Holiday Joy from the Best Airline You Don’t Know (Yet)
by David Rosen | Senior Vice President
I read today a story about Calgary-based WestJet (The “Southwest Airlines of Canada”).
For many travelers in North America this past week, long lines and crowded planes have been the least of their worries. The news was filled with reports of people stuck in Seattle and struggling to be rebooked after cancellations in much of the East and Midwest.
Meanwhile, in Canada — in the spirit of the holidays — WestJet went out of its way to provide nearly 5000 stranded customers with free meals, hotel rooms and alternate travel options (including charting aircraft from other airlines).
What WestJet understands is that airline loyalty really has little to do with points or perks. What truely endears loyalty to a carrier (or any business for that matter) is that unique connection with their customers at times when the effort is most appreciated.
