A week ago I did a comparison of WestJet and Air Canada’s customer experience. Not a scientific survey, by any means – simply the observations of a frequent flyer.
I flew back from Sint Maarten today, which brings my grand total of WestJet flights in the last few years to 4. For the airline that built its reputation on fun and price, I have to say I’m a little disappointed. I remember when they first became a national airline, and back then I flew them quite a bit. The contrast between them and Air Canada at the time was profound. I recall many years ago conducting a training session in a Calgary hotel. WestJet was having training sessions in the room right next to ours. You could hear the energy and enthusiasm through the walls. I wonder if that’s still the case.
Now, there’s not so much difference between Air Canada and WestJet in terms of customer service. Three of the four flight experiences were really no different than I have now come to expect from Air Canada. The flight crew are friendly and efficient, but the ‘wow’ that used to be there is missing. In one of the WestJet flights, the flight attendant was actually quite visibly annoyed at a young passenger.
Has WestJet’s service started to decline, or has Air Canada just raised their game? I think it’s a bit of both.
Based on what I’ve seen, it seems to me that it is Air Canada who actually has the edge on customer experience. They have similar service levels, more comfortable planes and a far better (and not nickle-and-diming) entertainment system. WestJet seems to have the edge on price.
So there you have it. Looking for the best price? Go WestJet. Looking for the best experience? its Air Canada all the way
