It appears that WestJet Airlines Ltd. will offer flights out of six Canadian departure cities to London, U.K., as it proceeds with its international expansion plans.

The airline invited members of the media to “high tea” in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and St. John’s on Tuesday as part of a “major route announcement.”

In June, WestJet said it would offer flights to London’s Gatwick Airport beginning next spring. London will be the first transatlantic destination for its new, longer-range Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

The airline will be going head-to-head with Air Canada, which offers flights to London’s Heathrow Airport out of all those cities except Winnipeg, and also plans to begin flying from Toronto to Gatwick next year using its low-cost Rouge service.

“We believe that WestJet has the network and cost structure to support new international flying and that over the longer term this capacity expansion will be positive,” National Bank analyst Cameron Doerksen wrote in a research note.

“However, the new routes to London will undoubtedly be very competitive next summer with possible negative implications for yields from the market-share battle that seems destined to ensue.”