Prior to the formation of WestJet Encore, WestJet Airlines, Inc. internal studies concluded in 2005, when the company had 50 Boeing 737 aircraft, that WestJet would saturate the Canadian commercial airline market when it reached a 90–100 Boeing 737 aircraft fleet. WestJet Airlines became the second-largest airline in Canada in 2002. Solutions included slowing expansion of the airline or adding smaller aircraft models to serve routes with less traffic. The absence of turboprop aircraft in the WestJet fleet was seen as a disadvantage compared to competitor Air Canada. In some cases where Air Canada had smaller aircraft, WestJet either avoided the market or had only one daily flight using a Boeing 737, an aircraft much larger than the ones Air Canada used. Having more flights on a route than a competitor is a competitive advantage.
