Cardiff Welcomes 1st WestJet Flight & 1st Direct Canada Service in Nearly 20 Years
by Bruce Parkinson
The first WestJet flight from Toronto is welcome by a water cannon in Cardiff.
The first ever direct WestJet flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Cardiff Airport, Wales, landed this weekend, officially introducing the first direct Canada service in nearly 20 years.
The new route will operate with four departures per week using WestJet’s Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft and officials say it restore an important international connection between Wales and Canada, creating new opportunities for tourism, trade, investment and cultural exchange.
Guests attending the inaugural event included Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price MS; Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cllr Lis Burnett, and Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Morfudd Meredith, alongside dignitaries from Canada including Ontario’s Agent-General in London, Sophia Arvanitis and key industry partners such as Visit Wales.
To celebrate the occasion, passengers on board the inaugural flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Cardiff were greeted with a traditional water cannon salute, while local Penarth choir, Criw Canu welcomed the WestJet crew, operational senior leadership teams and customers with a rendition of Welsh songs at the aircraft steps.
Passengers and guests were also treated to cupcakes at the boarding gate ahead of the first departure, adding to the celebratory atmosphere.
For Welsh travellers, Toronto’s Pearson International offers connections to over 100 destinations across Canada and the United States.
