WestJet buddies up with Cathay Pacific

WestJet airlines has linked a new interline agreement with Cathay Pacific. By allowing each carrier to sell seats on its partner’s flights, travelers coming from Asia will be able to smoothly catch connecting WestJet flights to various Canadian destinations, with a single ticket.

Benefits for WestJet? The new partnership will surely broaden their global recognition and increase amount of international customers, especially as WestJet’s fleet of Boeing 737s don’t have the capacity for transoceanic flights. And for Cathay Pacific? It will make it easier particularly for people traveling leisurely and business men/women from Asia (largely China) to fly with more travel connections. Overall, it’s a wing-win situation. Both airlines are benefiting from big-name brand association in other key regional markets.

An issue that may arise from this agreement might be travelers showing resistance to flying with a small, local, discounted airline. Also, other dual-airline pacts such as Cathay Pacific/United Airlines may increase competition from American market. Another obstacle that WestJet is already facing is the need to upgrade technical systems to keep up with large airline operations.