Seeker Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Article posted by Airband, above, says that before this purchase Amazon had 80 aircraft in their fleet! I had no idea their operation was so big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 7 minutes ago, seeker said: Article posted by Airband, above, says that before this purchase Amazon had 80 aircraft in their fleet! I had no idea their operation was so big. Some interesting numbers: How many planes does FedEx have? 650 aircraft FedEx Express operates the world's largest cargo air fleet with more than 650 aircraft, and is the largest operator of the Airbus A300, ATR 42, Cessna 208, McDonnell Douglas DC-10/MD-10, and the McDonnell Douglas MD-11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 WestJet announces 737 MAX return-to-service plan (newswire.ca) First guest flight set for January 21 pending Transport Canada opening of skies CALGARY, AB, Jan. 6, 2021 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced its intent to return its fleet of 737 MAX aircraft to passenger service in a phased and transparent approach. The airline's plans follow an announcement from Transport Canada (TC) on December 17, 2020 where TC safety experts validated the aircraft design changes and outlined requirements for Canadian carriers. Transport Canada's validation followed that of the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) on November 18, 2020. WestJet announced its intent to return its fleet of 737 MAX aircraft to passenger service, in a phased and transparent approach. (CNW Group/WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership) WestJet announced its intent to return its fleet of 737 MAX aircraft to passenger service, in a phased and transparent approach. (CNW Group/WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership) WestJet announced its intent to return its fleet of 737 MAX aircraft to passenger service, in a phased and transparent approach. (CNW Group/WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership) WestJet announced its intent to return its fleet of 737 MAX aircraft to passenger service, in a phased and transparent approach. (CNW Group/WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership) "As we continue working with Transport Canada on the additional Canadian requirements, our first MAX will be ready to return safely to service as of January 21," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "While we don't have final confirmation on when TC will open Canadian airspace to the 737 MAX aircraft, in the interest of transparency we are sharing our intent to fly once this confirmation is received." "The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and numerous other regulatory bodies around the world have spent more than a year examining the MAX aircraft to provide recommended changes to software, pilot training and maintenance requirements. We are confident with the changes they have mandated," continued Sims. "In particular, the deliberate, detailed and independent scrutiny applied by Transport Canada's National Aircraft Certification team, which prescribed additional requirements to pilot procedures and training, provides further confidence in the aircraft and its safe return." WestJet will take a phased approach to re-entry for its MAX aircraft beginning with non-commercial test flights that are anticipated to start in mid January. On January 21, pending Transport Canada's reopening of the Canadian airspace to commercial flights for the 737 MAX, the airline plans to operate three roundtrip flights, per week, between Calgary and Toronto. The schedule will remain in place for four weeks, while evaluating further routes and additional frequencies. WestJet currently operates six daily flights between the two cities. "We are dedicated to restoring guest confidence in this aircraft through our safe operation, while providing the transparency and the flexibility that some of our guests may still require," concluded Sims. "We will be forthcoming with our guests on where the MAX aircraft are flying, and we will be flexible with our change and cancel policy to ensure our guests can make their travel plans confidently." WestJet has created a variety of resources to assist guests in feeling comfortable, including a behind-the-scenes video looking at the pilot and maintenance team efforts that went into safely returning the aircraft to the skies. Details can be found on the website: www.westjet.com/maxinfo. About WestJet Since the start of the pandemic the WestJet Group of Companies has built a layered framework of safety measures to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly through the airline's Safety Above All hygiene program. During this time, WestJet has maintained its status as one of the top-10 on-time airlines in North America as named by Cirium. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com. Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet Follow WestJet on Instagram instagram.com/westjet/ Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com Recent recognition includes: 2021 Five Star Major Airline (APEX) 2020/2019 Number-One Ranked Canadian Airline Loyalty Program in Member Engagement (Bond Brand Loyalty) 2019/2018/2017 Best Airline in Canada (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines) 2019 Winner Among Mid-Sized Airlines in North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines) 2019/2018 Number-One-Ranked Airline Credit Card in Canada (Rewards Canada) SOURCE WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership For further information: Media contacts: To contact WestJet media relations, please email media@westjet.com. Related Links http://www.westjet.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 B.C. Supreme Court gives OK to class-action lawsuit against WestJet over baggage fee By Doyle Potenteau Global News Posted January 7, 2021 4:18 pm Updated January 7, 2021 4:28 pm In a court ruling published on Thursday in B.C., the plaintiff claimed that WestJet charged for baggage fees during a time period when customers would not have to pay a fee for their first checked bag. Global News A class-action lawsuit against WestJet Airlines has been given the green light by B.C.’s Supreme Court. This week, B.C. Supreme Court Justice J. Francis ruled in favour of plaintiff Phebe-Joy Trotman, who was seeking a class proceeding against WestJet regarding its baggage-fee charges from 2014 to 2019. In the lengthy court ruling, which can be viewed here, the plaintiff claimed that WestJet charged a baggage fee during a time period when customers would not have to pay a fee for their first checked bag. “The plaintiff claims that, by charging fees for baggage carriage in a manner contrary to WestJet’s own tariffs, WestJet violated the Competition Act, breached its contract with its customers, and was unjustly enriched,” the court ruling explained. The decision also noted that “by law, every commercial airline in Canada must publish tariffs, which form part of the airline’s contract with each of its customers.” It said for domestic flights, the requirement to publish and display tariffs is set out in the Canada Transportation Act. For international flights, the requirement is set out under Air Transportation Regulations. The court decision went into detail about WestJet’s baggage fees, noting that “from October 2014 to March 2016, WestJet’s domestic tariff contained conflicting provisions with respect to the price of the first checked bag on a domestic WestJet flight.” For example, it said, “the carrier will accept one piece of checked baggage without charge for a passenger only for the flight on which the passenger is travelling.” But it also said, “a first, second, third or fourth piece of checked baggage … will be charged according to the fee tables below.” It also noted that, “between September 2014 and February 2018, WestJet charged passengers travelling domestically on econo fares, WestJet vacations and group fares $25 for their first checked bag.” The court decision also said WestJet’s international tariff contained a similar inconsistency from January 17, 2016, until March 2019. The court noted that Section 54 of the Competition Act “makes it an offence for a merchant to express two or more prices to a customer at the time of purchase and to charge the higher price.” The decision also described WestJet’s arguments, but the court ultimately sided with Trotman, stating “I find that the plaintiff has met the requirements for certification set out in s. 4 of the (Class Proceedings Act). Accordingly, I certify this matter as a class proceeding.” The court then said the parties shall set a case management conference to take place within 90 days. Global News reached out to WetJet regarding the court decision, but the company declined comment, stating the matter is still before the courts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 In our case baggage was always a challenge when we went south because of our scuba gear. In the early days of WestJet I was approached by an WJ exec and asked what I felt was appropriate as far as free baggage - sports equipment, (in our case scuba gear), and I basically gave him the list that was pretty well identical to AC and Air Transat. WestJet did come out with a sports gear/scuba free baggage and actually copied AC and Air Transat. I did advise WestJet that there was no real reason to include ONE EMPTY SCUBA tank per person but they put it on their FREE list anyhow. We went south on all three carriers for over 18 years and NOT ONCE did I ever see, talk to, or hear of anyone bringing their own air tank....why would you when every dive shop has tanks available at destination and if you wanted to go off the reservation there would be a dive shop where you could RENT a tank for a very low fee. I have digressed but the point I want to make is that it doesn't hurt to copy/print a carriers baggage policy out when going on a flight and if there is an incident that should be in your favour, drag out their own policy. We always carried the policy with us and only about three times did I have to bring it out and normally it was because of a new check-in agent who was not up to speed on carried sports equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 WestJet Slashes Capacity in Response to Rushed Government Testing Regime NEWS PROVIDED BY WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership Jan 08, 2021, 09:39 ET WestJet Group to stand down equivalent of 1,000 employees and reduce capacity by a third CALGARY, AB, Jan. