WestJet Airlines Ltd. indicated it’s prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the airline on solid financial footing as demand weakens in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We continue to see a significant reduction in demand and are evaluating all available measures to secure the financial viability of our airline,” spokesperson Morgan Bell said in a statement Saturday.

The Calgary-based airline said it is also in the process of modelling future changes. The company said early estimates are pointing to a roughly 60-per-cent reduction in international capacity, and a 40-per-cent reduction domestically.

“As a caring airline and organization, our goal is to continue to fly our international flights and return as many Canadians home as possible as the demand for inbound travel remains strong at this time,” Bell said.

The company’s update comes as the federal government is urging Canadians abroad to return home while they still can. 

As part of its cost-cutting efforts, the company, which was acquired by Onex Corp. last year, is asking employees to consider voluntary leaves, unpaid vacation, and reduced work time.

“We are reviewing several options to reduce costs including reduction in contractors, a pause on many of our capital projects and asking vendors for pricing cuts. Unfortunately, we also have no alternative but to reduce the number of employees,” Morgan said.

“We continue to communicate openly and frequently with WestJetters, our labour groups, federal and provincial governments around the severity of the situation and appreciate the seriousness with which it is being taken.”