Low interest in travel in the United States causes WestJet to suspend flights from YLW
Air Canada travelers have begun to lose interest in traveling south of the border and now airlines are evacuating their flights completely.
Travel expert Claire Newell
“At least in the summer, Air Canada, West Jets, Porter and Flair have changed their schedules. They will still be heading to most destinations in the U.S., but with smaller capacity,” Newell said.
The ongoing trade war between Canada and the United States is not only escalating tensions, but also putting brakes on cross-border travel, especially from Canada to the United States
“What we're seeing is that the forward bookings have really changed. In fact, any public American, usually where it's really popular at this time of the year, is now seeing a big drop in interest.”
This decline caused WestJet to suspend selected flights at Kelowna International Airport (YLW).
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“WestJet has suspended Seattle's service in April, and the service will continue in May. Westjet also ends our early Las Vegas service to the United States,” said Phillip Elchitz, director of operations and innovation at Kelowna International.
Meanwhile, flights from YLW in Canada are on the rise.
“The rise in domestic travel compared to last year's domestic seats this summer is quite large. This is good news. It is good news. So far, we have actually seen a 15% increase in travel and demand in the country,” Elchitz said.
But Claire Newell warned that if the trade conflict escalates, travelers may see more changes in flight schedules, including the possibility of smaller planes or fewer flights. “It could be a change in the aircraft, choosing smaller aircraft to serve the destination. This could mean less frequency,” she said.
The political atmosphere and influence of US President Donald Trump also influenced travel concepts. Recent Abacus Data Polls show that 66% of Canadians believe the current situation makes the United States an attractive destination for travel.
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