Thanks for sharing that, Raven. What fun. I'll send it along to a family member who works for a nice airline, but not WestJet. Actually, I've never heard of WJ, must be a regional.

"WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 88 destinations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean."

Not regional.

:)

I'm going to offer a different opinion on this

Passengers who can afford air travel don't need free presents. What would have really been "in the Christmas spirit" would have been for them to quietly spend this money to help needy and low income children and families.

A publicity stunt that's videoed and gets widely disseminated (perhaps even as a TV commercial) isn't being done from the heart. Others are welcome to disagree with me.

I'm also of two minds on it, snide one.

It's an impressive publicity (stunt/gimmick?) that will make major impact on passengers, both current and, they hope, future ... and be widely disseminated, adding to their already substantial reputation for being somewhat different ... and passenger service oriented.

They could have found more needy people to whom to have distributed their largesse, I agree.

By the way ... West Jet is substantially owned by the workers, and those workers are friendly.

I've flown west with them a couple of times, and it's simple for me, as they fly from London airport ... but when I want to go to Regina, capital of Saskatchewan, in the middle of that province, which is in the middle of the prairies, I have to fly first to their hub in Calgary, near the west side of the wedge at the south of Alberta, that nestles up against the Rockies.

After being westbound from London to Calgary, when I then flew eastbound to Regina, I opined that I wasn't sure whether I was coming ... or going.

ole joyful

It made me happy to watch this video. I think that was a wonderful way for a company to wish Christmas cheer to its customers.

I would have wished for a region-free, (uncoded?) DVD/Bluray combo player.

It is so rare these days for companies to do anything but the bare minimum for their customers. To see a company doing something so fantastic for their customers is great. No one knows what financial shape some of these people may be in, just because they happen to be flying does not mean they are wealthy, their prices are very competitive. Several of them were students that wished for a plane ticket home for the holidays. How wonderful for them.
This kind of treatment for their customers should bring happy customers and return customers. That is what it is all about after all, keeping your customers satisfied!
I don't understand how anyone could find fault with a company saying thank you to their customers and rewarding them for picking their company.

Their customers are not the only ones they share their generosity with. Just because someone has not bothered to find out about their gracious programs does not mean they are not doing other fantastic things!!!
"At WestJet, we've always been about people and our investment in the community is no exception".

WestJet and Hope Air bring Canadians closer to medical care.

WestJet helps in Haiti

WestJet is providing the gift of flight in support of travel wish granting activities nationwide for Make-A-Wish

there are LOTS more but I am sure to some that is all just another publicity stunt!

I didn't say anything about the company itself. I commented that this appeared (to me) to be little more than a company-created media event. The company exec even says in his interview that viewers should share the You Tube link with people they know to up the page view count. He was also rather proud of how many cameras they used. Sorry, this isn't motivated by any spirit of giving in my eyes, you can feel differently.

All airlines offer trips to non-profits and people in needy situations. For example, military personnel on compassionate leave. The key in their doing this is that it's always on a space available basis. In other words, they give away seats that are otherwise empty, so it's a no-cost gesture.

I'm sure that this airline has millions and millions of passengers every year. Giving some gifts to a few hundred just doesn't strike me as sharing the wealth.

I thought that was great! Snidely, I think maybe some of those people had to scrape or save for airline tickets to be with family or the family paid for their airfare. (We paid for our daughter and family to fly down here a couple years ago as they could not afford it and we are by no means well to do).
Also I believe that some of these people will pay this forward by doing something nice for someone else. The airline may have gained a bit from this, but the customers gained joy and so did I in watching it. Thank you Raven for posting.
Snidely, are you green and hairy with a red suit?

"Snidely, are you green and hairy with a red suit?"

Ha, Touché. No, I'm a teddy bear. I just see it as essentially a commercial that panders to viewers with sentimental feelings about Christmas. It's quite cynical.

But enuff said, love it if you want to.

It's a modern day CHRISTmas miracle. Everyone even the "rich" need a surprise, to feel loved. We need the snidely's to give to the poor and the WestJets to give to who they deal with. Bottom line if we all did what we could, touched who we rub elbows with each day the world would be a better place all around!! Sadly many of us don't because there is someone somewhere else who needs it more, who would be more appreciate, who....we all need to stop with the excuses and just GIVE. It is the GIVING that matters!!!!