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WestJet 9 hours delay, but compensation denied - Air Travel Forum

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WestJet 9 hours delay, but compensation denied

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I filed a claim for compensation ($700 for up to 9 hours delay) under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

I received a response from WestJet saying:

“We are unable to approve your claim for compensation as the most significant reason for your flight disruption was due to unplanned aircraft maintenance and was required for safety purposes”

Is this denial fair? It seems to me that, given the vague reasons they provide for the delay, it’s easy for them to get away with denying any compensation claim. Do I have any way to push back and get a monetary compensation?

11 replies to this topic

If you wish to pursue, you will have to file your claim with CATSA. There are over 50,000 cases in the queue for review, they have even stopped telling you where your case is in the line.

"standards of treatment; and completion of passenger's itinerary"

No mention of any compensation, for this situation.

It does not look like you qualify for any compensation.

1) Be on top of maintenance. Not need to depend on emergency fixes.

2) Have enough equipment that they can handle real emergencies.

I'm not sure why anybody would feel reassured that the airline found a problem the day before the flight and had to pull the plane .

The Canadian consumer rights are different from the EU consumer rights.

The formulation in Canada is: "delays of 3 hours or more and if the disruption is within their control and not related to safety".

https://rppa-appr.ca/eng/compensation-flight-delays-and-cancellations

"Is this denial fair?" If this rule is fair or not is a different question. One could argue in favour or against. But that does not change the fact of the current rule in place.

I would ask WestJet what exactly was the reason for an unplanned maintenance activity and what exactly was the safety concern. I.e. what was the maintenance advice from the aircraft manufacturer to do an unplanned and immediate maintenance inspection.

I think the point is that the people of Canada , need to push their politicians to come up with a better piece of legislation.

"come up with a better piece of legislation." Agree.

Delays because an aircraft goes tech are always safety relevant. If not, the aircraft would be airworthy and could fly, worst case MEL.

Missing a crew member? It is also safety relevant, if that missing crew member would bring the total number of crew members below the number of required crew members.

Therefore to me this regulation is a toothless lion.

https://rppa-appr.ca/eng/obligations-and-level-control

However, my assessment of this regulation will not help OP, as the rules are the rules.

Having a spare is equally unrealistic - yes it might be possible at their home base but keeping planes idle on the ground just in case is expensive and will simply add to the cost of YOUR ticket

I would much prefer that the airline found there was a fault and fixed it BEFORE I got on the plane and not afterwards

The OP is still paying extra for their ticket. Instead of paying up front in an honest way they're paying now with a nine hour delay and all that implies.

Personally I'd rather know up front what I'm paying not have something pop up at the last minute. We don't know what the OP had planned but imagine if the delay caused them to miss an important event.

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WestJet announces UltraBasic fare with no carry-ons, no seat choice and no points

Sure, you can get on the plane, but that's about it.

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WestJet announced that it has introduced an ultra low-cost fare — and if you like carry-ons, seat choice and earning points, there's a catch.

The UltraBasic fare will replace the airline's basic fare option, and it comes with "some restrictions," according to an email that was sent to WestJet members.

Carry-on bags aren't permitted unless a passenger is on a transatlantic or transpacific flight, or bought the airline's extended comfort option, the email said.

Passengers can check a bag in advance for an additional fee and bring a personal item that fits under the seat in front of them. If you arrive to the gate with a carry-on bag, you'll be hit with both the checked bag fee and an additional service fee.

Going UltraBasic also means you won't earn WestJet points for that flight through the airline's rewards program.

You'll also be assigned seats (including middle seats) at the back of the plane, with no guarantee that you can sit with travel companions. You have the option of choosing your seats if you pay a fee.

Passengers who pay the UltraBasic fare will be the last to board the plane, and there are no changes, cancellations or refunds for your flight.

The announcement from WestJet to its passengers said the changes will help speed up boarding, optimize cabin space and improve the travel experience.

"UltraBasic has been designed to both expedite the boarding process and provide our most competitive pricing," a WestJet spokesperson told CBC News in an email.

'A sign of the times,' says frequent flier

The change is "a sign of the times," said Graeme Bligh, a frequent flier from Winnipeg who runs a travel website called The Canadian Jetsetter.

