WestJet Cargo’s belly business did very well in 2024, driven by increased belly cargo demand, network expansion, and digital transformation. The airline reported a 60% year-over-year revenue surge in belly cargo operations, with growth on key routes such as Narita-Calgary and Incheon-Calgary. While phasing out its four dedicated freighters due to operational complexities, WestJet Cargo will focus on expanding belly cargo capacity aligned with its passenger fleet growth. A Block Space Agreement with Virgin Atlantic on the Toronto-London route enhances connectivity to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia via London Heathrow. The carrier also launched a revamped website and integrated with platforms like cargo.one and CargoAi, streamlining booking, tracking, and product offerings. New services such as Campus’Air for academic and research shipments underscore its commitment to providing efficient solutions to its customers, and it aims to sustain growth through network capacity expansion and partnerships.
Julius Mooney, WestJet Director of Commercial Cargo, announced: “As WestJet welcomes more aircraft to its passenger fleet, WestJet Cargo will grow alongside. Supported by a strong logistics and operations team, WestJet Cargo is poised to continue its successful growth in the competitive belly cargo sector.”
Kirsten de Bruijn, WestJet Executive Vice President, Cargo, added: “WestJet’s belly cargo business has emerged as a key driver of success for WestJet Cargo, with a 60% year-over-year increase in revenue. We’ve seen strong performance on key routes like Narita-Calgary Incheon-Calgary.” While its belly business is flourishing, the airline’s freighter fleet has been shelved, and Kirsten de Bruijn has announced that she will be leaving WestJet. She explained: “Building out this important growth opportunity for WestJet was very rewarding. Unfortunately, the freighter business came with timing delays and additional complexity that no longer made it the right commitment for WestJet.”
