WestJet and Swoop News

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, internet said:

WestJet was quick to point out they were travelling on passes - giving them more wiggle room to excuse the company’s horrible handling of the situation.  Just a miserable attempt at distraction.

 

Not sure why you feel that way but in the old days, those of us who had the privilege of using passes were well aware of the extra behaviour code that went with them, including dress etc.  No sympathy here.

[Maverick]

3 hours ago, internet said:

WestJet was quick to point out they were travelling on passes - giving them more wiggle room to excuse the company’s horrible handling of the situation.  Just a miserable attempt at distraction.

 

Haven't seen a WestJet hater/troll like you in a while.

What's your major bitch?

[internet]

Oh. So because they were on passes it gives the Airline an out to treat them like complete crap.

Pass travellers have a responsibility to act reasonably - but they certainly do not give up the right to being treated with courtesy and respect.

WestJet PR made it a central issue that they were on passes. Now you're excusing WJ.

If they were flying upfront - how do you react then?  Still zero sympathy?

And what about all the other precious guests who were getting mad at the crew - then all ended up spending the night in YYC.  Going to blame this family for that too?

On what planet can you rationalize any of this?

 

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, internet said:

Oh. So because they were on passes it gives the Airline an out to treat them like complete crap.

Pass travellers have a responsibility to act reasonably - but they certainly do not give up the right to being treated with courtesy and respect.

WestJet PR made it a central issue that they were on passes. Now you're excusing WJ.

If they were flying upfront - how do you react then?  Still zero sympathy?

And what about all the other precious guests who were getting mad at the crew - then all ended up spending the night in YYC.  Going to blame this family for that too?

On what planet can you rationalize any of this?

 

 

None of the press stories (quoting other passengers) claim that WestJet did not treat the 4 with anything other than respect.  

[Kip Powick]

The "victim" was on TV tonight. He stated that he did get the 3 year old masked but not without some difficulty due to the late hour for the child,  however, he said "the cabin crew kept on him about the 19 month old" who really didn't need a mask and the next thing he knew the police were on board and taking them off the plane.

Then the pilot came on the PA and cancelled the flight because, apparently he felt other pax were upset with the cabin crew's attitude and he felt it was not a safe environment for the cabin crew.

The "victim" also said he flew out to YYC with no problems with masking.

The fuel handler said"...........

And so the stories go.............................

[internet]

50 minutes ago, Marshall said:

None of the press stories (quoting other passengers) claim that WestJet did not treat the 4 with anything other than respect.  

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5716636

We each have our own definition of “respect”.

 

[Guest]

Perhaps  but other stories express passenger admiration re how WestJet handled the problem.

Quote

WestJet handled the situation with class, as did the police," said the passenger after arriving at Toronto Pearson International Airport Tuesday afternoon. "If this had been in the (United) States, YouTube would have been littered with videos of these people being dragged out of an airplane." 

WestJet has the right, when someone is using a pass or buddy pass to demand a certain level of behaviour from those exercising their privilege of been given passes or buddy passes.

Sadly the one who could suffer most is the person who gave the Buddy Pass. 

[J.O.]

WestJet is insisting the mask compliance issue was with the 3 year old, not the 19 month old. Other passengers are corroborating that.

[UpperDeck]

My first reaction was.....why would this pax be contacting the press to complain about his alleged mistreatment. His initial complaint to the press made no reference to an older child who was not wearing a mask. He then acknowledged that fact stating that once that child was under control, the cabin crew wanted the infant to also be masked. BUT.....everybody and his brother ( working as cabin crew) know that infants don't require masks. Obviously, the issue had exploded whilst attempting to persuade the older child to wear a mask. And I mean exploded...to a degree that other passengers, not fully informed, felt their intervention was required. And all while despite crew objections, a well- meaning pax " filmed" the event for posterity.

And you're travelling on a " buddy pass" where every step should be taken in interactions with crew as though you were stepping on eggshells?!!

No sympathy...for anyone!!

[Airband]

2 hours ago, UpperDeck said:

.....why would this pax be contacting the press to complain about his alleged mistreatment

Just a guess - because he's familiar with the tools which might offer maximum leverage across various media platforms given his role in developing digital strategies for one of the country's largest integrated media organizations, coupled with his function of being communications director and national spokesman for a sizeable religious group affords him established relationships with media contacts who might be prepared to listen to his plight with a sympathetic ear?  Like I said, just a guess.

[Guest]

Westjet revokes Toronto family’s flight privileges (and those of the employee who gave them the passes)

 

• Calgary Herald
• 10 Sep 2020
• OLIVIA CONDON ocondon@postmedia.com Twitter: @oliviacondon

SUPPLIED PHOTO Police removed a family from a flight to Toronto on Tuesday because their two young children were not wearing masks.