"I can't say I'm too surprised to see it. It's definitely following the trend of going more the way of a European low-cost carrier where you're charged for everything," he said.

"What remains to be seen is if the prices actually get lower if they are more competitive."

On the other hand, Bligh said, the new fare addresses a problem that most air carriers have: a lack of overhead baggage space.

Porter Airlines, Air Canada and WestJet began charging for checked bags in 2014, which has "had the downstream of the effect of now everyone brings a carry-on bag," he said.

Restricting who can bring a carry-on could improve boarding times and create overhead space, Bligh said.

It's a "very deliberate business strategy" on WestJet's part, said John Lawford, executive director and general counsel of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa.

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He said it allows the airline to operate as if it were a low-cost carrier, a regular carrier and a premium carrier in one.

"WestJet is segmenting the aircraft so that they've got different experiences for different classes," Lawford told CBC News.

"But in doing so, they're in effect opening up the consumer's mind to the thought that there are now three classes on every average flight, sort of. First class, maybe extended economy, economy and then this lower class."

As for whether other airlines could follow suit, "that'll I think depend on consumer reaction and how much real competition we have in the market," he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenna Benchetrit is a senior writer with the business content unit at CBC News. She has also covered entertainment and education stories. A Montrealer based in Toronto, Jenna holds a master's degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. You can reach her at [email protected].

With files from CBC's Meegan Read

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WestJet Group adds three more B737 MAX 8 aircraft to fleet, launches largest winter schedule ever for YEG

Post date: Jun 4 2024

Date: Jun 4 2024

By: Travelweek

CALGARY — The WestJet Group will acquire an additional three Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from BOC Aviation Limited.

The three aircraft are expected to integrate into the WestJet Group’s fleet and operations in 2024, following the completion of leasing agreements.  

“We have an ambitious growth strategy, and the expansion of our fleet is critical to our mission of providing affordable air travel to Canadians,” said Mike Scott, WestJet Group, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. “Working with a trusted partner like BOC Aviation supports us in meeting our growth expectations for 2024.”

Updating and refreshing the interior cabins of the aircraft will be prioritized as part of the airlines’ existing fleet reconfiguration plans, to ensure a consistent experience for guests across its operation as soon as possible, according to the company.

“Two years ago, we set out a plan for growth that would maintain our position as both Canada’s national leisure champion and western home carrier, while enhancing domestic connectivity from coast-to-coast,” said Scott. “We are seeing the benefits of our strategy come to life across our network and the consistent growth of our fleet capacity is essential to maintaining our momentum.”

EDMONTON SCHEDULE

WestJet has also unveiled its Edmonton winter 2024/2025 flight schedule featuring a 20% increase in capacity over winter 2023. As such, WestJet will operate the city’s largest-ever network to and from Edmonton, with 16 nonstop destinations in Canada, nine transborder, including Hawaii, and five options to Mexico.

WestJet will increase frequencies on key domestic routes. As WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech noted earlier in May during a visit to the region, the WestJet Group remains close to securing additional aircraft from the used aircraft market to accelerate the airline’s growth plans. Highlights include:

• This winter, WestJet will operate approximately 313 flights out of Edmonton International Airport per week
• As one of the most connected cities in WestJet’s network, Edmonton will see new or increased flight frequency on 10 of 16 domestic routes
• WestJet is the number one carrier in the region, providing 50% of all air travel from Edmonton International Airport

The domestic schedule for Winter 2024/2025 is as follows: 

• Edmonton-Ottawa (NEW): 11x/weekly
• Edmonton-Montreal (NEW): 5x/weekly
• Edmonton-Winnipeg: 16x/weekly (+10 weekly flights vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Vancouver: 42x/weekly (+8 weekly flights vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Abbotsford: 9x/weekly (+4 weekly flights vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Regina: 10x/weekly (+4 weekly flights vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Victoria: 11x/weekly (+4 weekly flights vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Saskatoon: 9x/weekly (+2 weekly flights vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Kelowna: 19x/weekly (+1 weekly flight vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Comox: 5x/weekly (+1 weekly flight vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Calgary: 54x/weekly
• Edmonton-Toronto: 27x/weekly
• Edmonton-Fort McMurray: 8x/weekly
• Edmonton-Grande Prairie: 4x/weekly
• Edmonton-Halifax: 3x/weekly
• Edmonton-Yellowknife: 2x/weekly

