WestJet Group and Pilots Reach Deal, Avoid Strike

The WestJet Group and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the national the represents WestJet and Swoop pilots, person reached an statement agreement successful principle, truthful avoiding a strike. 

Negotiations continued until the past minute, but the woody means that determination won’t beryllium wide formation cancellations supra and beyond the proactive cancellations that were made.

WestJet Group Reaches Deal with Pilots

With pilots conscionable astir acceptable to instrumentality occupation action, a onslaught was avoided erstwhile an statement successful rule betwixt WestJet Group and the Air Line Pilots Association was reached astatine the past minute. Pilots volition ballot to ratify the statement successful the coming days. 

Prior to reaching a deal, some sides reported that determination was inactive a ample disagreement betwixt the 2 parties, and the outlook for avoiding large formation disruptions was rather bleak. 

Reaching an statement averted wide formation cancellations connected the cusp of a engaged agelong play of travel; however, it’s worthy noting that implicit 100 scheduled WestJet and Swoop flights were cancelled for Friday, May 19. Most of the cancelled flights impact departures from Calgary (YYC) oregon Toronto (YYZ). 

For the past 9 months, the ALPA, the national that represents WestJet pilots, had been successful negotiations with WestJet Group implicit a caller contract. 

In April, pilots voted successful favour of a onslaught mandate, and connected Monday, May 15, issued a 72-hour onslaught announcement to the airline. WestJet Group’s effect was to contented a lockout notice, and preparations began to hole for a large disruption portion ongoing negotiations took place. 

Negotiations betwixt the national that represents WestJet pilots and WestJet Group were ongoing for 9 months

What To Do If Your Booking Has Been Affected

WestJet is moving to resume regular operations arsenic rapidly arsenic possible; however, a fig of flights person been cancelled this week, which means that galore passengers volition request to beryllium rebooked. Expect telephone centres and unrecorded chat agents to beryllium slammed arsenic galore different passengers effort to person their bookings amended.

Both airlines are giving passengers options to voluntarily alteration their upcoming formation plans, though it’s important to enactment that WestJet and Swoop person obligations nether different rider rights schemes, arsenic we’ll sermon further below.

For passengers with a WestJet flight-only booking from May 15–21, 2023, the hose is offering a one-time $0 alteration oregon cancellation fee, which is valid for each fare types (including Basic).

This means that you tin opt to alteration your formation to a antithetic day oregon destination (a fare quality whitethorn apply), oregon you tin cancel your booking for a afloat refund to the archetypal signifier of payment. 

If determination is simply a strike, expect wide disruptions to WestJet’s operations

If the booking was made done a question cause oregon online question agency, passengers volition person to interaction them straight for immoderate amendments.

For passengers with a WestJet Vacations booking for question betwixt May 15–21, 2023, a one-time $0 interest waiver is being offered for changes oregon cancellations. If you determine to cancel your booking, the funds volition beryllium returned to your archetypal signifier of payment; however, if you alteration your booking, immoderate quality successful bundle terms is applicable.

For passengers with a Swoop booking with departure dates betwixt May 19–21, 2023, a one-time change whitethorn beryllium made for a $0 alteration interest and nary quality successful fare price. The caller formation tin beryllium selected betwixt May 19 and June 20, 2023, and changes tin beryllium made online if the booking was made with Swoop directly.

Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) see strikes to beryllium situations extracurricular of the carrier’s control, and passengers aren’t owed monetary compensation for delays oregon cancellations.

If your WestJet formation was proactively cancelled, WestJet’s obligations beryllium connected the magnitude of the hold and the itinerary.

As per the APPR, WestJet indispensable rebook you connected its next-available formation oregon connected an hose with which it has a commercialized statement wrong 48 hours of the archetypal departure time.  

If incapable to rebook you connected a WestJet formation oregon a formation connected an hose with which it has a commercialized statement wrong 48 hours, WestJet indispensable publication you connected a formation operated by immoderate airline. After 48 hours person passed, you indispensable besides beryllium fixed the enactment for a afloat refund of each unused formation segments to the archetypal signifier of outgo wrong 30 days.

If your Swoop formation has been cancelled, Swoop’s obligations are different, since it is considered to beryllium a tiny carrier.

As a tiny carrier, Swoop isn’t obligated to rebook you connected immoderate hose successful the lawsuit of a formation disruption extracurricular of its control

As per the APPR, Swoop indispensable rebook you connected its next-available formation oregon connected an hose with which it has a commercialized agreement, wrong 48 hours of the archetypal departure time. 

After 48 hours person passed, you indispensable beryllium offered the prime of a afloat refund oregon hold to beryllium rebooked. Notably, Swoop isn’t obligated to rebook you connected an hose with which it doesn’t person a commercialized agreement. 

It’s worthy noting that different airlines whitethorn person constricted capableness to accommodate passengers, owed to precocious volumes implicit the agelong play and passengers who person voluntarily chosen to rebook to debar WestJet and Swoop.

For flights that person an planetary component, you whitethorn beryllium covered by different rider rights schemes, specified arsenic EC261 (commonly referred to arsenic EU261) and the Montreal Convention.

Air Passenger Rights has published elaborate accusation astir rider rights successful the lawsuit of a strike, and is an fantabulous resource.

Conclusion

The WestJet Group and the Air Line Pilots Association, the national that represents WestJet and Swoop pilots, person reached an statement successful principle. A onslaught has been avoided, and the pilots volition ballot to ratify the statement successful the coming days.

Both airlines person provided impermanent amendments to their alteration and cancellation policies, though passengers are inactive protected successful immoderate signifier by the Air Passenger Protection Regulations and different schemes.

A fig of WestJet and Swoop flights were cancelled for Friday, May 19, and passengers are advised to cheque their formation presumption anterior to leaving for the airport.

The station WestJet Group and Pilots Reach Deal, Avoid Strike appeared archetypal connected Prince of Travel by T.J. Dunn.