1. Living the
Brand
TD Newcrest
The 9th Annual
T ugust 2 HR
AOURISM 008
FORUM
1

2. Our flight itinerary today
•A bit about the industry
•A bit about WestJet
•HR’s role in strengthening the
WestJet Brand
2

3. The airline industry is tough
• For the past 58 years, airlines have
rung up a cumulative net loss of
$14 billion.
"If I'd been at Kitty Hawk in 1903
when Orville Wright took off, I
would have been farsighted
enough, and public-spirited
enough -- I owed this to future
capitalists -- to shoot him
down." Warren Buffet
3

4. Canadian airline graveyard Wikipedia – January 2009
30000 Island Air Greyhound Air (1996 - 97) QuikAir (2001 - 06) Zoom Airlines
Air Alliance (1988 - 99, to Air Nova) Harmony Airways (2002 – 2007) Regal Air (was ATAC.ca member)
Air Atlantic Harv’s Air Service
Air Baffin (1990-?) (now Air Nunavut) Ilford-Riverton Airways (1960 - 86) Roots Air (2000 – 01)
Air BC (1980 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz) Inter-Canadien (to Canadian) Royal Aviation (1991 - 2001)
Air Canada Tango (2001 - 03) Jetsgo (2002 - 05) Sonicblue Airways
Air Club International (1993 – 1996) Knighthawk Air Express (1993 – 2004) (ceased operations 2006)
Air Dawson (-1997?) Lamb Air Southern Frontier Airlines
Air Nova (1986 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz) Lakeland Aviation (to Time Air)
Air Ontario (1987 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz) Maritime Air Charter Stanton Airways
AllCanada Express Maritime Central Airways Time Air (1966 - 91, to Canadian)
Austin Airways (1934 - 87, to Air Ontario) Millardair (1962 - 90) Torontair (1961 - 99)
Canada 3000 (1988 - 2001, formerly C2000) NAC Airways (2000 – 2008) Transair
Canada West Air (1986 - 90) Nationair (1984 - 93) Trans-Canada Air Lines
Canada West Airlines (2002 - 04) Newfoundland Airways (1948-1983, (now Air Canada)
Canadian Airlines (1987 - 2001, to AC) to Air Labrador) Trans-Provincial Airlines
Canadian Airways (1923 - 29) Nordair (1951 - 87) Triton Airlines (1993 - 94)
Canadian Colonial Airways (1929 - 42) NorOntair (1971 - 96) Val Air (2003 - 04)
Canadian Pacific Air Lines (1942 - 87, North Canada Air (to Time Air) Vision Airways Corporation
to Canadian) NWT Air (1960 - 98) (ceased operations 1994)
Canadian Regional Airlines (1991 - 2001, Odyssey International (1988 – 1990) Vistajet (1997 - 97)
to Air Canada Jazz) Ontario Express (to Canadian) Wardair (1946 - 90, to Canadian)
City Express (ceased operations 1991) Pacific Western Airlines (1946 - 87, Western Canada Airways (1926-30)
Colonial Airlines (1942 – 1956) to Canadian) Westex Airlines
Eastern Provincial Airways (1949 - 87, Peace Air (1962 – 2007) Wilderness Air LTD.
to Canadian) Pem Air (1970 - 2002) Winnport
Fortunair Quebecair (1946 - 87) Worldways Canada (1974 - 91)
Globemaster Air Cargo (2003 – 2004) Quebecair Express World-Wide Airways (1947 - 66)
Great Lakes Airlines (to Air Ontario) Queen Charlotte Airlines Zip (2002 - 04) 4

