Calgary-based airline WestJet plans to cut 1,000 jobs and will slash its flight schedule.
Blaming the latest travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government, WestJet says it has seen an immediate decline in travel demand.
"Immediately following the federal government’s inbound testing announcement and with the continuation of the 14-day quarantine, we saw significant reductions in new bookings and unprecedented cancellations," said Ed Sims, WestJet CEO.
"The entire travel industry and its customers are again on the receiving end of incoherent and inconsistent government policy."
Job cuts will be made across the business in the form of furloughs, unpaid leave and reduced hours.
The airline currently employs 5,700 people.
It is suspending nearly two dozen year-round and seasonal routes including Edmonton-Cancun, Edmonton-Puerto Vallarta, Vancouver-Los Angeles and Calgary-Las Vegas.
This week the federal government began a pre-testing program for all inbound international flights while still requiring all travelers to quarantine.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor
