WestJet nixes Calgary to Rome route for summer 2020

It came with a lot of hype back in October 2019 and everyone was very excited for it. What was it? It was WestJet announcing a new direct non-stop route between Calgary and Rome on their Boeing 787 Dreamliner. But then Corona Virus happened. And the planned launch of the route this past May was pushed back to July then August and now according to RoutesOnline it has been totally closed off for 2020. In reality this isn’t surprising news, as much as WestJet and even some eager travellers had hoped it would happen, the fact of the matter is Italy isn’t open to non EU travellers and there is no word as to when they will open.

Sure enough when I checked WestJet while writing this post you can book Calgary to Rome flights but on WestJet’s flight to Paris connecting to an Air France flight to Rome:

RoutesOnline does state the service will operate twice weekly as of October 17 but I couldn’t find the flights anywhere on WestJet’s site. All flights still funneled through Paris.

Let’s hope that it does in fact start up in October and if not that we do see the route come to fruition in 2021.