5. US airline graveyard - A
Air Hawaii (1960s)
AAXICO Airlines (1946 - 1965, to Saturn Airways)
Air Hyannix
Access Air (1998 - 2001)
Air Idaho
ADI Domestic Airlines
Air Illinois
Aeroamerica (1974 – 1982)
Airlift International (1946 - 81)
Aero Coach (1983 – 1991)
Air Kentucky
Aero International Airlines
Air LA
Aeromech Airlines (1951 - 1983, to Wright Airlines)
Air-Lift Commuter
AeroSun International
Air Lincoln
AFS Airlines
Air Link Airlines
Air America (operated by the CIA in SouthEast Asia)
Air Link Airways
Air America (1980s)
Air Metro
Air Astro
Air Miami
Air Atlanta (1981 - 88)
Air Michigan
Air Atlantic Airlines
Air Mid-America
Air Bama
Air Midwest
Air Berline, Inc. (1978 – 1990)
Air Missouri
Airborne Express (1946 - 2003, to DHL)
Air Molakai (1980)
Air California, later AirCal (1967 - 87, to American)
Air Molakai (1990)
Air Carolina
Air Molakai-Tropic Airlines
Air Central
Air Nebraska
Air Chaparral (1980 - 82)
Air Nevada
Air Chico
Air New England (1975 - 81)
Air Colorado
Air New Orleans (1981 – 1988)
Air Cortez
Air Niagara
Air Florida (1972 - 84)
Air North (1963 - 83, to Brockway Air)
Air Gemini
Air O’Hare
Air Great Lakes
5

6. US airline Graveyard A to B
Air Olympia Albany Air
Air Oregon All American Aviation Company
Air One (1990s) Allegheny Airlines (became US Airways)
AirPac Aloha Airlines
Air Pacific America West Airlines (1981)
Air Pennsylvania America Central Airlines
Air Resorts Airline American Export Airlines
Air Sierra American Flyers Airline
Air South (1968 - 75, to Florida Airlines; 1994-1997) American International Airways
Air Speed (1974) American Overseas Airlines
Air Spirit Arista International Airlines
Air Sunshine (1970s) Arizona Airways
Air Sunshine (1980s) Arizona Airways (1993-1996)
Air Texana Aroostook Airways
Air Texas Aspen Airways (1962 - 90)
Air Trails Atlantic Coast Airlines (1989 - 2004, to Independence Air)
Air 21 ATA Airlines (1973 – 2008)
Air US Atlantic Coast Airlines (1989 – 2004)
Air Utah Atlantic Gulf Airlines
AirVantage Airways Bar Harbor Airlines (1971-92)
Air Vegas (1971 – 2004) Big Sky Airlines (1971 – 1992)
Air Vermont Business Express Airlines to American Eagle
Air Virginia Boeing Air Transport (1927 - 30)
Airways of New Mexico Bonanza Air Lines (1945 - 68) to Hughes Airwest
Air West Braniff (1983-1990)
Alaska Air Transport (1935 – 1939) Braniff (1991-1992)
Alaska Coastal Airlines (1939 – 1968) Braniff International Airways (1928 - 82 and 1984 - 89)
6

7. US airline graveyard B to G
Britt Airways Colonial Air Transport (1926 - 30)
Brockway Air Command Airways
Business Express Airlines Conquest Sun Airways
CalPac (California Pacific) (1993 - 95 to Mesa Airlines) Crown Airways
Cal Sierra Airlines (1980) Curtiss Flying Service (1929 - 32)
Cape Smythe Air (1975 - 2005, to Frontier Flying Service) Delta Express (1996 – 2003)
Capitol Air Lines (1970s-1980s) Desert Sun Airlines (1995 - 97 to Mesa Airlines)
Capital Airlines (1936 - 61, to United Airlines) Eastern Air Lines (1926 - 91)
Capitol Air (1946 - 82) Eastwind Airlines
Caribbean Sun (2002 – 2007) Ellis Airlines (1936 – 1962)
Carnival Air Lines Emerald Air (1978 - 91)
Cascade Airways (1969 - 86) Emery Worldwide Airlines (1977 - 2003)
Catalina Airlines (1940 - 69) Empire Airlines (1976 - 85, to USAir)
CCAir Eos Airlines (2004 – 2008)
Centennial Airlines Eureka Aero (1975 – 1979)
Central Airlines (1944 - 67) Express One International
Challenge Air Cargo (1978 - 2001) Falcon Air Express (1995 – 2007)
Champion Air Fine Air (1989 – 2004)
Chicago Air FloridaGulf Airlines (1991 - 97 to Air Midwest)
Chicago and Southern Air Lines (1934 - 53) Flying Tiger Line (1945 - 88, to Federal Express)
Chicago Express (1993 - 2005) Freelandia
Coastal Airways (1929 – 1930) Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Coshise Airlines Galaxy Airlines
Colgan Airways (1971 - 86, to Presidential Airways, Gem State Airlines (1979)
revived 1991, and currently operating as Gemini Airlines
Continental Express, United Express, and Global International Airways (1981 - ?)
US Airways Express: see http://www.colganair.com) Golden Gate Airlines (1980 – 1981)
7

