It's no secret that airlines have had to make massive changes to their routes and operations in light of the pandemic. As a result, a lot of planes are just sitting on the tarmac, waiting to be called upon for service. WestJet is one such airline that has sent their surplus jets to empty tarmac by Calgary Airport due to recent cancellations. We've scoured the internet for photos, and it turns out that the sight of these unused planes lined up against each other in a huge lot is a lot eerier than you may have expected. Though it's a cool and unusual sight, it's also a harsh reminder that airlines have been hit hard by COVID-19 travel restrictions and social distancing protocols. Narcity spoke to WestJet spokesperson Lauren Stewart, who told us that the number of WestJet flights departing Calgary on a daily basis has been cut down to just 60. The airline had been running 138 daily flights out of Calgary before the pandemic. The airline announced March 22 that they are reducing the frequency of flights to a number of destinations across the country. They've also delayed the opening of summer routes. They've temporarily decreased their domestic service by 50% and suspended international flights altogether, as Canadian borders have been closed. https://www.reddit.com/r/Calgary/comments/fsqqtg/westjet_planes_are_parked_in_storage_everywhere/ from https://www.reddit.com/r/Calgary WestJet's domestic and international flight suspensions have been extended until May 4 at the earliest, as announced in their latest blog post. Canada Health is actively encouraging residents to avoid travelling at this time, in order to prevent the spread of the disease. As a result, many of these planes have been grounded for the foreseeable future. Some planes have been lying low at Calgary International Airport. View this post on Instagram A rare sight and a reflection of the strange times in which we find ourselves. #avgeek #aviation #b737 #boeing #calgaryinternationalairport #covid19ab #grounded #westjet #yyc #yycinternationalairport #yycnow @boeing @fly_yyc @westjet A post shared by Terence C. Gannon (@terencecgannon) on Mar 29, 2020 at 6:08pm PDT View this post on Instagram Sad to see all these aircraft parked. Talked to a WJ employee, they're going through some rough times. Hopefully, this doesn't last too long. A post shared by Mike Duggan (@ve6dpa) on Mar 29, 2020 at 5:28pm PDT It's quite unusual, as we normally identify airports as bustling centres of activity. Flights take off and touch down every couple of minutes, but that is not the case anymore. And it seems the sight of these empty planes sitting in storage has made an impact on a few Calgarians. One Instagram user said, "Sad to see all these aircraft parked. Talked to a WJ employee, they're going through some rough times. Hopefully, this doesn't last too long." Another user said, "A rare sight and a reflection of the strange times in which we find ourselves." View this post on Instagram Watched @westjet park another #737 here today @fly_yyc with the #chinookarch overhead Cant wait to see these back in the sky soon I hope. #covidsucks #yycstrong #wewillgetthroughthis A post shared by Wade (@resting_bear_face) on Mar 29, 2020 at 3:22pm PDT View this post on Instagram Had to go for a drive to the vet..and stopped by to take a look at the planes parked..broke my heart 😪 #temporarilydown #westjetstrong #wewillbeok #westjet #2020 #hearthurts #boeings #airplanes #737 A post shared by trayceelinn (@trayceelinn) on Mar 29, 2020 at 11:14am PDT Even though it may look different, it doesn't mean that Calgary airport is totally dead. In fact, agents from Alberta Health Services, Public Health Agency of Canada, and Canada Border Services are swarming the premises as we speak, trying to interpel every incoming international traveller.