Domestic schedule highlights and notable winter frequency increases:

•  New year-round connectivity between Edmonton and Montreal and Ottawa
•  167 per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Winnipeg
•  67 per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Regina
•  29 per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Saskatoon
•  Increased connectivity to all B.C. destinations including Vancouver, Kelowna, Comox, Abbotsford and Victoria
• 80 per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Abbotsford
• 57 per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Victoria
• 25 per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Comox
• 24 per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Vancouver
• Six per cent frequency increase between Edmonton and Kelowna

While all routes are currently available for booking in winter 2024/25, new flight frequencies will be available for sale with the publication of WestJet’s full winter schedule in July 2024.

DAILY FLIGHTS TO ATLANTA

This winter, WestJet is bolstering its transborder winter service by providing daily connectivity to Atlanta. Through direct connectivity to Atlanta and Minneapolis, guests will enjoy the advantages of  WestJet’s codeshare agreement with Delta Airlines , granting access to hundreds of additional U.S. destinations from two of Delta’s busiest hubs.

• Edmonton-Atlanta (NEW): 7x/weekly
• Edmonton-Las Vegas: 10x/weekly
• Edmonton-Los Angeles: 6x/weekly
• Edmonton-Minneapolis: 5x/weekly
• Edmonton-Phoenix: 10x/weekly
• Edmonton-Palm Springs: 7x/weekly
• Edmonton-Orlando: 2x/weekly
• Edmonton-Honolulu: 2x/weekly
• Edmonton-Maui: 2x/weekly

EDMONTON TO MEXICO

In addition to WestJet’s domestic and transborder offerings, it will enhance frequencies on some of its most popular sun destinations, including Huatulco and Cancun, Mexico. 

• Edmonton-Huatulco: 3x/weekly (+1 weekly flight vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Cancun: 9x/weekly (+1 weekly flight vs. 2023)
• Edmonton-Puerto Vallarta: 10x/weekly
• Edmonton-Los Cabos: 3x/weekly
• Edmonton-Mazatlán: 2x/weekly

Notable winter frequency increases to sun destinations include a 50 per cent increase between Edmonton and Huatulco and a 13 per cent increase between Edmonton and Cancun.

Tags: Lead Story, WestJet

Canada issues travel warning to popular European destinations

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Canadian travellers headed to some popular European destinations this summer should be aware of an important travel warning issued by the Government of Canada.

On June 4, 2024, the federal government changed its travel advisory for Italy , stating visitors should "exercise a high degree of caution due to the threat of terrorism."

The government's advisory notes that there is currently a "threat of terrorism in Europe."

"Terrorists have carried out attacks in several European cities and further attacks elsewhere in Europe are likely. Attacks in Italy cannot be ruled out," states the warning.

It adds that possible targets could include government buildings, places of worship, airports or other transportation hubs, and public areas such as tourist attractions, eateries, bars, markets, and shopping centres.

Government of Canada/Screenshot

The federal government has issued the same "high degree of caution" warning for other European holiday destinations like Spain , Germany , and France .

The French government has raised its threat level within its "Vigipirate" plan — a set of measures to protect its citizens, infrastructure, and institutions in the event of an attack — to its highest level.

Those travelling to Paris for the Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11 and the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8 should expect an increased presence of security forces, major traffic disruptions, and large crowds.

The Spanish government has a public alert system in place for terrorism. Its current level is four (high) on a scale of five.

Canada's guidance for those visiting Germany emphasizes that travellers should "exercise caution," especially during the EURO 2024 soccer tournament from June 14 to July 14, due to the threat of terrorism in the country, as well as theft and "rowdy behaviour" from fans during post-game celebrations.

According to the Government of Canada's travel warning levels, "exercise a high degree of caution" means that there are or could be "certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly."

A full list of Canada's current travel advisories can be found here .

 aquatarkus / Shutterstock.com

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