Westjet is operating up to three weekly flights on the Calgary-Rome route having inaugurated the service from Rome Fiumicino to Calgary on 8 May. The flight, initially scheduled for May 2020 and postponed due to the Covid pandemic, will operate for the entire summer up to three times a week with a 320-seat Boeing 787/900 Dreamliner. From it’s hub in Calgary WestJet has invested significantly in transatlantic connectivity from Alberta, with a 43% increase in flights to Europe compared to 2020.
Tourists from Canada now have non-stop access to Rome
“The launch of our highly anticipated Rome-Calgary service is an incredible milestone for both WestJet and our passengers, we have been waiting for this moment for more than two years," said Chris Hedlin, WestJet’s network vice president. “The development of tourism between Alberta and Europe is hugely important for the economic recovery of our industry. It's no surprise that many tourists are eager to visit Rome and now have direct access thanks to our new non-stop flights.”
In 2019 over one million passengers flew between Canada and Italy
Federico Scriboni, Aeroporti di Roma’a head of aviation business development said the launch of the direct flight to Calgary is the result of a long collaboration with WestJet, and marks an important step towards the development of connectivity between Italy and Canada. “With over one million passengers to and from Italy in 2019, the Canadian market is one of the main long-haul sources in terms of current and prospective potential." Elissa Golberg, ambassador of Canada to Italy, said the flights are a tangible demonstration of a shared desire to move forward together. “This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Italy."
