Calgarians aid Ukrainian refugees using WestJet buddy passes; company says no more
Michael Garnett, a former pro hockey player in the NHL and more recently a goaltender of 10 years in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, says he is devastated to see the destruction caused to Ukraine by Russia.
“My wife and I have been inside Ukraine during the war and we’ve heard the air-raid sirens and that changes you,” said Garnett from his Calgary home.
Garnett and his wife, Rebecca Rider, who is a pilot with WestJet, say their charity, Help from Canada, aids in alleviating poverty and helping resettle refugees from Ukraine.
“Europe is completely saturated with Ukrainian refugees and I feel a moral responsibility ... to take some of that burden off of Europe,” said Garnett.
The couple have asked WestJet colleagues to donate buddy passes to help bring refugees from parts of Europe to Canada. So far, 198 have been flown by the charity on those passes. But the company says it goes against their guidelines.
“We thought we were complying with their policies. That is still our position,” said Garnett.
WestJet spokesperson April Crane says the passes are for personal leisure travel only for friends and families of employees.
“(Buddy passes) are standby travel, it is not guaranteed,” said Crane.
“At any point, you can not make the flight, you can be removed during a segment, you could even be asked to get up and give up a seat if there's a revenue-paying guest before the doors close.”
She says employee travel privileges are not designed to support charitable or not-for-profit efforts.
“When WestJetters transfer their buddy passes to their friends and family, the obligation is on us to make sure that those people understand all of those risks and all of the things that go around buddy pass use,” said Crane.
Garnett says he has had to stop accepting requests from refugees looking to come to Canada, due to WestJet’s policy.
Twenty-nine people are expected in the coming weeks.
Garnett says he and his wife will honour that demand, not booking refugees with buddy passes, but hopes to work with the airline or others.
“I will personally guarantee, we will get these people over here. If it's out of my own money, we are not going to leave anyone hanging,” he said.
“We would love to find a way to fit within (WestJet’s) policies within their charitable arm to continue and bring as many people over, Ukrainian refugees, as we can.”
Garnett says late Monday, WestJet responded to his email seeking clarification.
In it, the company is offering 50 per cent off promo codes for Ukrainian refugees, if flights and travel are booked and completed by Sept. 30.
The codes are only available on WestJet flights from Europe to Canada and they must have proof of receiving their visa to enter Canada through the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) program.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.