How to enjoy travel during the most wonderful
time of the year
CALGARY, Dec. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - The upcoming Christmas
travel season is among the busiest times of the year at airports
worldwide. Here are a few quick reminders to make travel easier
this festive season.
Check your I.D.
Ensure you have proper identification and
documentation for all travellers, including children and infants.
Transport Canada has changed
identification requirements for domestic travel, meaning
expired identification can no longer be used for any
flight.
For international travel, travel documents must be presented at
check-in. Each country on your itinerary may have different entry
requirements, including the physical condition of a passport or
extended validity of a passport beyond your intended departure
date. Check national entry requirements with WestJet well before
departure date.
Plan to arrive early.
Because it's such a busy time of year for travel, prepare for
large crowds at the airport. WestJet suggests arriving at the
airport no less than two hours before a domestic flight and three
hours before an international flight. Travellers should complete
security, immigration and customs and be at their departure gate
one hour before departure. Those who do not meet check-in, baggage
drop or boarding cut-off times may be denied travel.
It's also never a bad idea to give yourself plenty of time to
get to the airport. Bad weather and traffic snarls can make for a
longer drive to the airport than normal this time of year.
Make sure you can carry on with your carry-on.
Carry-on baggage must meet WestJet's size requirements as listed
on the website. Each guest is permitted one piece of carry-on
baggage and one personal item. Excess and oversized carry-on
baggage may be checked in and subject to applicable baggage
fees.
In addition, be sure to pack special items like identification,
wallets, purses, medication, mobile devices, keys and valuable
items such as cash, jewelry and electronics into carry-on
baggage.
Inflight entertainment? There's an app for that.
WestJet's inflight entertainment system, WestJet Connect, is
available on your own laptop or through the WestJet app on your
smartphone or tablet. Download the latest version of the airline's
iPhone or Android app for free access to more than 500 hours
of movies and TV programs, and five live TV channels. WestJet
Connect also offers pay-per-use Internet access. Almost 75 per cent
of WestJet's Boeing fleet is now equipped with WestJet Connect.
Don't have your own device? If your flight is over three hours,
WestJet has tablet rentals with early-release content available for
flights not yet equipped with Connect.
It's best to keep gifts unwrapped.
WestJet suggests that you do not wrap gifts before heading to
the airport. Airport security screeners may unwrap items in checked
or carry-on baggage, causing delays at security. Pack wrapping
paper in your checked luggage, and have a wrapping party on arrival
at your destination.
Make sure your pet is ok to fly.
WestJet does not accept kennels as checked baggage between December 15 and January 6 inclusive,
although certain small animals may be able to travel in the
aircraft cabin; visit WestJet's website for details.
Check-in 24 hours before you go.
WestJet offers three convenient self-serve check-in
options: web, mobile and kiosk. The airline suggests checking in 24
hours before scheduled departure.
- Web check-in is available at westjet.com.
- Check-in on your mobile device using WestJet's app or
mobile-optimized website.
- Self-serve check-in kiosks are available at most of WestJet's
airports, and may also offer self-serve baggage-tagging.
Speed up your airport experience by paying baggage fees with a
credit card when you use self-serve check-in.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
From all 12,000 of us at WestJet, thank you for your support.
Have a safe and happy holiday season and we look forward to seeing
you on board.
About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's most
trusted airline, powered by an award-winning culture of care and
recognized as one of the country's top employers. WestJet, and our
regional airline, WestJet Encore, offer scheduled service to more
than 100 destinations in North
America, Central America,
the Caribbean and Europe. Through our partnerships with airlines
representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests
more than 150 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging
WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest
experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel
experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every
guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars
on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet
dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations
packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with
no blackout periods ΜΆ even on seat sales. For more
information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.
Recent recognition includes:
2016 Canada's Most Trusted Airline (Gustavson
School of Business at the University of
Victoria)
2016 Canada's most reputable
company for Corporate Social Responsibility (Reputation
Institute)2016/2015/2014/2013/2012 Ranked top three for Canadian
Brands (Canadian Business Magazine)2016/2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC
World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense
magazine)2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture
(Waterstone Human Capital)
2015 Best Employers in Canada
(Aon Hewitt)
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SOURCE WestJet