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced further cuts to its schedule as the airline continues to face volatile demand and instability in the face of continuing federal government travel advisories and restrictions. As a result of the reduction in capacity, the equivalent of 1,000 employees across the WestJet Group of Companies will be impacted through a combination of furloughs, temporary layoffs, unpaid leaves and reduced hours. There will also be a hiring freeze implemented. "Immediately following the federal government's inbound testing announcement on December 31, and with the continuation of the 14-day quarantine, we saw significant reductions in new bookings and unprecedented cancellations," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "The entire travel industry and its customers are again on the receiving end of incoherent and inconsistent government policy. We have advocated over the past 10 months for a coordinated testing regime on Canadian soil, but this hasty new measure is causing Canadian travellers unnecessary stress and confusion and may make travel unaffordable, unfeasible and inaccessible for Canadians for years to come." "Regrettably, this new policy leaves us with no other option but to again place a large number of our employees on leave, while impacting the pay of others," continued Sims. "This is a cruel outcome for loyal and hardworking staff who have been diligently working through the pandemic." With today's announcement the airline will remove approximately 30 per cent of its currently planned February and March capacity from the schedule, a more than 80 per cent reduction year over year. In addition, the airline will reduce domestic frequencies by 160 departures as frequently evolving advisories, travel restrictions and guidance continue to negatively impact demand trends. Any impacted guests will be contacted directly. Network impact by the numbers: With the planned reductions, WestJet will operate at a more than 80 per cent reduction year over year. Specific to international markets, capacity will be down 93 per cent year over year where the airline will be operating only five daily flights compared to 100 last year Elimination of more than 230 weekly departures (including 160 domestic) and removal of more than 30 per cent of capacity versus prior months. Suspension of 11 routes (Edmonton-Cancun, Edmonton- Puerto Vallarta, Edmonton-Phoenix, Vancouver-Cancun, Vancouver-Phoenix, Vancouver-Puerto Vallarta, Vancouver-Cabo, Vancouver-Los Angeles, Vancouver-Palm Springs, Calgary-Las Vegas, Calgary-Orlando). Seasonal suspension of 13 international and transborder destinations (Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Huatulco, Ixtapa, London (Gatwick), Mazatlán, Nassau (Bahamas), Port of Spain, San Jose (Costa Rica), Tampa, and Turks and Caicos. The airline will operate approximately 150 daily departures, returning to levels not seen since June 2001. About WestJet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCPSPEED Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 This is horrible news and I just can’t help but think, WJ is spot on here. Again, like pulling out of the east that this is a shot straight across the government’s bow. Before this announcement I believe WJ was down to approximately 4500 employees across the system. This will bring WJ to around 3500 total employee’s most are pilots, around 2200. Operating the size of 2001, yikes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 On 1/8/2021 at 7:51 AM, Malcolm said: WestJet Slashes Capacity in Response to Rushed Government Testing Regime NEWS PROVIDED BY WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership Jan 08, 2021, 09:39 ET WestJet Group to stand down equivalent of 1,000 employees and reduce capacity by a third CALGARY, AB, Jan. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced further cuts to its schedule as the airline continues to face volatile demand and instability in the face of continuing federal government travel advisories and restrictions. As a result of the reduction in capacity, the equivalent of 1,000 employees across the WestJet Group of Companies will be impacted through a combination of furloughs, temporary layoffs, unpaid leaves and reduced hours. There will also be a hiring freeze implemented. "Immediately following the federal government's inbound testing announcement on December 31, and with the continuation of the 14-day quarantine, we saw significant reductions in new bookings and unprecedented cancellations," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "The entire travel industry and its customers are again on the receiving end of incoherent and inconsistent government policy. We have advocated over the past 10 months for a coordinated testing regime on Canadian soil, but this hasty new measure is causing Canadian travellers unnecessary stress and confusion and may make travel unaffordable, unfeasible and inaccessible for Canadians for years to