Canadian airline WestJet expands Bradenton-Sarasota Toronto flights

MANATEE -- WestJet, the newest major carrier to start flying in and out of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, is adding a third weekly flight between SRQ and Toronto International Airport.

Starting Feb. 23, the Canadian discount carrier will offer Tuesday afternoon service between the airports. Flights from Toronto will arrive at 5 p.m. Departures for the capital of Ontario will depart at 5:45 p.m.

WestJet began seasonal, twice-weekly flights between the two airports on Dec. 18. Those flights arrive and depart on Fridays and Saturdays. The now-thrice-weekly flights are scheduled to run through April 29.

WestJet joined Air Canada as one of two Canadian carriers flying between Toronto and the Bradenton-Sarasota area. It is flying 136-seat Boeing 737-700 aircraft on the route.

Rick Piccolo, SRQ's president and CEO, said he is "very pleased" WestJet has added more service to address demand for flights between the two cities.

"This is a very busy trav

el period for the Sarasota-Bradenton area, so we look forward welcoming the additional WestJet flights and its customers," he said.

WestJet received an incentive package for establishing its Toronto-SRQ service. The airport and the convention and visitors bureaus in Manatee and Sarasota counties chipped in a total of $225,000 in marketing funds to help the airline build its business on the route.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 8:03 PM with the headline "Canadian airline WestJet expands Bradenton-Sarasota Toronto flights ."