I know that many of you have been anxiously awaiting the Southwest-WestJet codeshare to get going, and yesterday the airlines took their first steps. Southwest 
put up a link to WestJet, and I have to say it is completely and totally lame.
Head on over to Southwest’s website and you’ll see that they’ve put a link up to WestJet anywhere you can make a Southwest reservation on the site. Just a link. No, really. So now when you go to book a flight, you’ll also see a link that says “Book Flights to Canada.” Once you’re on the old reservations pages, you’ll find they’ve even given Canada a separate tab. Please, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down. When you click it, it simply opens up the WestJet booking engine and you can book a WestJet flight as you would on the WestJet website.
You know who I feel bad for? The person who wrote the FAQ on this new WestJet link. It’s just says all of the things you can’t do. You can read the whole thing yourself, but here are some of my favorites:
- Do Southwest Airlines and WestJet offer connecting service?
No. Currently, connecting service is not offered between the two carriers. If you wish to create your own itinerary using both airlines, you must book two separate reservations and are responsible for the checkin requirements of each carrier. Southwest Airlines and WestJet do not have ticketing or baggage agreements in place at this time and are not responsible for one another’s flight information, reaccommodations, special service requests, etc. - Will my checked luggage be transferred from Southwest Airlines to WestJet or vice-versa?
No. Southwest Airlines and WestJet do not currently have a baggage agreement. If you book two separate reservations that require a connection, you will be responsible for checking in with both airlines. Furthermore, you must claim your baggage at the connection point and re-check it with the airline providing transportation to your final destination. . . . - Can I earn Rapid Rewards credit for WestJet flights?
No, at this time you cannot earn Rapid Rewards credit for WestJet flights. - Do WestJet flights count toward my A-List status?
No, at this time flights completed on WestJet will not count toward a Rapid Reward Member’s A-List status. - Can I apply my Southwest Airlines Ticketless Travel Funds to purchase travel on WestJet?
No, Southwest Airlines Ticketless Travel Funds may only be applied to the purchase of flights operated by Southwest Airlines.
In other words, it’s just a friggin’ link. This is worthy of a press release? I suppose this is a tremendous benefit for that one person who is having trouble typing “westjet.com” into his browser. But for anyone else, this is no better than putting a link to someone else on your blogroll.
As far as I know, the codeshare is still on for late next year, but let’s hope they focus on the end goal and don’t bother with interim steps like this one again.
