WestJet continues to cancel dozens of flights daily over a week after a brutal hailstorm wreaked havoc on Calgary International Airport (YYC).
In a service update issued Aug. 12, the company told customers to expect an additional 37 flight cancellations on Tuesday and 27 on Wednesday.
Customers departing from or arriving at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) may be affected by the cancellations.
According to YVR's Arrivals page, at least six WestJet flights scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on Tuesday are cancelled and four are delayed.
According to YVR's Departures page, at least three WestJet flights scheduled to depart from Vancouver on Tuesday are cancelled and 10 are delayed.
The cancellations have reduced by about half the amount the airline was issuing at the peak of the disruptions. On Aug. 6, it cancelled over 100 flights as YYC grappled with significant water damage to parts of its terminal building at B and C gates.
WestJet said 16 aircraft across its fleet were grounded with "significant hail damage."
WestJet operates extra flights, offers assistance
The airline operated several extra sections between Aug. 9 and Aug. 12 to accommodate disrupted guests and support the airline's scheduled service, including:
- 37 additional sections operated by WestJet Encore
- 14 additional sections operated by Canadian North
- one additional section operated on WestJet's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Customers should check their WestJet flight status before heading to the airport.
WestJet offered special assistance to all air passengers travelling to or from the YYC airport between Aug. 5-8. However, customers may still be entitled to compensation from the airline if they are travelling now.
WestJet must provide passengers waiting over two hours due to a flight delay with "food and drink in reasonable quantities" based on the length of the wait, time of day, and the location of the passenger. The airline must also provide them with a means of communication, according to subsections 14(1) and 14(2) of the Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR).
Customers unsure of what to do with cancelled WestJet flights
WestJet customers across Canada say they are frustrated that flights are being cancelled over a week after the Calgary storm. They have also mentioned that WestJet seems to preemptively cancel flights but then rebook customers on other aircraft on the same day.
Many customers have expressed frustration with the WestJet callback service. Some people have mentioned that they are directed to phone the airline if they need immediate help but that it is impossible to get through.
An individual trying to use the callback service on Aug. 13 says the earliest available date to speak to a customer service representative is Friday, Aug.16.
Some customers are trying to get compensated from WestJet for cancellations or delays they say the airline is responsible for.
A customer who flew to London Heathrow says the airline provided an "unacceptable response" to their claim for a delayed flight.
"The mix of incoherent [and] unrelated excuses lack the accountability and transparency required in this process," they wrote in a post.
Another traveller voiced similar concerns, writing that the airline denies paying compensation to passengers as required under APPR.
The frustrated customer said WestJet delayed their flight over three hours due to crew availability, which is "entirely within [the] airline’s control."
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