Globe and Mail - WestJet sets sights on Air Canada's title

WestJet Airlines Ltd.’s plan to add smaller planes to its fleet will position the carrier to challenge Air Canada for the top spot in carrying domestic traffic within five years.

Karl Moore, a professor at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, said Mr. Saretsky understands the challenges because he worked at Seattle-based Alaska Airlines Inc. It flies Boeing 737s, but its affiliate, Horizon Air, operates Q400 turboprops.

“Certainly, you can see the success of the Q400 for thinner routes,” Prof. Moore said. “If you can have a plane that better matches the volume of passengers, it would be a winner.”