WestJet announced on 22DEC that it is proactively cancelling all flights to select airports in B.C., Ontario and Quebec.
Beginning 22DEC until late afternoon 23DEC, WestJet has cancelled all scheduled arriving and departing flights at YVR, YXX, YYJ, YCD and YQQ.
Beginning 9 a.m. EST 23DEC until the end of the day, with a restart dependent on weather conditions by 24DEC, the carrier has cancelled all scheduled flights arriving and departing at YYZ, YOW, YXU, YFK and YUL.
According to WestJet, the cancellations will impact 266 flights across the 10 airports and were made in consultation with airport authorities and NAV Canada. All impacted guests have been notified.
“We sincerely apologize for the continued disruption many have or will experience and appreciate your continued patience and understanding. Our teams on the ground, in the air and behind the scenes are working tirelessly to recover our operations, while trying to limit further disruption to important holiday travel plans," said Diederik Pen, WestJet’s Chief Operations Officer.
"With the additional storms forecasted to impact British Columbia, Southern Ontario and Quebec, we are taking a proactive and measured approach to protect our operations and prioritize recovery flying this weekend. The decision to stand down more flights is extremely difficult, but it is necessary, so that we can be best prepared to safely fly as many guests, with as little disruption as possible when the weather improves.”
WestJet has provided the following information for guests with cancelled flights:
- Reaccommodation options are limited, where available options will be communicated through email.
- Reaccommodation options offered are what is available, WestJet says there are no alternative options by contacting its contact centre; contact centre wait times are extremely high. Guests are advised to please not go to the airport to seek reaccommodation options, the carrier says its airport teams are not able to support further.
- Additional information for guests impacted by cancelled flights can be found here.
WestJet notes the resumption of operations at each airport may vary upon local conditions. Up to date flight information on cancellations for specific airports can be accessed via WestJet’s web site.
