WestJet apologizes to customers for ‘a tough summer’

WestJet is apologizing following a tumultuous summer filled with strikes and weather-related cancellations.

In an email to customers written by the airline’s president, Diederik Pen, the carrier acknowledged that it “recently didn’t meet the expectations of travellers during the summer season.”

“…And for that, we apologize,” stated Pen, adding that the aircraft maintenance engineers’ strike in June “caused significant disruptions” and took weeks for the company to fully recover

The strike impacted thousands of flights and travellers ahead of and during the busy Canada Day long weekend. Some passengers said they were out thousands of dollars after their flights got cancelled.

A proposed class-action lawsuit has also been filed against WestJet for its strike notice cancellations.

According to Evolink Law, the firm representing plaintiff Alexandra Fox, the class action claims that “WestJet’s flight cancellations during the two strike notices issued by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) June 17-20, 2024 and June 25-28, 2024 were cancellations within WestJet’s control.”

According to a news release on the law firm’s site, the suit seeks standardized compensation for inconvenience, reimbursement of all out-of-pocket expenses for the cancellations and/or a full refund for those who did not travel.

However, the cancellations didn’t end there. In August, a few weeks after the strike was resolved, WestJet announced that 16 of its planes were pulled from its fleet due to a hailstorm in Calgary.

“While we’ve made progress and safely returned more than half of the affected aircraft to service, repairs are still ongoing,” wrote Pen. As a result, he added that customers still see some “minor midterm adjustments” to its schedule.

Canadians have complaints

It’s not just the strike and hailstorm cancellations that have irked WestJet customers.

Earlier in June, WestJet introduced “UltraBasic,” which replaced its Basic fare option.

The new tier came with a number of restrictions, including no carry-ons (unless you purchase the “Extended Comfort” option), added fees for checking in a bag in advance and being assigned seats at the back of the aircraft.

Canadians took to the internet to share just how peeved they were with the new fare option. In August, a WestJet customer’s complaint about not receiving the premium seats he paid for went viral.

Kevin McCurdy wrote on X that he and his wife purchased premium seats on WestJet flights between Edmonton and Toronto and Edmonton and Halifax. However, he said the jets on both flights were swapped out at the last minute for former Swoop aircraft, which did not contain premium seats or any of the perks one would expect while flying premium.

McCurdy noted that in both cases, he waited on hold with WestJet customer service for an hour each time to resolve the issue but never spoke to a human representative and did not receive his credit for the first incident.

In a reply to McCurdy on X, the airline acknowledged that it hit a “rough patch at the end of June.”

“It’s not you, it’s us,” admitted the airline.

WestJet says improvements are on the way

Despite a rocky summer, Pen promised customers that the airline is making improvements.

Starting this month, passengers will notice a “refreshed” food and beverage menu offering more variety and new fresh food items.

To make it easier for passengers to modify reservations or their flight itineraries, the airline said it is prioritizing enhancements to its self-serve functionality “to help more guests accept changes, rebook or cancel if required.”

WestJet fliers may also notice changes to aircraft cabins. Pen explained that there’s been an “inconsistency” with the airline’s interiors following the integration of Swoop and Sunwing and the acquisition of planes from the now-defunct Lynx Air.

“We are actively working on reconfiguring our aircraft to a consistent standard,” stated Pen. The updates will ensure that premium cabins, extended comfort seating, Wi-Fi access and in-seat power are available across WestJet’s fleet.

We have reached out to WestJet for further comment.

With files from Isabelle Docto and Allison Stephen.