8. US airline graveyard G to N
Golden Pacific Airlines (1980 – 1973) Liberty Express Airlines ((1994 - 97 to Air Midwest)
Golden Pacific Airlines (1981 – 1988) Lone Star Airlines
Golden West Airlines Great Plains Airlines (2001 - 2004) Mackey Airlines (1957 - 81)
Great Plaines Airlines (2001 – 2004) Maddux Airlines (1927 - 29, to Transcontinental Air Transport)
Gulf Air Transport (1979 - 1990) Mahalo Air (1993 - 97)
Hooters Air (2003 - 2006, currently charter flights only) Mall Airways (1973 - 89, to Business Express)
Hughes Airwest (1968 - 80, to Republic Airlines) Marine Airways (1936 – 1939)
Imperial Airlines (1964 - 82) MarkAir (1947 - 95)
Independence Air (2004-2006) (ceased operations in 2006) Marquette Airlines (to Trans World Airlines)
Independent Air (1966 – 1990) MAXjet (2005 – 2007)
Indigo Airlines Mayflower Airlines (1936 – 1945)
Intermountain Airlines MetroJet
Irving Airways (1936) Mexus Airlines
Island Pacific Air MGM Grand Air
Jet 24 (1981 – 1986) MidAtlantic Airways
Jet Express Mid-Continent Airlines (1928 - 1952, to Braniff)
JetWest (1969 – 1970) Mid Pacific Air (1981 - 88)
Key Airlines Mid-State Airlines (1964 - ?, to Sentry Airlines)
Kitty Hawk Airways Midway Airlines (1979 - 81 and 1993 - 2003)
Kitty Hawk International (to Kalitta Air) Mississippi Valley Airlines (1969 - 85)
Kiwi International Air Lines Modern Air Transport
L’Express Airlines (1989 – 1992) Mohawk Airlines (1952 - 88, to Allegheny Airlines)
Lake Central Airlines (1949 - 68, to Allegheny Airlines) Morris Air to Southwest Airlines
Lakeland Airlines (1980 - 84) Mountain Air Express
Las Vegas Airlines (1973 - 87) Mountain West Airlines (1995 - 97 to Mesa Airlines)
Legend Airlines (1996 - 2000) Muse Air to Southwest Airlines
Leisure Air (1992 – 1995) National Airlines (1929 - 80, to Pan American World Airways)
8

9. US airline graveyard N to R
National Airlines (1983 - 1986) Paradise Island Airlines
National Airlines/Private Jet Expeditions (1994-1995) People Express (1981 - 87, to Continental Airlines)
National Airlines (1999 - 2002) Piedmont Airlines (1940 - 89, to USAir)
National Air Transport (1926 - 30) Pilgrim Airlines
Nations Air Express (1994-1998) Pioneer Airlines
Nationwide Airlines Southeast Planet Airways (????- June 8, 2005,
New England & Western Air Transportation Co. (1930) Potomac Air
New York Air (1980 - 86, to Continental Airlines) Presidential Airways (1985 - 89)
New York Airways (1949 - 1979) Private Jet Expeditions (????-1995)
New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line (to Pan American World Airways) Pride Air (August 1985 - November 1985)
North Central Airlines (1953 - 79) Pro Air (1997 - 2000)
Northeast Airlines (1940 - 72,to Delta Air Lines) Provincetown-Boston Airlines
Overseas National Airways (1950 - 78) Ransome Airlines (1967 - 86)
Ozark Airlines (1943 - 86, to Trans World Airlines) Rahm Rescue (? – 1971)
Pacific Air Lines Red Carpet Airlines
Pacific Air Transport (1926 - 27) Red Dodge Aviation
Pacific Alaska Airways (1973 - 86) Reeve Aleutian Airways (1932 - 2001)
Pacific East Airlines (ceased operations 1984) Regent Air
Pacific Express RegionsAir (1996 – 2007)
Pacific Nevada Airlines Reno Air (1990 - 99, to American Airlines)
Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) (1945 - 86, to USAir) Republic Airlines (1979 - 86, to Northwest Airlines)
Pan American Airways (1996-1998) Rich International Airways (1971 - 96)
Pan American Airways (1998-2004) Riddle Airlines (1945 – 1965)
Pan American-Grace Airways (Panagra) (1928 - 67, to Braniff International Rio Airways (1970-1987)
Airways) Robertson Air Service
Pan American World Airways (1927 - 91) Rocky Mountain Airways (1964 - 86)
Russia Jet Direct (2005)
9

