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“We’re taking a very proactive approach with this aircraft, more so than we’ve ever done before,” Martin said. “It’s a brand-new aircraft. Nobody wants to scratch it, nobody wants to dent it.”

WestJet CEO Ed Sims said these “practice turns,” as they are known in industry parlance, are also an effort to hedge against some of the headaches that plagued the company in the summer of 2016, when it launched its trans-Atlantic wide-body experiment for the first time. The used Boeing 767 jets the airline was using in its service to London-Gatwick were prone to mechanical difficulties, leading to flight delays, cancellations and compensation for passengers.

As a result of that experience, WestJet has scheduled just 14 flights a week for its Dreamliner service so that any unforeseen cancellations or interruptions can be more easily accommodated.

“We could fly the aircraft 21 times a week, so we’re effectively deliberately keeping one aircraft almost as an insurance policy,” Sims said. “We didn’t do that with the 767s.”

The rehearsals will continue next week, when WestJet will start using the Dreamliner to fly guests domestically on its Toronto-Calgary route to assist with crew familiarization. The aircraft’s first international flight from Calgary to London-Gatwick takes place April 28.

Photo by Postmedia/WestJet

‘The culture is, to some degree, changing’



The Dreamliner is a very different plane than the Boeing 737s that make up the majority of WestJet’s fleet. Its lightweight carbon fibre shell allows for a 20-per-cent reduction in fuel consumption, compared to traditional jets made of aluminum. Technological innovations also allow the Dreamliner to maintain lower cabin pressures at higher elevations, something that is said to reduce airsickness and jet lag.