FLIGHTLESS FURY
WestJet customers left fuming as 832 flights suddenly canceled after strike and vow ‘never’ to use airline again
Many travelers are calling on the airline to better support its employees
TRAVELERS are raging after a popular budget airline canceled hundreds of flights, leaving many customers stranded with holiday and even wedding plans in jeopardy.
WestJet, the second largest airline in Canada, cancelled around 832 flights over the weekend due to an unexpected strike of the maintenance workers union.
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The cancellations have impacted more than 49,000 international and domestic travelers across Canada, according to the Associated Press.
Many have blasted the airline over the sudden travel changes on social media.
"Thank you @WestJet, our wedding in Mexico is ruined due to your incompetence to mitigate this strike," one flyer wrote on X.
"Tens of thousands of dollars gone because you cannot swallow your pride and save the biggest travel week of the year.
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"Westjet will never recover from this incompetence."
"Hey @WestJet Get your s**t together. Sincerely, Canadians," another wrote.
"My daughter is stuck in Denver trying to make it back to Calgary. She's had to pay for a hotel, a $800 flight home & meals," the family member of a stranded traveler posted.
"She's missing work tomorrow & can't reach anyone at @WestJet.
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"Great job ensuring your customers are safe! This worried mom will never let anyone fly Westjet."
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Several other customers revealed that the disruptions have made them decide to never fly with WestJet again, even if they had flown with the budget airline for years.
Many have also claimed they have been unable to get in contact with customer service to be issued a refund over the cancellations.
"Officially done [with] Westjet," one X user wrote.
"This is now the third or fourth time they’ve messed up our travel plans.
"We’ve been loyal Westjeters for many, many years. They cannot keep their employees happy. Time to go."
"thank you @WestJet for not paying your mechanics enough so they strike on a holiday weekend," another posted.
"thank you @WestJet for sending a cancellation notice at 2am the night before my flight.
"thank you @WestJet for not answering any calls + holding people's money hostage, never again."
"@WestJet Will never be flying with you again," one user said.
"Screwed me over so hard today when you could have given us proper notice for our flights to be cancelled.
"Have tried contacting customer service for almost 12 hrs to get a proper refund. ZERO HELP."
The disruptions began Saturday and are expected to continue through July 2, according to WestJet's website.
The cancellations are impacting "All WestJet Destinations," the company has said.
While it saddens us to hear the notice you were given, please know these difficult decisions are made with safety of our guests and staff as a top priority.
WestJet
The company has apologized to customers several times in responses to posts on X and a separate statement, urging travelers to visit their Guest Update page for the most up-to-date information regarding their flights.
“Missed vacation goers, stranded business travellers and long-weekend family reunions have been disrupted due to AMFA’s action to strike, and we are sincerely sorry to the tens of thousands of Canadians that have experienced the compounding impacts to of this unnecessary work stoppage," Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer said.
Despite the backlash, WestJet has defended the sudden cancellations and the lack of advance notice given to fliers -- some of whom claimed they found out about their flight change on the way to the airport.
"Thank you for reaching out, and our sincerest apologies for the disruption to your travel plans," the company wrote on X.
"While it saddens us to hear the notice you were given, please know these difficult decisions are made with safety of our guests and staff as a top priority."
The strike began Friday after the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association claimed WestJet was unwilling to negotiate, according to the Associated Press.
It came after two weeks of discussions regarding a new deal between the union and airline.
However, the discussions came to a head Thursday when the federal government reportedly called for binding arbitration, meaning a third party will settle the deal disputes.
Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of WestJet, has directly blamed a "rouge union from the US" for the cancelled flights.
“This makes a strike totally absurd because the reason you actually do a strike is because you need to exercise pressure on the bargaining table,” he said, according to the Associated Press.
“If there is no bargaining table it makes no sense, there shouldn’t be a strike.”
Pen agreed, claiming the strike is not only damaging the airline but the country.
"I am encouraged by our employee's willingness to rise above the adversity and deliver a safe and controlled operation going forward," Pen said.
"We continue to hold our view that the current strike serves no purpose other than to inflict maximum damage to our airline and the country.
"WestJet is in receipt of a binding arbitration order and await urgent clarity from the government that a strike and arbitration cannot exist simultaneously; this is something they have committed to address and like all Canadians we are waiting.”
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However, employees have purported that the strike is an attempt to force WestJet back into negotiations.
WestJet did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun's request for comment.