WestJet Adds Fuel Surcharge for Companion Voucher Bookings Amid Rising Energy Costs

WestJet will add a $60 surcharge to flights bought with companion vouchers starting on April 8.

“Fuel is the largest contributor to airline operating costs, and a temporary surcharge helps us manage the recent surge in fuel prices. While airfares can be adjusted and have greater flexibility in pricing, the nature of our companion vouchers does not allow for this same flexibility,” WestJet told The Epoch Times. The new fee is listed as an air transportation charge under “Other ATC” on the airline’s pricing schedule.

The companion voucher is a benefit for those holding a WestJet RBC Mastercard, and allows a second guest to fly round-trip for a reduced base fare starting at $119 or $399 depending on the destination and tier of the flight. Taxes and other fees, including other ATC, are then applied to that price.

WestJet has also suspended a number of routes for April and May citing declining demand, saying the move would allow it to best manage associated fuel costs.

The company said it has reduced capacity by approximately 1 percent in April and 3 percent in May.

“Most guests impacted by these changes have been provided reaccommodation options within the same day as their original departure,” it said.

The suspensions, originally announced by WestJet in February, span 16 routes and mostly depart from cities in Western Canada, with Vancouver and Edmonton each losing five routes.

That decline in demand for U.S. travel is reflected in information from Statistics Canada, which shows that 19.3 percent fewer Canadian residents returned from the United States in November last year compared with the previous year, and 25 percent fewer made the trip in December.