WestJet Operations Update – Guest information for cancelled flights
Last updated December 29 at 10 a.m. MST
We sincerely apologize to guests who have been impacted by cancellations and delays resulting from severe winter weather across Western Canada. We understand the importance of holiday travel and the frustration and disappointment this has caused. Our teams are working to reaccommodate guests as quickly as possible, where possible. There is very limited reaccommodation availability due to the high demand for travel this time of year and the significant impact across the industry.
If you had travel booked or changed by December 28th, 2022 11:59 MT for travel between December 18th, 2022 to January 8, 2023 and chose to cancel your flight(s) or your WestJet Vacations package, you may have been eligible for a refund.
Any guest who proactively cancelled their flight by 11:59PM MT on December 28th, 2022, will receive a full refund to original form of payment.
Information for guests with cancelled flights prior to arriving at the airport:
Reaccommodation options are limited, where available options will be communicated to you through email.
Reaccommodation options offered are what is available, there are no alternative options by contacting our contact centre; contact centre wait times are extremely high. Please do not go to the airport to seek reaccommodation options, our airport teams are not able to support further.
Information for guests with flights cancelled while at airport:
Any available reaccommodation options will be communicated through email as soon as they are available.
Only phone the contact centre to make changes to a confirmed reservation – if your flight has been cancelled and you are looking for a new flight option the contact centre is not able to assist you.
When to phone our contact centre:
We are asking guests to refrain from contacting us unless travel is imminent, within the next 72 hours, to prioritize immediate support to guests with confirmed reservations. The contact centre is only able to facilitate changes to a confirmed reservation, due to limited availability of flights.
Q&A
I haven’t been emailed a reaccommodation option yet. What do I do?
We are emailing available reaccommodation options as quickly as possible to all impacted guests, however; due to limited availability both within our network and that of alternative carriers, these options are limited.
If a flight is cancelled, guests can expect an email notification, assuming your contact information is on file. This email notification will either provide the only alternative flight option available or information about the complete cancellation of flight and refund to original form of payment.
Why are reaccommodation options so long?
This is the busiest time of year for travel. Unfortunately, we are extremely limited in availability across our own network and via alternative carriers to support the volume of guests requiring reaccommodation.
Why aren’t more flights being added?
We are evaluating every available opportunity to add flights, but this is also very limited.
Are refunds available?
If you had travel booked or changed by December 28th, 2022 11:59 MT for travel between December 18th, 2022 to January 8, 2023 and chose to cancel your flight(s) or your WestJet Vacations package, you may have been eligible for a refund.
Any guest who proactively cancelled their flight by 11:59PM MT on December 28th, 2022, will receive a full refund to original form of payment.
Accommodation for guests stranded in Canadian a connecting city:
Above and beyond WestJet's obligations, as a gesture of goodwill for any guest stranded in a connecting city in Canada, we will provide reimbursement for up to three days for accommodation up to $150 CAD per night for impacted travel up until December 28, 2022.
Baggage is lost or has not been delivered?
If a bag has been lost or delayed, create a lost and delayed baggage report: https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/baggage/lost-delayed-damaged
We are working with our partners to ensure the delivery of baggage as efficiently as possible, guests should not return to the airport to search for delayed baggage. Baggage will be delivered as soon as it is located.
What if I am booked with WestJet Vacations?
Flexible change and cancel guidelines were in effect for WestJet Vacations until 11:59PM MT on December 28th, 2022. Travellers are encouraged to consult with their Travel Insurance Provider.
I am trying to manage my booking but am still checked in. What do I do?
If you have already checked in but have not printed baggage tags, cancel your check in through checkin.westjet.com before modifying or cancelling your booking.
How do I decipher if I am interacting with an official WestJet website or social media account?
We have received a number of reported cases related to fraudulent websites and social media accounts impersonating our business. While our cyber security team is diligently working to address this ongoing matter, we are advising all of our guests to remain vigilant against potential scams and fraud and asking that they double-check that the WestJet account they are interacting with is verified with a checkmark, and that the advertised phone number is ours before dialling at www.westjet.com/contact.
Additional information on common frauds and scams targeting WestJet guests, including paid ads, phone scams, free flight giveaways, and misdial scams can be found on WestJet’s advisory page under ‘scams’.