come." "Regrettably, this new policy leaves us with no other option but to again place a large number of our employees on leave, while impacting the pay of others," continued Sims. "This is a cruel outcome for loyal and hardworking staff who have been diligently working through the pandemic." With today's announcement the airline will remove approximately 30 per cent of its currently planned February and March capacity from the schedule, a more than 80 per cent reduction year over year. In addition, the airline will reduce domestic frequencies by 160 departures as frequently evolving advisories, travel restrictions and guidance continue to negatively impact demand trends. Any impacted guests will be contacted directly. Network impact by the numbers: With the planned reductions, WestJet will operate at a more than 80 per cent reduction year over year. Specific to international markets, capacity will be down 93 per cent year over year where the airline will be operating only five daily flights compared to 100 last year Elimination of more than 230 weekly departures (including 160 domestic) and removal of more than 30 per cent of capacity versus prior months. Suspension of 11 routes (Edmonton-Cancun, Edmonton- Puerto Vallarta, Edmonton-Phoenix, Vancouver-Cancun, Vancouver-Phoenix, Vancouver-Puerto Vallarta, Vancouver-Cabo, Vancouver-Los Angeles, Vancouver-Palm Springs, Calgary-Las Vegas, Calgary-Orlando). Seasonal suspension of 13 international and transborder destinations (Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Huatulco, Ixtapa, London (Gatwick), Mazatlán, Nassau (Bahamas), Port of Spain, San Jose (Costa Rica), Tampa, and Turks and Caicos. The airline will operate approximately 150 daily departures, returning to levels not seen since June 2001. About WestJet or is this the real reason? More than 50 COVID-19 flights through Calgary in first week of 2021 BY CITYNEWS STAFF Posted Jan 10, 2021 5:06 pm MST A passenger walks with baggage at the Calgary International Airport. (PHOTO: CityNews) CALGARY (CityNews) – In the first week of the new year, more than 50 flights that passed through the Calgary airport have been confirmed to have carried passengers with COVID-19. The federal government is reporting that Calgary’s airport received 35 international flights with cases of the virus between Jan. 1 and 7. Domestically, 23 flights departed or arrived in the city within the same timeframe. A full list of Calgary’s affected flights is below. The days of Jan. 2 and Jan. 3 saw the most impacted flights. On Jan. 7, the federal government instituted new rules guiding travellers returning to Canada. Meanwhile, Premier Jason Kenney has reaffirmed the safety of airline travel and the importance of the airline industry in the fallout of the MLA travel scandal. All passengers on the below flights are advised to self-monitor for symptoms. DOMESTIC January 1 (2) WestJet WS3225 Calgary to Edmonton (rows 13-19) Air Canada AC214 Vancouver to Calgary (rows 24-30) January 2 (9) WestJet WS735 London to Calgary (rows 10-16) WestJet WS3188 Grande Prairie to Calgary (rows 7-13) WestJet WS253 Calgary to Kelowna (rows 3-9) WestJet WS155 Calgary to Edmonton (rows 1-7) WestJet WS3189 Calgary to Grande Prairie (rows 2-8) WestJet WS129 Calgary to Vancouver (rows 5-11) WestJet WS3235 Calgary to Victoria (rows 16-19) WestJet WS139 Calgary to Vancouver (rows 10-16) Flair F8186 Calgary to Vancouver (rows 6-12) January 3 (6) WestJet/Delta WS227/DL6329 Calgary to Victoria (rows 10-16) WestJet WS449 Calgary to Victoria (rows 16-22) WestJet WS3295 Calgary to Victoria (rows 10-16) WestJet WS657 Toronto to Calgary (rows 23-29) Air Canada AC202 Vancouver to Calgary (rows 1-4, 12-14) Air Canada AC228 Vancouver to Calgary (rows 19-25) January 4 (3) WestJet WS3229 Calgary to Edmonton (rows 1-6) WestJet WS657 Toronto to Calgary (rows 13-19) Air Canada AC221 Calgary to Vancouver (rows 28-33) January 5 (1) Air Canada AC145 Toronto to Calgary (rows 34-40) January 7 (2) WestJet WS4029 Fort Mackay/Firebag to Calgary (rows 8-14) Air Canada AC202 Vancouver to Calgary (rows 17-22) INTERNATIONAL January 1 (7) WestJet WS2311 Cancun to Calgary (rows unknown) WestJet WS2289 Los Cabos to Calgary (rows 17-23) WestJet WS1511 Los Angeles to Calgary (rows 24-30) WestJet WS1403 Phoenix to Calgary (rows 7-13) KLM Royal Dutch KL677 Amsterdam to Calgary (rows 19-25) American Airlines AA5986 Phoenix to Calgary (rows 1-6) American Airlines AA3505 Dallas to Calgary (rows unknown) January 2 (11) WestJet WS1469 Palm Springs to Calgary (rows 2-8, 13-19, 25-29) WestJet WS2311 Cancun to Calgary (rows 19-25) WestJet WS2247 Puerto Vallarta to Calgary (rows 14-20) WestJet WS1403 Phoenix to Calgary (rows unknown) WestJet WS2289 Los Cabos to Calgary (rows 1-7, 19-31) WestJet WS1417 Orlando to Calgary (rows 8-14, 23-29) KLM Royal Dutch KL679 Amsterdam to Calgary (rows unknown) Delta/WestJet DL4051/WS6308 Minneapolis to Calgary (rows 12-18) American Airlines AA3505 Dallas to Calgary (rows 12-18) American Airlines AA3839 Dallas to Calgary (rows 10-16) Air Canada AC987 Cancun to Calgary (rows 12-15, 21-27) January 3 (8) WestJet WS2289 Los Cabos to Calgary (rows 2-8) WestJet WS2247 Puerto Vallarta to Calgary (rows 3-10, 18-24) WestJet WS1403 Phoenix to Calgary (rows 6-12, 23-30) WestJet WS2313 Cancun to Calgary (rows 23-29) WestJet WS1511 Los Angeles to Calgary (rows 13-19) WestJet WS1501 Las Vegas to Calgary (rows 19-24) Delta/WestJet DL4051/WS6308 Minneapolis to Calgary (rows unknown) American Airlines AA3505 Dallas to Calgary (rows 16-22) January 4 (5) WestJet WS1517 Phoenix to Calgary (rows 25-30) WestJet WS1403 Phoenix to Calgary (rows 1-6, 18-30) WestJet WS2247 Puerto Vallarta to Calgary (rows 15-24) United Airlines UA4794 Denver to Calgary (rows 7-13) American Airlines AA3839 Dallas to Calgary (rows 6-12) January 5 (2) WestJet WS2247 Puerto Vallarta to Calgary (rows 1-7) WestJet WS2313 Cancun to Calgary (rows 2-8, 20-26) January 6 (2) WestJet WS2379 Huatulco to Calgary (rows 4-10, 20-26) American Airlines AA220 Phoenix to Calgary (rows 18-24) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Foxtrot Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 I am impressed Covid is so smart it only affects assigned seats Gotta be the most clever virus ever 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest1 Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 WestJet COO stepping down. WestJet announces retirement of Jeff Martin, Chief Operating Officer (newswire.ca) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AIP Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 18 hours ago, Kargokings said: WestJet COO stepping down. WestJet announces retirement of Jeff Martin, Chief Operating Officer (newswire.ca) I must have missed something, why the reference to "Captain" Jeff Martin ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest1 Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 6 minutes ago, AIP said: I must have missed something, why the reference to "Captain" Jeff Martin ??? What I posted was the official news release from WestJet so your guess is as good as mine. But according to the following it does appear he is qualified for the title of Captain. AuthorJeff Martin Jeffrey (Jeff) Martin joined WestJet in September 2018 as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Jeff is responsible for WestJet's Flight Operations (including the Operational Control Centre), Guest Experience (Contact Centre and Inflight), Airports, Technical (Maintenance) Operations, and the business strategy and execution of WestJet Encore. Jeff comes to WestJet with more than 28 years of extensive commercial aviation and operational experience, having most recently served as Executive Vice President of Operations, where he was responsible for Technical Operations, System Operations, Safety, Security, Flight Operations, Training and Regulatory Compliance for the sixth largest airline in the U.S. Prior to that he held various leadership roles at Southwest Airlines, where he started as a pilot and, over two decades, progressed to Vice President of the Operations Coordination Centre. Throughout his career, he has maintained his currency as a line pilot and civilian flight instructor and continued to fly. He maintains an Airline Transport Pilot Licence and is captain qualified on the DC-10, Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft. He also served in the United States Air Force flying KC-10s prior to beginning his commercial aviation career. In addition to his work in the aviation industry, Jeff has been a board member at LaSalle Hotel Properties since October 2016. Jeff and his wife, Susan, have relocated in Calgary and look forward to taking advantage of WestJet’s growing network out of the airline’s YYC hub. Jeff’s passions also extend beyond all things aviation, and often involve adventure and competition, as he enjoys sailboat racing and cycling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canoehead Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Kinda begs the question, did he get his Canadian ATPL and did he actually stay and maintain "current" as a line pilot at WJA? Bet I know the answer. That said, he certainly has an impressive resume (on the surface). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 3 hours ago, Canoehead said: Kinda begs the question, did he get his Canadian ATPL and did he actually stay and maintain "current" as a line pilot at WJA? Bet I know the answer. That said, he certainly has an impressive resume (on the surface). I believe he got his Canadian ATPL but not sure. He was also responsible for Tech Ops. I've talked to him many times, he's a genuine, caring guy and I wish him and his family well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest1 Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 WestJet: A further discussion on refunds 28 January 2021Canadian Aviation News 27 January 2021 | WestJet Blog As WestJet and other airlines across Canada continue to struggle through the pandemic, much has been said and written on our response to COVID-19, particularly when it comes to refunds. As the executive in charge of WestJet’s government relations portfolio, I am hoping I can answer some questions and help set the record straight. WestJet sells different fares for different needs Like most airlines, WestJet sells different kinds of fares for the same flight including Econo, Premium and Business, each of which offers unique features and benefits to the travelling public. To keep our prices as low as possible, we provide a variety of fare choices that best meet the needs of the guest, some of whom value things such as extra flexibility, a business pod or priority boarding and some of whom value the lowest price possible. When booking a ticket with us either through our website or a travel agent, guests are given the option to buy a refundable ticket which is available with our PremiumFlex and BusinessFlex fares. These fares give nearly complete flexibility to change or cancel the guest’s travel and still receive a refund to original form of payment. For those guests who are reasonably confident they won’t need to change their travel plans and are looking for a lower fare, many choose a more affordable option such as Basic, Econo, Premium or Business without the “flex”. It’s worth noting that basic fares are not for everyone due to their lack of flexibility, which is why we advise our guests of the fare restrictions along with alternative fare options through multiple prompts at the time of booking. In normal circumstances, this means the ticket may be forfeited on a basic fare or a voucher will be provided on other non-refundable fares if the trip is cancelled by the guest. In these cases, the price of the ticket is more important than flexibility. How has the pandemic impacted your tickets? The speed and breadth of the impact of COVID-19 was impossible to predict and had no reference point in the history of commercial aviation. WestJet has been impacted by COVID-19 as much as any enterprise and when the pandemic hit, our guest bookings dropped by 95 per cent, while cancellations outstripped the numbers of bookings. At no other time have we had to ground two-thirds of our fleet, furlough 9,000 of 14,000 employees, repatriate thousands of citizens and shut down most of our network aside from domestic flying. These were massive changes, implemented swiftly in the name of safety and protecting our business in a short period of time. A lot changed overnight due to the pandemic. What did not change were our guests’ tickets. Guests who had purchased refundable tickets like PremiumFlex and BusinessFlex were immediately entitled to refunds. In jurisdictions like the UK, the European Union and the U.S., WestJet was required to provide refunds to guests when we cancelled their flights. It is worth noting that in each of the jurisdictions where refunds were required by law, those governments had provided some measure of financial support to their home airlines. Canada remains the exception where no sector-specific funding has yet been provided to the aviation industry. In Canada, many of our guests were not eligible for refunds because of the fare class of the ticket they purchased, and some guests would have entirely forfeited their tickets because of the Econo basic fare they had purchased. WestJet made the decision to provide all of our domestic guests vouchers for the full price of the ticket so they could use this voucher for future travel. I am not your lawyer and I cannot provide you with legal advice, however, I would encourage you to review the guidance provided by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) on March 25, 2020 stating that airline tariffs do not always provide for cash refunds especially in cases beyond an airline’s control, such as the pandemic. WestJet did not provide vouchers because were required to provide them – WestJet provided vouchers because we believed it was the right thing to do and we hope that our guests will fly with us as soon as circumstances permit. We have always been the airline that has put the interests of our guests first and this was far from a perfect solution. We heard from many guests whose lives have been impacted, many dealing with financial hardship and it’s why, as soon as it was possible, we decided to go one step further. On October 21, 2020, we unilaterally began processing refunds to all guests whose flights had been cancelled by WestJet no matter the fare class they had purchased, including those who had purchased our Econo Basic fare. We remain the only national airline in Canada to have undertaken refunds in this manner and to-date, more than $450 million is eligible for refunding or has already been refunded to our guests. The process is a bit slower than would otherwise be the case, but our workforce remains a fraction of what it once was, and we are working through the backlog as quickly as we can. Vouchers – not perfect but will be there when you need them As we work through our refund process, we do have many guests who are asking to keep their refunds in the form of the travel bank vouchers. And for this, we thank you. Vouchers for future travel can help protect our guests from losing the full value of their flights, and improve the odds that over the longer term, consumer choice and diverse service offerings will remain in Canada’s air transportation sector. As a result of this long-term crisis, we have also extended the vouchers so that they can be used for up to 24 months. We know it is possible that many of our