Westjet says it has revoked the travel privileges of a family removed from a Tuesday morning red-eye flight to Toronto after “non-compliance” with the airline’s mask policy.

A conflict arose when Westjet crew members asked Safwan Choudhry and his wife to put a mask on their three-year-old and 19-month-old daughters. Choudhry said they complied but the crew still asked them to leave the plane, ultimately calling the police and cancelling the flight.

Just before noon Tuesday, Westjet spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said in an email the decision was made to revoke the family’s travel privileges and those of the employee whose passes they were travelling with.

Postmedia has obtained an email Choudhry received from Westjet on Wednesday at 1 p.m. outlining an investigation the airline is conducting into the matter.

“I have reviewed the internal Westjet reports from our Cabin Crew, Pilots, and Airport employees and am familiar with the events of your case,” said the email from Westjet corporate investigator Lisa Carlson. “Before any decisions are made and in an effort to reach a fair conclusion, I would like to hear your side.”

Choudhry argues it’s clear from Westjet’s earlier email to media outlining the revocation of their travel privileges that “a decision was already made” at the time Carlson sent him the email.

“Their response was completely contrary to that statement … that they want to hear our side before making any decision,” Choudhry said Wednesday afternoon. “This is the fourth time Westjet has utterly mislead and lied.”

Choudhry and his family remain in Calgary and are staying with relatives while they decompress from the ordeal and find another way home to Toronto.

In mid-june, the Calgary Airport Authority outlined its mask policy, in line with Transport Canada guidelines, mandating that everyone in the airport wear a face covering. There are exceptions for children under the age of two, persons with doctors notes exempting them, people who cannot put a mask on without assistance, and persons who are eating or drinking.

Toronto lawyer Vic Singh expressed an interest in representing the Choudhry family pro bono if they decide to pursue their legal options against the airline. Singh was not immediately available for comment.

Choudhry said he and his family are still exploring their options.

“Despite everything that’s happened, our concerns are all the other passengers on the plane with us,” he said. “Those are the people that are in our thoughts and we would just at the very least be satisfied … that they safely got to their destination.”

[Amelia]

Has anyone tried to get a 3 year old to do anything they don't want to? No me.  The folks running the plane should have deesculated this.  There must be more to this story, as why would they cancel the employee benefits. He must have been there, or raised a ruckus?

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Amelia said:

Has anyone tried to get a 3 year old to do anything they don't want to? No me.  The folks running the plane should have deesculated this.  There must be more to this story, as why would they cancel the employee benefits. He must have been there, or raised a ruckus?

The employee benefits were cancelled because, unless WestJet is different from other airlines, the employee is responsible for the behaviour of whomever they give the pass to .  That is normally well covered in explanation of pass benefits and responsibilities.  That is why most airline employees are damn damn careful re who they extend their passes to.

[boestar]

it is also the reason we ave to travel with our "buddies" now.  People do not know how to behave

 

[anonymous]

4 hours ago, boestar said:

it is also the reason we ave to travel with our "buddies" now.

That's an AC thing....WJ does not have the same requirement.

[boestar]

yes but for the very reason mentioned.

 

[Super 80]

17 hours ago, Marshall said:

That is why most airline employees are damn damn careful re who they extend their passes to.

I wouldn't give my brother or sister passes to attend my own funeral.

[Airband]

6 hours ago, boestar said:

People do not know how to behave

or vet?

[J.O.]

42 minutes ago, Super 80 said:

I wouldn't give my brother or sister passes to attend my own funeral.

Don't those privileges expire on the day of your demise?

[MD2]

On 9/10/2020 at 12:37 AM, Airband said:

Just a guess - ... coupled with his function of being communications director and national spokesman for a sizeable religious group affords him established relationships with media contacts who might be prepared to listen to his plight with a sympathetic ear?  Like I said, just a guess.

And often a certain group portrays consequences of its actions not as such, rather as discrimination, which given the realities of the world is quite ironic!

WestJet was right on the money to remove him and more so to ban him just as they forewarned the travelling public, let alone people on employee passes who are supposed to be very discrete and helpful to the crew!

The more he goes on the more embarrassing for him and the poor soul that gave him the pass! Now all of a sudden he is "stranded"!! Pay for a ticket like everyone else and get on with life Mr. cheap!

[internet]

Industry people rally around the company; stick it to the pass traveller the thread cries out.  Stop being distracted by that for a minute.

WJ uses the fact they were travelling as pass holders as a cover and excuse for the lousy handling of the situation.  Blame the traveller. Blame the person who gave them the pass.  

Then publicly announces that they are cancelling the passes - we will show them the mighty company says.

(I don’t know who is running the company now - or the communication strategy - maybe it’s not great because they are “working at home” and all the Netflix is distracting them - but the attitude about Covid is way way over the top - see the tweet announcing zero tolerance.)  

