So long, Swoop, it was nice knowin’ ya. WestJet’s “ultra-not-expensive” airline said farewell on Saturday, completing its last day of operations before joining WestJet’s mainline fleet as part of the company’s evolutionary growth plans that now sees it moving on to integrating newly purchased Sunwing Airlines as well.
Launched just five years ago (though a couple of those years were largely spent on the ground due to the pandemic), Swoop was announced in 2017 as WestJet’s answer to the growing low-cost airline trend in Canada, and took flight with two 737-800 aircraft on June 20, 2018, initially based out of Hamilton, Ont., and in the West, Edmonton.
The first flight was between Hamilton and Abbotsford, BC, but it wasn’t long before new domestic destinations, as well as international service to the US, Mexico, and Caribbean, were added, all supported by a growing fleet.
Earlier this year, Travel Industry Today took part in the airline’s inaugural flight to Varadero, Cuba.
However, on June 9, WestJet announced that it planned to swallow Swoop, merging it – along with Sunwing – into mainline operations effective with the end of its published schedule on Oct. 28.
On that day – Saturday – Swoop president Bob Cummings issued a message to travellers “with a heart full of gratitude and nostalgia…”
He wrote:
“Today marks the final day of operation for Swoop. It is a bittersweet moment for all of us, as we bid farewell to an incredible journey that you have been an integral part of. Your trust in us and your growing appetite for affordable air travel have been the bedrock fueling our cause and success for the past five years.
“As we close this chapter at Swoop, we are incredibly excited for what’s to come, which, as you may know, is our merger into WestJet. While mixing magenta with teal technically ends up as purple, we know that in our case, the result will be more affordable flights to more communities across Canada.
“Here at Swoop, we pioneered ultra-low-cost air travel in Canada, and stimulated demand for travel that did not previously exist. Over our five years of service, we proudly transported nearly 7 million people on over 40,000 flights to 38 destinations across Canada, the US, Mexico and the Caribbean.
“This strategic move represents a new chapter for us, one that promises better service, greater convenience, and a wider network of affordable airfares. Rest assured, our commitment to providing you with exceptional travel experiences remains unwavering.
“Thank you for being a part of our journey. We are excited about what the future holds and we are thrilled to have you with us every step of the way.”