WestJet has announced plans to extend its Brandon to Toronto route.

The City of Brandon’s ongoing efforts to expand daily air service capacity at the Brandon Municipal Airport received a boost this week with WestJet’s announcement that it will offer a direct return flight to Toronto on a year-round basis. 
In announcing its 2016-2017 Winter Flight Schedule, WestJet has confirmed that the direct Brandon- Toronto flight it is currently offering four times a week will end as per its summer schedule on September 5th, but will then be picked up as a permanent route, beginning October 23rd.

WestJet also reaffirmed its commitment to Brandon’s current seven-day-a-week, midday flight to and from Calgary; and further committed to restoring an early morning flight from Brandon to Calgary three days a week – a flight which the company had initially offered early in 2016, but then removed from its summer schedule.

“We want to give Westman residents a chance to make use of our service and we want to give them a chance to use out eastern route to make connections for business and perhaps make plans to get to sunny destinations this winter” said Lauren Stewart a WestJet spokesperson.

Officials in Brandon are thrilled with this week's announcement.

“The City of Brandon is extremely pleased that WestJet continues to see Brandon as a strong market for both eastern and western flights,” says Brandon City Manager Scott Hildebrand. “With the additional commitments announced today, we will essentially have a WestJet aircraft parked overnight on the apron at the Brandon Municipal Airport seven days a week. This is an extremely positive step for us and will only further strengthen our efforts to offer convenient air travel options to the entire southwestern Manitoba region.”

Hildebrand adds that with the Brandon Municipal Airport Expansion/Redevelopment Project set for completion early in 2017, the City of Brandon will soon be able to showcase a modern airport to all travellers and visitors. Hildebrand further notes that, as with any other flight offered by WestJet, the company will need to see strong use of the eastern and western flights to guarantee their longevity.

Westjet started offering the Brandon to Toronto route at the end of July. “The first month has been a bit slow but we wanted to give it more time to see if area residents will make use of that flight option” said Stewart.