Kurt Archer

Westjet has long been the flight carrier of choice within Canada. The staff is characterized by their friendly, fun and humorous attitudes that is sure to keep your spirits as elevated as you will be physically, in the air. Westjet has demonstrated exemplar service and is a role model business practice in the aviation community, not only in Canada but all over the world. The difference is that Westjet capitalizes on its people, and deriving the shared value of their people, makes it a employee of choice. Given this type of market leadership, I believe the true potential for Westjet to really take off is on the horizon yet.

When an airline decides to lower their prices, the first things to go out the window is usually food quality (or food period), and then service. In Westjet’s case, the first was scenario was true, and now any food on board must be purchased from a third party provider, beverages however remain complimentary. Westjet’s success in maintaining high quality service is really thanks to their core values as an organization. Humour replaces luxurious pampering, and that is seen through their genuine care and growth approach to staff and clients. It goes a long way to describe what individuals value, and it is not being treated like royalty, but treated like important individuals.

So what then could be next on the horizon for Westjet if they plan to stay the course as market leaders in the industry? Well in order to come full circle as an organization committed to triple bottom line results, Westjet must now complete the circle through their conscious impact on the community and environment in which they operate. Based on my observations, I have made three suggestions that could truly go a long way for an organization like Westjet.

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