This week is a very special episode as we talk with our friend and ex-colleague at Continental Airlines/United, now President of Canada-based, Swoop, Charles Duncan.
Charles Duncan joined WestJet in June of 2017 as the President of WestJet Encore. In August 2018 he became Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer before becoming the President of Swoop, WestJet’s ultra-low-cost carrier in April 2020.
As President of Swoop, Charles has accountability for all aspects of the business, including short and long-term planning, branding, pricing, product development and operations. Charles will drive Swoop’s footprint in Canada in support of the WestJet Group’s longterm strategy.
In addition to being the President of Swoop, Charles also oversees WestJet Cargo where he is focused on the domestic and international growth of the airline’s in-house cargo services. Prior to joining WestJet, Charles enjoyed a long and successful career with Continental Airlines and then, through merger, with United Airlines.
He navigated the commercial side of the Continental business with roles in pricing and revenue management, network planning and sales, spending thirteen years in Asia.
In his last position at United Airlines, Charles was Senior Vice-President, Technical Operations, where he oversaw the maintenance organization of 12,500 employees.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FlySwoop/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/flyswoop/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/flyswoop
0:00 - We are getting old ;-)
3:59 - Why do you think an airline in an airline concept works everywhere else except the U.S?
8:09 - Are you worried about cannibalizing WestJet's traffic? Or are you catering to a different demographic?
11:06 - Are there interline agreements between WestJet and Swoop and can passengers connect seamlessly?
12:02 - So WestJet points won't work on Swoop and a Swoop passenger can't use the WestJet Lounge?
12:55 - Do you expect Flair to be a formidable competitor with the addition of Steven Jones who is ex-Wizz Air exec?
15:29 - Do you think with the addition of OWG, Canada will be able to sustain so many airlines?
16:18 - Does Swoop do cargo flights? And how is cargo doing in the pandemic as you are in charge of WetJet's cargo?
18:32 - You started flights from Toronto-Pearson to Abbotsford, why choose to go into Toronto-Pearson when you have Hamilton and you're a low cost carrier?
21:42 - Any plans for a subsidized bus service from Hamilton to the city like say Norwegian did for Stewart-Newburg in New York?
23:17 - Did you have to build an entire FIS system at Hamilton for international flights?
23:55 - What services does Swoop provide?
Diversity At The Executive Level In U.S. Airlines;
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Support the showIn this episode, Kerwin talks about the update On Alaska Airlines MAX 9; JAL Airbus A350-900 Accident; Visa Updates For Two Countries
Support the showEpisode 117: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 Loses Its Exit Door Plug Just After Takeoff
On January 5, 2024, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 was taking off from Portland (PDX) and headed for Ontario (ONT). Everything was routine, until just after takeoff at 16,000' into the ascent, the exit row plug separated from the rest of the airplane.
The crew was able to do a loop and land the airplane back at Portland Airport safely.
There were 171 passengers and six crew members onboard. There were zero fatalities.
In this episode, I do a recap of the Dubai Airshow
Support the showEpisode 112
In this episode Kerwin talks about: Airline Creates Baby-Free Zone; Airline Weights Passengers Before Flight
In this episode, Kerwin looks at the two new airlines that are now flying into the U.S. and also other airlines flying single aisle airplanes across the Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.passrider.com/transatlantic-affordable-airlines/
In this episode, Kerwin talks about where are the Hawaiian Islands located, what's going on with AA and jetBlue and clickbait aviation headlines
Support the showhttps://www.passrider.com/whit/episode-109
Fires in Maui And Other Parts Of The World; AI In Travel; Concorde is Moving From The Intrepid In NY For Repairs; Virgin Galactic Takes First Commercial Passengers To Space
Episode 108
Flying An Airline Without Flying In An Airplane; BA Serves Kentucky Fried Chicken; Airlines Note Cleaning The Planes Properly
The European Union has reported that as part of the current visa waiver program, in January 2024, citizens of several countries will have to apply for a travel authorization before coming to 30 countries in the EU. The United States is one such country.
This episodes looks at the new policy and lets you know how it will affect you.
ESTA - https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/esta
ETIAS - https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
U.S. Visa Waiver Program - https://www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program
Do you need a Visa for the U.K.? - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
What say you? Leave a comment below.
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