This Airline’s First Dreamliner Delivery Means More Lie-Flats From North America to Europe
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For those hoping to grab a seat on Boeing’s longest-range Dreamliner, you’ll soon have another option: WestJet. Boeing just delivered the first of 10 incoming Dreamliners to the airline’s hometown of Calgary, with the 787-9 configured with 320 seats across economy, premium and business cabins. The first Dreamliner will fly guests domestically on Toronto (YYZ)/Calgary (YYC) routes starting Feb. 20 to assist with crew familiarization before the first international service from Calgary to London–Gatwick (LGW) on April 28.
WestJet’s trumpeting the aircraft’s “turbulence-dampening technology, improved air quality to reduce jetlag and larger windows that give an increased sense of space,” and we’re particularly excited to see its first-ever business class product hit the skies.
The business-class cabin is composed of 16 lie-flat seats in a preferable 1-2-1 configuration, offering every passenger direct aisle access, while WestJet Premium will offer seats in a 2x3x2 configuration. Per WestJet, the Premium cabin will boast “an elevated guest experience with a separate and private cabin, cozy blankets and pillows available on every seat along with a self-serve social area.”
Adding the Dreamliner to its fleet may make WestJet a lot more alluring than it has been in the past, and you’d be wise to brush up on the airline’s newly revamped reward tiers. Keep in mind that Delta and WestJet created a “comprehensive transborder joint venture arrangement” last year, so it’s possible that Delta loyalists could creatively route overseas in order to earn qualifying miles/spend while planted in a Dreamliner.
The second and third WestJet Dreamliners are currently on the production line at Boeing’s factory and will be delivered in February and March to coincide with the start of Calgary-Paris and Calgary-Dublin services, respectively.
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