It’s all a distraction.  Read what the non-industry people are saying. It’s a bad read for WestJet. But you’d never know on here.

And now the world gets to hear the story:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54096061

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/westjet-mask-row-scli-intl/index.html

 

The company failed. They over reacted. Covered themselves and look bad for it.

But they were pass travellers so it’s fine.

Edited September 12, 2020 by internet

[Guest]

1 hour ago, internet said:

Industry people rally around the company; stick it to the pass traveller the thread cries out.  Stop being distracted by that for a minute.

WJ uses the fact they were travelling as pass holders as a cover and excuse for the lousy handling of the situation.  Blame the traveller. Blame the person who gave them the pass.  

Then publicly announces that they are cancelling the passes - we will show them the mighty company says.

(I don’t know who is running the company now - or the communication strategy - maybe it’s not great because they are “working at home” and all the Netflix is distracting them - but the attitude about Covid is way way over the top - see the tweet announcing zero tolerance.)  

It’s all a distraction.  Read what the non-industry people are saying. It’s a bad read for WestJet. But you’d never know on here.

And now the world gets to hear the story:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54096061

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/westjet-mask-row-scli-intl/index.html

 

The company failed. They over reacted. Covered themselves and look bad for it.

But they were pass travellers so it’s fine.

BS, pass policy is pass policy.  End of discussion.

[UpperDeck]

1 hour ago, internet said:

Industry people rally around the company; stick it to the pass traveller the thread cries out.  Stop being distracted by that for a minute.

WJ uses the fact they were travelling as pass holders as a cover and excuse for the lousy handling of the situation.  Blame the traveller. Blame the person who gave them the pass.  

Then publicly announces that they are cancelling the passes - we will show them the mighty company says.

(I don’t know who is running the company now - or the communication strategy - maybe it’s not great because they are “working at home” and all the Netflix is distracting them - but the attitude about Covid is way way over the top - see the tweet announcing zero tolerance.)  

It’s all a distraction.  Read what the non-industry people are saying. It’s a bad read for WestJet. But you’d never know on here.

And now the world gets to hear the story:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54096061

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/westjet-mask-row-scli-intl/index.html

 

The company failed. They over reacted. Covered themselves and look bad for it.

But they were pass travellers so it’s fine.

Simply put...I don't agree that the company is necessarily at fault. Neither you nor I were present and even accounts by people present differ.

The circumstances clearly warranted in the opinion of the crew cancellation of the flight for the safety of both crew and passengers. That is a very significant command decision not undertaken lightly.

Given that fact and extrapolating, I have no doubt that this particular family were reacting to the " mask issue" in a manner that intended or not was involving other passengers.

As a contingent pax, that in and of itself is a very strong " no no". You should be seen and never heard and always be at pains to ensure revenue pax are not inconvenienced by your presence in any way.

There is absolutely no way that this cabin crew were trying to compel a babe in arms to wear a mask. I repeat...I wasn't there but I believe that the "conflict" all centered on  the reluctance of the toddler to don a mask...and keep it on.

End of story...the pax should have quickly and apologetically disembarked with his family and spent the hours waiting for the next flight teaching his 3 year old how to tolerate a mask.

Instead, the family remains in Calgary whining to the press and hopefully expending some time to express regrets to the employee who has now lost his/ her pass privileges.

[Turbofan]

2 minutes ago, UpperDeck said:

...the pax should have quickly and apologetically disembarked with his family and spent the hours waiting for the next flight teaching his 3 year old how to tolerate a mask.

 

+1

I think people outside our industry don’t have a clue about our passes and what is expected.  They are a privilege.  You sit down, shut up and keep your feet off the furniture.

 

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, Turbofan said:

+1

I think people outside our industry don’t have a clue about our passes and what is expected.  They are a privilege.  You sit down, shut up and keep your feet off the furniture.

 

Yes, even when you are on a Posp pass. I remember the day when we were departing YYZ, the previous flight was cancelled, the gate agent was doing his best to sort things out what with combining 2 flights, when a posp pax (young wet behind the ears) went up to him and started to insist that he be given a seat.  I went up, grabbed him by the ...... and took him into the back to point out a few things. There were 5 of us much senior to him also on POSP, we were content to wait for the agent to sort things out (back in the day I have been a gate agent) and if that meant because of Revenue Passengers, we would not make the flight, then so be it.  I also pointed out that we knew his name and his superior and if he kept up with his fuss, it would be likely that he would never travel on POSP again, he took the hint..  It was amazing, the flight boarded and all of us POSP pax were accommodated, ever Mr I a am god, but he was in a middle seat in the back and the rest of us were in J.   Go figure. I also sent a message to the Station Manager praising the gate agent for how he handled the flight. 

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