WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech is calling for a national aviation strategy as a path to a more competitive — and affordable — industry. In an interview, the head of the country’s second-largest airline said current labour laws, passenger rights, taxes and fees hinder growth and chip away at Canadian carriers’ bottom lines. Von Hoensbroech says domestic airlines face higher costs than their U.S. competitors in areas ranging from air navigation to emissions offsets and customer compensation. He says the rationale behind any one of those factors may be sound, but it needs be weighed as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the sector. Meanwhile, the cost of fuel has skyrocketed, adding more than $1 billion to WestJet’s expense sheet this year and prompting Porter Airlines, Air Transat and Flair Airlines to access more than $630 million in federal emergency aid. The country’s airline industry has consolidated over the past three years, as budget carrier Lynx Air collapsed and WestJet folded its low-cost Swoop subsidiary into it mainline service and bought Sunwing Airlines. --- Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2026.
