YEG - Edmonton Int Airport

[LO 044]

Agree with everyone on WestJet's service. It just seems weird when you hear "Joe and Karen will be your pilots" and it seems like kindergarten on their planes sometimes. Just be professional and smile and thet'll be enough to win my vote.

Actually a bigger vote from me would be if their YEG #3 hub had more transborder flights and if they aligned themselves with some more airlines. I agree with EdmTrekker, all they really do is serve local Canadian destinations. I have heard that international destinations is where the money is for airlines so WestJet is no threat to Air Canada. I guess it's OK if you fly to YYZ for business once a week but otherwise WestJet just funnels international travellers to YYZ and YVR so they can board a British Airways, KLM, or China Airlines flight.

[Rocket252]

This would require a major philosphy shift for Westjet but it sounds like they want to go that route according to their press release a few weeks ago.

They would need to start getting bigger planes of course - 777s or 787s so instead of feeding BA, KLM and AC they would feed their own international destinations.

[murman]

Originally Posted by LO 044

Agree with everyone on WestJet's service. It just seems weird when you hear "Joe and Karen will be your pilots" and it seems like kindergarten on their planes sometimes. Just be professional and smile and thet'll be enough to win my vote.

No kidding. You are supposed to in charge of safety, so drop the cheerleader-dropout goofiness and leave it for the food court at the mall.

[Edmonchuck]

I am waiting for one to pick up a mirror and do a romper room...

I see Billy, and Patty, and Susan, and OH MY GOD......WE'RE HEADING RIGHT FOR IT!!!!!!

[murman]

Originally Posted by Edmonchuck

I am waiting for one to pick up a mirror and do a romper room...

I see Billy, and Patty, and Susan, and OH MY GOD......WE'RE HEADING RIGHT FOR IT!!!!!!

LIKE TOTALLY!

[m0nkyman]

Just received this from my Mom. She's flying out tomorrow:

Thanks to a retired WestJet Captain for sending this "paraphrase" of a memorable safety PA from their Flight Attendents. In his own words....

"I was flying to Vancouver from Toronto this weekend, and the flight attendant reading the flight safety information had the whole plane looking at each other like "what the heck?" (Getting Toronto people to look at each other is an accomplishment.) So once we got airborne, I took out my laptop and typed up what she said so I wouldn't forget. I've left out a few parts I'm sure, but this is most of it."

(BEFORE TAKEOFF) Hello and welcome to WestJet Flight 438 to Vancouver. If you're going to Vancouver, you're in the right place. If you're not going to Vancouver, you're about to have a really long evening. We'd like to tell you now about some important safety features of this aircraft. The most important safety feature we have aboard this plane is The Flight Attendants. Please look at one now.

There are 5 exits aboard this plane: 2 at the front, 2 over the wings, and one out the plane's rear end. If you're seated in one of the exit rows, please do not store your bags by your feet. That would be a really bad idea. Please take a moment and look around and find the nearest exit. Count the rows of seats between you and the exit. In the event that the need arises to find one, trust me, you'll be glad you did. We have pretty blinking lights on the floor that will blink in the direction of the exits. White ones along the normal rows, and pretty red ones at the exit rows.

In the event of a loss of cabin pressure these baggy things will drop down over your head. You stick it over your nose and mouth like the flight attendant is doing now. The bag won't inflate, but there's oxygen there, I promise. If you are sitting next to a small child, or someone who is acting like a small child, please do us all a favor and put on your mask first. If you are traveling with two or more children, please take a moment now to decide which one is your favorite. Help that one first and then work your way down.

In the seat pocket in front of you is a pamphlet about the safety features of this plane. I usually use it as a fan when I'm having my own personal summer. It makes a very good fan. It also has pretty pictures. Please take it out and play with it now.

Please take a moment now to make sure your seat belts are fastened low and tight about your hips. To fasten the belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle. To release, it's a pulley thing -- not a pushy thing like your car, because you're in an airplane -- HELLO!

