A Regina musician was one in every of many passengers given the choice of taking a bus trip again to Saskatchewan after WestJet canceled its flight to Regina resulting from airplane upkeep.
Nonetheless, this was not the case for everybody. On February 26, 2023, Chris Henderson was on his method house to Regina from a gig in Grande Prairie.
He was given the information in Calgary that WestJet had canceled flights to Regina and he was supplied a bus trip again Sunday evening, however he refused to take the bus.
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“I requested them, ‘Will I be reimbursed for my flight if I take this flight?’ and I used to be informed no, so I mentioned, ‘Effectively, I am not taking the bus,'” he mentioned. “I am not taking a nine-hour bus trip … it appeared like a fairly wild situation.”
Henderson waited in customer support for an hour and was informed to pay for his lodge room and he can be reimbursed later. As an alternative, he declined and determined to attend for a chance he was pleased with.
“I used to be fortunate. I used to be in a position to get on a flight, however I used to be flying … solo,” he mentioned. “I talked to households and {couples} and (they) have been informed they have been rebooked for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and there (have been) no rental vehicles obtainable in Calgary.
“So, I perceive why they lined up the bus, as a result of simply to get folks house, as a result of there was no different choice.”
This was the case for a household of 4 who have been on a household trip in Cancun, Mexico.
“(There was) no indication after we left Cancun that there was going to be an issue,” Shawna Mathieson mentioned.
“We went to get our baggage as a result of we have been truly attempting to go hire a automobile and checked by way of a few totally different companies … (we) went there to get (a rental), they usually mentioned : ‘Oh, sorry, we’ offered out once more.’ There have been method too many flight cancellations. All of the vehicles (have been) gone.”
The Mathieson household had no selection however to take the lengthy bus trip and arrived in Regina after 2 a.m. Monday morning.
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“We would definitely hope to be sincere to get our full greenback again for the ticket we paid. We did not pay for a bus ticket, and we’re very disenchanted about that,” Mathieson mentioned.
“You’d suppose that if one in every of their planes had an issue like that they might have a contingency plan … particularly to accommodate a full flight of individuals with out getting on a bus … they’re an airline. So, we’d anticipate to fly house, not drive.”
In an e-mail response, a WestJet spokesperson apologized to visitors affected by the flight cancellation resulting from unscheduled plane upkeep.
“Sadly, re-accommodation choices have been restricted as a result of excessive demand for journey over the weekend and important climate occasions over Vancouver and Vancouver Island that precipitated compounding operational impacts and restricted plane availability.
“To greatest help the affected visitors to succeed in their vacation spot as shortly as doable, floor transportation has been organized to offer a direct journey choice for individuals who couldn’t anticipate another flight choice.”
Air Passenger Rights mentioned in an e-mail response that WestJet violated the passengers’ rights by failing to offer the passengers with various flights as a substitute of bus tickets.
“WestJet was obliged to offer the passengers with rebooking by itself flight inside 9 hours or rebooking on flights of different airways,” mentioned Gabor Lukacs. “If it was vital to remain in a single day in Calgary, the airline additionally owed them lodge/lodging.
“Moreover, imagine they’re owed $1,000 per passenger as no various flights have been supplied in any respect. Though the cancellation of their flight might have been resulting from unscheduled upkeep … the failure to offer them with a flight in any respect had nothing to do with upkeep points.”
It isn’t recognized whether or not WestJet will reimburse clients or not.
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