WestJet CEO pledges fares will not rise due to airline mergers

WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech says bringing Swoop and Sunwing Airlines under its banner won't lead to higher airfares, since integrating the discount carriers will also tamp down costs.

In a phone interview Wednesday, the chief executive said Canada's second-biggest airline will be able to swap out planes more easily and expand the range of destinations for travellers on the hunt for cheap tickets.

"I don't think this will mean higher fares," von Hoensbroech said.

"With the scale, we will actually be able to operate more efficiently and also more reliably, because if something goes wrong, if it's a small airline then it's far more difficult for them to recover," he said.