WestJet links with American Airlines

WestJet Airlines Ltd. of Calgary said Tuesday it has inked its first interline deal with a U.S. carrier American Airlines of Fort Worth, Texas.

The agreement means American Airlines customers travelling to Canada and transferring to a WestJet flight can purchase a single ticket and check bags through to their final destination.

The deal will allow American's customers to get connecting service to 25 Canadian cities not currently served by American or major regional airline American Eagle.

The connections will initially be available through the six Canadian cities currently served by American or American Eagle Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax and Ottawa.

Booking for the new service will begin on Nov. 9.

An interline deal is viewed as a possible first step to a code-sharing agreement, which allowseach airline to put its flight code on a single flight operated by one of the partners.

The two airlines expect to add more connections, beginning in December, through WestJet's non-stop U.S. flights to Canadian cities.

WestJet already has deals with Air France-KLM and Cathay Pacific, but it has lacked connections with a U.S. carrier.

In April, Southwest Airlines dropped plans to sell travel to Canada in a partnership with WestJet. Southwest based in Dallas said it pulled out after the Canadian carrier asked for changes in the agreement that the two reached back in 2008.