SRQ airport lands new airline

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has added another Canadian route, as WestJet will begin service to the local airport in December.

The Calgary-based airline plans to serve SRQ Airport with nonstop service to Toronto twice a week. 

A low-cost carrier that flies to 90 destinations in more than 20 countries, WestJet brings the total number of carriers at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport to six. The other carriers include Air Canada, which flies daily nonstop flights to Toronto in the winter and spring and on Thursdays and Saturdays in the summer and fall.  

The WestJet flights will begin Dec. 18 and run through April 26, flying on Fridays and Sundays. The inbound flight to Sarasota-Bradenton will leave Toronto Pearson International Airport at 8:05 a.m. and arrive at 11:06 a.m, while the return flight to Toronto will leave Sarasota-Bradenton International, which uses the call letters SRQ, at 11:55 a.m. and arrive in Toronto at 2:39 p.m. 

WestJet plans to use 136-seat Boeing 737-700 airplanes for the flights, with a total one-way price staring at $205, according to a WestJet news release.

“We are thrilled to welcome WestJet to the Sarasota Bradenton area,” said SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo in a statement. “This is very exciting for Canadian customers traveling to our beautiful Gulf Coast communities, and will provide additional opportunities for locals to explore Canada and other destinations worldwide.”

Founded in 1996, WestJet flies to multiple destinations in the United States, including Hawaii. It also flies to Mexico, Cuba, Central America and the Caribbean, the release adds. WestJet has more than 200 departures a day from Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver.

"WestJet continues to enhance its strong position in key sun markets with the addition of more destinations in areas popular with Canadian travellers," said WestJet Vice President Chris Avery. "Our upcoming winter schedule also adds many new routes, extends routes from seasonal to year-round and increases frequencies within Canada to improve our business and leisure products.