10. US airline graveyard S to V
Samoa Air (2003) Tamir Transport (? – 1971)
Saturn Airways (1960 - 76, to Trans International Airlines) TAT - Maddux Air Lines (1928 - 30)
Seaboard World Airlines (1946 - 80, to Flying Tiger Line) Tempelhof Airways (1981 – 1990)
Shawnee Airlines (1968 – 1977) Tennessee Airways
Shuttle by United and United Shuttle (1994 - 2001) Texas Air
Skybus Airlines (2007 – 2008) Texas Trans Air
SkyTrain Airlines Texas International Airlines (1944 - 86, to Continental Airlines)
SkyValue (2006 - 2007) The Hawaii Express (1982 – 1983)
Skyway Tower Air (1983 - 2000)
Slick Airways (1946 – 1965) Trans Air (1979-1985)
Song (2003-2006 Merged back in with it's parent company, Transamerica Airlines (1948 - 86)
Delta Air Lines) Transcontinental Air Transport (1928 - 30, TWA)
South Pacific Island Airways Trans-Central Airlines
Southeast Airlines(1992-2004) Transcontinental Air Transport (1928 – 1930)
Southern Air Transport TransMeridian Airlines (1995-2005)
Southern Airways (1943 - 79, to Republic Airlines) Trans Ocean Airways (1979 – 1990)
Southern Jersey Airways Trans International Airlines (1947 - 1986)
Standard Airlines (1926 - 30) TranStar Airlines (1981-1987)
States West Airlines Trans-Colorado Airlines
Stol Air Commuter Trans-Texas Airways
Sunbird Airlines (1979 – 1987) Trans World Airlines (1930 - 2001, to American Airlines)
SunCoast Airlines (? – 1988) Trans World Express
Sun West Airlines Trump Shuttle (1989 - 91, to US Airways)
Sunworld International Airlines (ceased operations 2004) UltrAir (1993)
Superior Airlines (1993 - 95 to Mesa Airlines ValuJet Airlines (to AirTran Airways, 1997)
Swift Aire Lines (1969 - 81) Vance International Airways (1949)
TAG Airlines Vanguard Airlines (1994 – 2002)
10

11. US airline graveyard V to Z Wikipedia – January 2009
Varney Airlines
WestAir Commuter Airlines
West Coast airlines (1940s – 1968)
Western (2007)
Western Airlines (1925 – 1987)
Western Pacific Airlines (1998)
Westward Airways (2002 – 2005)
Wien Air Alaska
Wilmington
WinAir Airlines (1998 – 1999)
Wings Airways
Wright Airlines
Zantop Air Transport
Zantop Flying Service
Zantop International Airlines
11

12. The bad idea
Start
An
Airline
12

13. The good idea
Start
An
Airline
BUT…..
Do it
Differently
13

14. A b o ut
W estJet
14

15. WestJet took to the
skies
Feb 29, 1996
with 200 people, three Boeing 737s,
and five destinations…
15

16. 16

17. Charter & Scheduled Network
17

18. Some WestJet facts
• Age of WestJet 14 years
• Number of WestJetters 7,807
• Average unsolicited resumes 4000/mo
• Average annual turn-over
10.3%
• Average guests 300,000/wk
• Flights 2,900/wk
• Annual revenue $2.5B
• Cookies consumed last year 4,150,000
• Marriage proposals onboard 432
• Quickest aircraft/flight turn 6 mins
18

