WestJet CCO: Governments are partners but 'there is some pretty misguided policy in Canada'

WestJet Group EVP and CCO John Weatherill, speaking at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Americas 2024, stated (09-May-2024) "On balance, of course governments are our partners, [but] there is some pretty misguided policy in Canada... If you think about other essential infrastructure, governments take a role in providing and funding those types of services. In aviation in Canada, this industry is entirely funded by user fees at all levels". Mr Weatherill added: "Those user fees together add up to more than cost of providing the service, which means the industry is providing funding back to the federal government, which in my mind should not be the case at all and I think it does hold the industry back here in Canada".