Published on December 14th, 2016 | by Crissandra Ayroso
WestJet Surprises Fort McMurray With Free Flights
Every year around the holidays, WestJet surprises good people around the world with a tidal wave of generosity and kindness. Each year is a massive heartwarming surprise and just when you thought they couldn’t outdo last year – they do.
Back in May of this year, when the devastating wildfires forced more than 80,000 residents to evacuate their homes and leave everything they owned behind, Canadians across the country came together to help make Fort McMurray strong again throwing headlining concerts, providing extensive coverage, and reaching out for relief from outside organizations.
In the same spirit of giving, WestJet, an Alberta-based company, threw a Snowflake Soiree, an exclusive bash for the residents of Fort McMurray to kick off the season with a celebration of cheer. Cue the symphony of heartstrings.
As the evening went on, the night sky filled with stars, and then slowly filled with hundreds of small white parachutes, 348 to be exact. They floated down from the sky like snowflakes and each one was attached with a roundtrip flight for each resident in attendance to fly to any of the airline’s 150 destinations around the world.
Residents also received gifts to replace priceless items and collectibles lost in the fire, Christmas stockings, and endless Christmas treats.
- In 2015, WestJet made 12,000 mini miracles happen over a period of 24 hours, which they not only met, but more than doubled. Miracles included anything from helping carry groceries, a free Christmas dinner, flights, to family vacations to Disney World and Hawaii.
- In 2014, WestJet surprised residents of a community in the Dominican Republic with gifts they wished for, a snowy Canadian Christmas, and built a safe playground for local kids to play.
- In 2013, WestJet went on shopping sprees to surprise travellers flying from Toronto and Hamilton with gifts they wished for which every single one of them received upon arrival to their destination in Calgary.
To fly to any of WestJet‘s 150 destinations around the world or to book a vacation package with WestJet Vacations, contact a Flight Centre Travel Expert by connecting with us online, calling 1-877-967-5302, or visiting your closest Flight Centre store.
About the Author
Crissandra Ayroso is a copywriter for Flight Centre. She loves road trips, beach weather, sampling local wine. She, like Helen Hunt in the 1996 disaster-rama (that’s short for drama) Twister, is a tornado chaser, in the travel sense. She chases moments, all revealing. Ephemeral. Whether it’s ordering room service and eating in bed, finding the highest rooftop for the best views of the surroundings, feeling like a small dot in the middle of the ocean on a boat, or getting lost and stumbling upon hidden gems, no moment is too big or small to chase. Just like the category F5 that brought Helen Hunt back together with her estranged husband, respected TV weatherman, Bill Paxton.
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I didn’t realize that your flight center had so much info. Very good to know. Merry Christmas