The Vancouver Sun reports in its Tuesday edition WestJet Airlines is looking to add long-haul destinations as far afield as Asia and North Africa if routes to the United Kingdom prove a success. A Bloomberg dispatch to The Sun says WestJet is preparing to expand operations to London's Gatwick Airport. The new routes, due to start in May, 2016, mark a "much bigger step" in the airline's development of a low-cost long-haul network, according to chief executive officer Gregg Saretsky. "Canada is nicely geographically situated to get -- in 11 hours -- to almost every business centre in the world; we can make Asia, we can make continental Europe, Latin America, North Africa. Clearly we haven't disclosed what's next, but all of those are possibilities." WestJet's foray into Europe positions the discount carrier to go head-to-head with Air Canada on long-haul routes. The airline is still refining its model for longer distances, though the traditional low-cost premise of starting with a minimal base fare and allowing customers to add on ancillary services like checked-baggage and food is a logical starting point. WestJet's first transcontinental flight was Dublin from St. John's using a Boeing 737 in June, 2014.