WestJet to begin charging for 2nd checked bag

Effective Jan. 19, 2011, WestJet will begin charging travellers $20 for a second checked bag.

Effective Jan. 19, 2011, WestJet will begin charging travellers $20 for a second checked bag. According to reports, the move is part of a search for new revenue sources as the airline begins to pay a dividend to shareholders for the first time in its history. Itโ€™s projected the new baggage charge will generate an extra $8 million to $10 million in revenues per year. WestJet already charges for third and fourth checked bags, a fee that will be reduced from $75 to $50.

In other news, WestJet has reported October 2010 traffic results with a load factor of 77.4%, up 0.1 points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 13.4% year over year. Capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 13.3%. More than 99,000 additional guests flew with WestJet in the month of October.

โ€œWe have continued with our strategic growth and are pleased with Octoberโ€™s load factor given the additional capacity weโ€™ve added to our network. The increase in guests demonstrates that our increased capacity is being absorbed. Advanced bookings are looking positive as well,โ€ said WestJet president Gregg Saretsky. The airline set a new single-day record with 49,545 guests travelling on board flights in WestJetโ€™s network leading into the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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