Thousands of passengers are trying to navigate the cancellation process as WestJet halts hundreds of flights due to a strike by its 4,400 flight attendants.
The airline operates more than 600 flights per day and says the travel of 250,000 people could be cancelled during what is a long weekend across much of Canada. Here’s some things to know if you’re caught in the middle of the disruption.
What happens if my flight was cancelled before the strike?
Barry Choi, a personal finance and travel expert, says if WestJet cancelled your flight before the strike officially began on Sunday morning, federal compensation rules apply and travellers within North America could be in line for as much as $1,000, depending on the length of the delay. Additional compensation may be required for flights to other destinations, such as Europe, where regulations differ.
Can I rebook myself?
It depends on your travel date. WestJet says it’s offering flexible change and cancellation policies for customers who want to make alternative arrangements until Aug. 4. It has not said what will happen after that date.
Choi says that’s a tight time frame, and people planning to fly later than Aug. 4 are feeling pretty uncomfortable. He notes Air Canada faced a similar work stoppage last year and offered customers a two-week window to rebook their own travel.
“(Air Canada) understood that people wanted to make changes on their own. So they allowed customers to cancel or change their flights quite early and with a generous window,” he said in an interview.
My flight was cancelled after the strike started. Now what?
WestJet says all passengers will be “refunded or reaccommodated.” Cancellations due to a strike are deemed to be outside the airline’s control by the Canadian Transportation Agency, meaning WestJet doesn’t owe customers any direct compensation, under Canada's Airline Passenger Protection Regulations.
Passengers flying to and from international destinations may be able to have certain other expenses, such as hotels and meals, covered under international agreements such as the Montreal Convention. The multilateral treaty, which governs airline liability for international travel, was signed by Canada in 2001.
WestJet is still required to ensure passengers complete their journeys and must put travellers on the next available flight it operates, or a flight run by a commercial partner, within 48 hours of the original flight time.
The airline says it will communicate through email with customers who booked directly with them. Those who booked with a third party, such as a travel agent of a platform like Expedia, are asked to contact them directly.
What if WestJet and its partners don’t have flights to my destination within 48 hours?
The passenger has a choice in this case. They can take a full refund, or the airline must make alternative travel arrangements free of charge, including transporting the passenger to the airport.
If the passenger is no longer at the point of origin on their original ticket, such as connecting at another airport, and chooses a refund, the airline must fly them back free of charge. It also has to refund the entire price of the ticket, as if no part of the trip was ever made.
Should I accept a refund?
Choi says some experts recommend refusing a refund as doing so could waive a passenger’s rights, but he recommends taking the cash.
“If I can get a full refund and I find another flight's going to cost me a few hundred dollars, it's going to get me to a place where I absolutely need to be. I'm going to take that refund every single time,” he said.
What is Air Canada doing?
Air Canada says it’s working with WestJet to move travellers to Air Canada flights whenever possible. It says there will be dedicated check-in counters at the airport for rebooked WestJet customers.
Should I have bought travel insurance?
“I'm absolutely shocked that people do not buy travel insurance,” Choi said.
Labour disruptions have become more common in recent years and decades, says Choi. And non-airline issues such as forest fires also have the potential to disrupt travel. Choi says travel insurance that covers for different scenarios can potentially get a traveller all their money back.
“Also doing things such as booking a fully refundable hotel directly with the hotel as opposed to an online travel agency where you have to go through them first to get your refund,” he said. So giving yourself enough outs, it's always the best option, even if it costs you a little bit more money.”
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan
