifax to Amsterdam, with 27 flights, equivalent to about six per week; followed by Lisbon with 22 flights, about five per week. Additionally, WestJet flies from Halifax four times weekly to Barcelona, Copenhagen, Dublin, Madrid, and Paris, and three times weekly to Edinburgh and London Gatwick. Samantha Taylor, Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer of WestJet Group, stated that the airline is proud to invest in Halifax, making it Canada's Atlantic gateway with shorter flight times, competitive fares, and direct routes to European cultural hubs.

Beyond Halifax, WestJet operates MAX aircraft from three gateway cities in central and western Canada—Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg—to Reykjavík Keflavík International Airport (KEF) in Iceland. Calgary has daily flights to Iceland, while Edmonton and Winnipeg each have one weekly flight, the latter two being newly launched routes. Toronto is another key transatlantic hub for WestJet, with daily flights to Edinburgh on the 737 MAX 8, and up to two daily flights to Dublin on certain days, totaling 49 flights in July. WestJet also flies from Toronto four times weekly to Cardiff, Glasgow, and Ponta Delgada. St. John's International Airport (YYT) in Newfoundland and Labrador is the final MAX transatlantic gateway, with four weekly flights to London Gatwick, two weekly to Dublin, and one weekly to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).

WestJet had previously experimented with a high-density layout on some of its 737 MAX 8 aircraft, a move quickly reversed due to passenger unpopularity. On transatlantic routes, the airline has consistently used a lower-density MAX configuration to enhance comfort. These aircraft feature 12 business class seats and 162 economy class seats. According to aeroLOPA data, business class seats are Collins MiQ or RECARO CL4710 recliners with 38-inch pitch and 20 to 21-inch width; economy class uses Collins Meridian or RECARO BL3520 seats with 30-inch pitch and 17-inch width. In-flight entertainment is accessed via streaming to personal devices rather than seatback screens. Some passengers may find the onboard experience less premium compared to widebody aircraft, but WestJet's relatively lower fares may offset this drawback.