CALGARY -- WestJet will suspend all international and transborder flights for 30 days, starting March 22 at midnight.
That was the word in a statement posted to the WestJet blog by company president and CEO Ed Sims Monday evening.
"Our final commercially scheduled flights from international and transborder destinations will launch on Sunday night by 11:59 p.m. local time," he wrote. "After that, we will be operating rescue and repatriation flights in partnership with the Canadian government."
"On Wednesday, March 18, at 11:59 p.m. MDT, WestJet will suspend all outbound international ticket sales for travel until Sunday March 22 at 11:59 MST, so we are no longer sending Canadians out of the country and can instead focus on bringing them home."
The policy includes flights to the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe.
He added that the airline was in the process of lowering prices on remaining seats into Canada in all cabins.
The airline is also reducing its domestic schedule, Sims added by approximately 50 per cent. "At this point," he said, "all network changes are in place for the next 30 days."
"WestJetters are known for our level of care and this situation is no different," Sims wrote. "While this is a difficult time, we now have the responsibility as a Canadian airline to bring our citizens home."