19. OK…..
Let’s
look
under
the
hood
19

20. People + brand =competitive
advantage
20

21. Does culture matter?
• Does your corporate culture have a
positive impact on your corporate
performance?
– 4 - yes, a strong
positive impact
36.1%
– 5 - yes, a very
strong and
positive impact
32.5%
21

22. Does culture matter?
Drives sales / revenue up 65.10%
Creates an alignment of
64.70%
employee behaviour
Gives a sense of
61.20%
belonging
Lowers turnover 58.80%
Provides a climate of
53.30%
innovation
Reduces costs 43.50%
22

23. Strong engagement &
strong brand
Hewitt Associates Best Employers in Canada study
50 Best Employers in
76% 21% 3%
Canada
WestJet 86% 12% 1%
Engaged Somewhat engaged Not engaged
Customer Satisfaction Survey
Very likely to 80%
recommend WestJet
23

24. At the root of it all
25

25. Sustaining our culture means
CARING to:
1.Plan
2.Listen
3.Share
4.Serve
5.Celebrate
26

26. CARE secret #1
•Interest based
(non- union) employee
relations
•Dedicated culture team
•Dedicated people
business advisors
Plan •Dedicated people service
centre
•Planed cultural rituals
“S*?% Happens……., culture doesn’t
just happen!”
27

27. People strategy
Mission
To enrich the lives of every WestJetter by
providing a world class employment experience
Our Promise:
•Fill a need
•Add value in timely fashion
•Easy to do business with
•Reinforce WestJet strategy
•Leave people feeling better off for having worked with us
People Relations Talent Management Total Rewards
& Administration
28

28. Little things matter
POWER OF LANGUAGE
• Team Leads vs Supervisors
• Beanland vs. Accounting
• People vs. HR
• Promises vs. Policies
• Guests vs. PAX,COW,WOW
29

29. WestJet’s Competencies
30

30. Planning on talent
Develop talent AT ALL LEVELS
Leading Self
Leading Others
Leading Leaders
Leading WestJet
31

31. CARE secret #2
• Profit share
– Over $180M since
the program started
– As the profit grows
so too does their
share of it!
Share • Share Ownership
– 100% on 20%
– 86% of WestJetters
are shareholders
32

32. Rewarding success
Long Term Incentives
Share Ownership
Variable Pay
Profit Share
Travel Perqs.
Top Quartile to Airline Industry
Flexible Benefits
MARKET MEDIAN
Base Pay
MARKET MEDIAN
33

33. Profit sharing
34

34. Care secret #3
• Listen to WestJetters
– Culture (WHY) Survey
report cards
– Face to Face
Communication
Listen – Social Media “ real
Story”
– Test ideas; uniforms,
commercials, snacks,
Cost Initiatives (E2)
35

35. Top 2 WHY Survey
Statements 2010
Strongly Agree Somewhat Agree % Agree*
I feel a strong sense of 2010 70% 26% 96%
commitment to help
WestJet be successful 97%
2007 74% 23%
I would recommend 2010 63% 28% 91%
WestJet to friends and
family as a great place to
work 2007 66% 25% 91%
*Agree = Strongly agree + Somewhat agree
36

36. Bottom 2 WHY Survey
Statements 2010
Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree % Disagree*
The most qualified people 2010 22% 25% 47%
are the ones who get
promoted at WestJet 49%
2007 22% 27%
My manager takes time to 30%
understand my career
2010 14% 16%
interests and is helpful in my
career planning 2007 13% 17% 30%
*Disagree = Strongly disagree + Somewhat disagree
37

37. Culture connection
38

38. Staying Connected
Social media
can help
39

39. CARE secret #4
• Serve guests, each
other and
Communities
– People self serve
– Performance
management
Serve measured to guest
promise
– Training enables
guest promise
– No excuses
40

40. 41

41. CARE secret #5
• Celebrate, recognize
and have fun!
– Kudos
– Employee special
events
Celebrate – New destination
launches
– Incorporating family
42

42. Its all about results!
Is it working?
43

43. Culture & Engagement
45

44. At the root of it all
46