Issue Summary

A decade ago, in 2008, Southwest and WestJet announced they would soon begin codesharing. The world’s first giant low-cost carrier would be teaming up with its newer, smaller and even more profitable counterpart north of the border. In a few ways, such as its seatback satellite TV, WestJet was more JetBlue than Southwest. But broadly speaking, Southwest and WestJet were a lot more alike than they were different. In addition to an open mind about partnering with other airlines, the two shared all-B737 fleets, reputations for friendly service and a sizeable corporate travel following in their respective countries.