WestJet shutting down Swoop, adding budget carrier to main operations

WestJet is adding its budget carrier, Swoop, to its mainline operations.

In a news release on June 9, the airline announced that it expects the merger to be completed by the end of October.

“To avoid traveller impact, Swoop will operate its existing network through to the end of its published schedule on [Oct. 28, 2023],” the release reads.

“Swoop employees will [then] move to WestJet.”

The announcement comes as WestJet ratifies the second collective bargaining agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association.

In May, the company avoided a potentially catastrophic strike after reaching a last-minute deal with the union.

WestJet said the decision to add Swoop into its main banner was negotiated in the collective agreement, which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, and will be in place until Dec. 31, 2026.

“This integration will enhance [WestJet’s] ability to serve a broader spectrum of guests,” CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said in the release.

“Instead of only 16 aircraft serving the ultra-low-cost market, each aircraft, in our 180-strong fleet, will offer ultra-affordable travel options through to a premium inflight experience.”

According to LinkedIn, the airline employs a total workforce of more than 7,100 people.

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Merging as major layoffs continue

WestJet’s decision to wind down Swoop and add it into its main banner comes amid a flurry of layoffs in 2023.

Several major North American companies, including Suncor, JPMorgan, Meta, LinkedIn, Hudson’s Bay, and Accenture, are significantly scaling back their staffing levels as they continue to navigate challenging economic conditions.

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Termination agreements for Swoop employees

As WestJet integrates Swoop into its mainline operations, it’s possible that some non-unionized workers could be fired or let go.

In Canada, non-unionized employees and senior executives at the airline are owed full severance pay when they lose their jobs due to downsizing, corporate restructuring, or the closure of the business.

This includes individuals working full-time, part-time, or hourly in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C.

Severance can be as much as 24 months’ pay, depending on a number of factors.

LEARN MORE
• Severance for provincially regulated employees
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• Air Canada Layoffs and Severance Pay

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains what rights employees have if they are being fired or let go on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Before you accept any severance offer, have an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP review it and your employment contract.

We can tell you if what you have been provided is fair and how to get proper compensation if it falls short of what you are actually owed.

If you aren’t given the full amount, which happens often, you have been wrongfully dismissed and are entitled to compensation.

In some cases, employers pressure staff into accepting poor severance packages, such as imposing a deadline for accepting the offer.

Non-unionized employees in Canada have up to two years from the date of their dismissal to pursue a claim for full severance pay.