There is no smoking in the cabin on this flight. There is also no smoking in the lavatories. If we see smoke coming from the lavatories, we will assume you are on fire and put you out. This is a free service we provide. There are two smoking sections on this flight, one outside each wing exit. We do have a movie in the smoking sections tonight ... hold on, let me check what it is . Oh here it is ... the movie tonight is "Gone With the Wind."

In a moment we will be turning off the cabin lights, and it's going to get really dark, really fast. If you're afraid of the dark, now would be a good time to reach up and press the yellow button. The yellow button turns on your reading light. Please don't press the orange button unless you absolutely have to. The orange button is your seat ejection button.

We're glad to have you with us on board this flight. Thank you for choosing WestJet, and giving us your business and your money. If there's anything we can do to make you more comfortable, please don't hesitate to ask. If you all weren't strapped down you would have given me a standing ovation, wouldn't you?

(AFTER LANDING) Welcome to the Vancouver International Airport. Sorry about the bumpy landing. It's not the Captain's fault. It's not the Copilot's fault. It's the Asphalt. Please remain seated until the plane is parked at the gate. At no time in history has a passenger beaten a plane to the gate. So please don't even try. Also, please be careful opening the overhead bins because "shift happens."

[Coldrsx]

^honestly...i love the WJ stuff...sure it can go overboard a little, but unlike AC, i feel not in prison.

[Blader]

^urban legend - Here's another variation

Thanks to a retired Air Force officer for sending this "paraphrase" of a memorable public safety announcement from Alaska Air flight attendants...

"I was flying to San Francisco from Seattle this weekend, and the flight attendant reading the flight safety information had the whole plane looking at each other like 'what the heck?' (Getting Seattle people to look at each other is an accomplishment.) So once we got airborne, I took out my laptop and typed up what she said so I wouldn't forget. I've left out a few parts I'm sure, but this is most of it."

Before takeoff... Hello and welcome to Alaska Flight 438 to San Francisco. If you're going to San Francisco, you're in the right place. If you're not going to San Francisco, you're about to have a really long evening.

We'd like to tell you now about some important safety features of this aircraft.

The most important safety feature we have aboard this plane is... the flight attendants. Please look at one now.

There are five exits aboard this plane: two at the front, two over the wings, and one out the plane's rear end. If you're seated in one of the exit rows, please do not store your bags by your feet. That would be a really bad idea.
Please take a moment and look around and find the nearest exit. Count the rows of seats between you and the exit. In the event that the need arises to find one, trust me, you'll be glad you did. (This is excellent advice, and something I always do.) We have pretty blinking lights on the floor that will blink in the direction of the exits. White ones along the normal rows, and pretty red ones at the exit rows.

In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, these baggy things will drop down over your head. You stick it over your nose and mouth like the flight attendant is doing now. The bag won't inflate, but there's oxygen there, promise.

If you are sitting next to a small child, or someone who is acting like a small child, please do us all a favor and put on your mask first. If you are traveling with two or more children, please take a moment now to decide which one is your favorite. Help that one first, and then work your way down.

In the seat pocket in front of you is a pamphlet about the safety features of this plane. I usually use it as a fan when I'm having my own personal summer. It makes a very good fan. It also has pretty pictures. Please take it out and play with it now.

Please take a moment now to make sure your seat belts are fastened low and tight about your waist. To fasten the belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle. To release, it's a pulley thing -- not a pushy thing like your car because you're in an airplane -- HELLO!!

There is no smoking in the cabin on this flight. There is also no smoking in the lavatories. If we see smoke coming from the lavatories, we will assume you are on fire and put you out. This is a free service we provide. There are two smoking sections on this flight, one outside each wing exit.
We do have a movie in the smoking sections tonight ... hold on, let me check what it is .... Oh here it is; the movie tonight is Gone with the Wind.

In a moment we will be turning off the cabin lights, and it's going to get really dark, really fast. If you're afraid of the dark, now would be a good time to reach up and press the yellow button. The yellow button turns on your reading light. Please don't press the orange button unless you absolutely have to. The orange button is your seat ejection button.

We're glad to have you with us on board this flight. Thank you for choosing Alaska Air and giving us your business and your money. If there's anything we can do to make you more comfortable, please don't hesitate to ask.

If you all weren't strapped down, you would have given me a standing ovation, wouldn't you?

After landing... Welcome to the San Francisco International Airport. Sorry about the bumpy landing. It's not the captain's fault. It's not the copilot's fault. It's the Asphalt.

Please remain seated until the plane is parked at the gate.
At no time in history has a passenger beaten a plane to the gate. So please don't even try.

Please be careful opening the overhead bins because "shift happens."


Funny though

[Kevin_foster]

Hmm, I've flown WJ a hundred times and never have heard the attendants talk like that...

Anyways, if you don't like the chilled out atmosphere, why not just trolly over to Air Canada?

[Coldrsx]

^i miss the toilet paper roll drag races though...

[ibz]

119$ each way YEG to Vegas on WJ...Boo yah!

[Edmonchuck]

God...that PA announcement is INCREDIBLY old...I remember that from the PWA days...

[rapid_business]

plus taxes.... equals, $300?

[tuffyy]

WestJet is WestJet and AC is AC.Flown both a zillion times it seems and still must say that WestJet is always good for being laid back,AC is good for ''sometimes'' making you feel important.Hey We all know the carrier is doing something right,it has a fairly impressive network of destinations and one of the newest fleets in the world.In the past few years the carrier has climbed right up the back of its competition in the domestic market.WestJet was the little carrier everyone predicted would not survive,and yet look at it now.

[Rocket252]

WestJet is at a crossroads now and has to decide what it wants to be.

It is not a little carrier anymore.

[lubicon]

Another forum (Flyertalk) is reporting that AC is cutting their 2x daily YEG-YLW (Kelowna) service, effective July 1. Funny how they have never been able to make this route work but Westjet is having good success with it.

[Coldrsx]

Air Canada brings past, future together at International
The Edmonton Journal
Published: Thursday, June 21, 2007

EDMONTON - Air Canada will show off the old and the new Friday when its newest Boeing 777 jetliner will join the airline's original Lockheed 10A Electra on the apron at the International Airport.

The 777-200LR is flying directly from the Boeing factory at Everett, Wash., for a show and tell for employees. It is due to arrive at the Air Canada cargo area at about 5 p.m.

The Electra, which will fit under the wing of its big brother, was the first plane used by Trans-Canada Airlines in 1937. It now resides in the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg.
COMING TO EDMONTON: Some of the next generation of airliners, from top, the Airbus A380, Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 777 are seen at Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, near Paris this week. Air Canada will display a 777 to its staff at the Edmonton International on Monday.View Larger Image View Larger Image
COMING TO EDMONTON: Some of the next generation of airliners, from top, the Airbus A380, Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 777 are seen at Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, near Paris this week. Air Canada will display a 777 to its staff at the Edmonton International on Monday.
Reuters
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Air Canada's 777-200LR has 42 executive first-class seats and 228 economy seats, while the 777-300ER is configured for 42 executive seats and 307 economy seats.

Both planes will be used on the airline's new daily non-stop service from Vancouver to Sydney later this year.


© The Edmonton Journal 2007

[Kevin_foster]

The one thing that I don't ever want to see is the unionization of the WJ employees.

Anyone have any speculation on the issue? A union would drag WJ into the mud, along with every other airline.

[lubicon]

As long at the WJ employees are happy they have no reason to join a union, and they are a pretty happy bunch right now. I've got a few friends who are pilots for them and for them there is no reason to form a union. They are very happy with things the way they are now...good pay, good benefits, good working conditions. What would they have to gain by unionizing?

[Jasper and one o nin]

I think unions are the #1 thing that plagues airlines. I think thats why WJ's additude about keeping the employees happy is key to their success.