guests may need a little more time before they can use them, and we are committed to honouring these when the time is right for you. It’s been a bumpy road and almost a year after the pandemic took hold in Canada, we continue to proactively and responsibly manage our business through this crisis so that we can hasten our return to service and let our guests utilize these vouchers as soon as safely possible. As noted above, and worth repeating, Canada is now the only country with a major airline industry where the federal government has not provided sector specific support. Every country where there are refunds to original form of payment, there has been support beyond wage subsidies from the federal government. To those of you directly affected, thank you for your patience. We remain as committed as we have ever been to keeping Canadian air fares fair, and to ensuring you will always have competition and choice. We look forward to welcoming you on board when the time is right. Share this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 On 1/28/2021 at 12:06 PM, Kargokings said: In Canada, many of our guests were not eligible for refunds because of the fare class of the ticket they purchased, and some guests would have entirely forfeited their tickets because of the Econo basic fare they had purchased. WestJet made the decision to provide all of our domestic guests vouchers for the full price of the ticket so they could use this voucher for future travel. So WestJet feels that pax who booked non-refundable fares for flights that were never operated could rightfully forfeit their fares? I'll bet that isn't in their tariff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest1 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 110 WestJet employees in Manitoba permanently laid off as airline switches to contractor 3 February 2021Canadian Aviation News From CBC News – link to source story Union calls move ‘a slap in the face’ to workers Cameron MacLean · CBC News · Feb 02, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runaway Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 7 hours ago, Kargokings said: 110 WestJet employees in Manitoba permanently laid off as airline switches to contractor 3 February 2021Canadian Aviation News From CBC News – link to source story Union calls move ‘a slap in the face’ to workers Cameron MacLean · CBC News · Feb 02, 2021 Wasn't this announced months ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbrake Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 44 minutes ago, runaway said: Wasn't this announced months ago? Yes it was part of the original layoff plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest1 Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 56 minutes ago, runaway said: Wasn't this announced months ago? Perhaps but it has now been confirmed. Notice of intent vs reality... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest1 Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 WestJet Adds Extra Flights to Canada From Caribbean and Mexico 3 February 2021Canadian Aviation News From TravelPlus Canada – link to source story JIM BYERS | FEBRUARY 02, 2021 WestJet Boeing 737 MAX WestJet has added extra flights from destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, following the airline’s announcement to suspend flights to the regions at the request of the Canadian government. A new landing page is available and will be updated as flights are added: https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/travel-info/advisories. WestJet will continue to operate scheduled flights northbound from destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean up to and including February 14, 2021 to return guests to Canada, after which time the airline will cease all operations to both areas through to April 30, 2021. Any remaining seats on WestJet’s extra flights are now available for booking on westjet.com. Travellers are encouraged to make reservations online before contacting the contact centre for assistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fido Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 On 2/3/2021 at 9:24 AM, Kargokings said: Union calls move ‘a slap in the face’ to workers The nice thing about unions is they never fail to drag up an old Cliché Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest1 Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 14 minutes ago, Fido said: The nice thing about unions is they never fail to drag up an old Cliché Was not long ago when they were "owners" ...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaEH Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 I don't think the CSA's are or were unionized? Nonetheless, sad to see WJ contract out customer service across Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Did WJ consider a big wage reduction and keep their employees...obviously the contractor is paying less.......or was WJ customer service top heavy to start with and the contractor can do the job with less people and still pay his/her employees less ??. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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