Editing WestJet (section)

===1994–1999: First flights===
[[File:WestJet 737-200 C-GWJE.jpg|thumb|One of WestJet's Boeing 737-200s at [[Calgary International Airport]], July 1998]]
WestJet was founded on June 27, 1994,<ref>{{cite web |title=WestJet Airlines Ltd. |url=https://www.sedar.com/DisplayProfile.do?lang=EN&issuerType=03&issuerNo=00010649 |website=www.sedar.com}}</ref> by [[Clive Beddoe]], [[David Neeleman]], Mark Hill, Tim Morgan, and Donald Bell. WestJet was based on the low-cost carrier business model pioneered by [[Southwest Airlines]] and [[Morris Air]] in the United States. Its original routes were all located in [[Western Canada]], which gave the airline its name.

On February 29, 1996, the first WestJet flight (a [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200]]) departed. Initially, the airline served [[Calgary]], [[Edmonton]], [[Kelowna]], [[Vancouver]] and [[Winnipeg]] with a fleet of three used [[Boeing 737#737-200|737-200]] aircraft and 225 employees. By the end of that same year, the company had added [[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]], [[Saskatoon]] and [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] to its network.

In mid-September 1996, WestJet's fleet was grounded due to a disagreement with [[Transport Canada]] over maintenance schedule requirements. The airline suspended all service for two weeks before resuming flights.<ref>{{cite news
| title = WestJet Returns September 1996
| publisher = CBC News Edmonton. Uploaded by:FDematos82.
| date = September 1996
| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnMVap64lEU
| access-date = June 28, 2010}}</ref>

In early 1999, Clive Beddoe stepped down as WestJet's CEO and was replaced by former [[Air Ontario]] executive Steve Smith. In July 1999, WestJet made its [[initial public offering]] of stock at 2.5 million shares, opening at $10 per share.<ref>{{cite news |title=WestJet IPO makes a strong debut |publisher=CBC News |date=July 13, 1999 <!-- (Modified 2000-11-10) --> |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-ipo-makes-a-strong-debut-1.168576 |access-date=February 23, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107030849/http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/1999/07/13/westjet990713.html |archive-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref> The same year, the cities of [[Thunder Bay]], [[Grande Prairie]], and [[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]] were added to WestJet's route map.

In 2000, WestJet CEO Steve Smith was released from WestJet after 18 months in the position, apparently due to differences in management style;<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Keyser
| first = Tom
| title = WestJet's fun culture deserves to be copied
| newspaper = Business Edge
| date = October 18, 2000
| url = http://www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/5058.cfm
| access-date = February 27, 2009
}}</ref> Smith went on to head rival Air Canada's low-cost subsidiary [[Zip (airline)|Zip]]. After Smith's departure, Clive Beddoe again became CEO of the company, a position he held until July 2007.<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Sorensen
| first = Chris
| title = 'Mr. WestJet' stepping down as CEO - again
| newspaper = Toronto Star
| date = July 25, 2007
| url = https://www.thestar.com/Business/article/239460
| access-date = February 27, 2009
}}</ref>