More WestJet flights grounded as airline says resumption of operations to 'take time'
WestJet passengers faced more flight disruptions Tuesday despite a deal reached over the weekend to end a strike by its mechanics, as the airline says full resumption of operations "will take time."
The airline said it cancelled 75 flights scheduled for Tuesday and expected eight more cancellations on Wednesday. That was on top of 104 delays Tuesday according to tracking service FlightAware.
WestJet said it scrubbed 1,051 flights between Thursday and Monday.
Some 680 members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association had walked off the job on Friday evening despite a directive for binding arbitration from federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan.
- Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
The tentative agreement was announced late Sunday night, but the strike had already disrupted the travel plans of tens of thousands of travellers over the Canada Day long weekend.
WestJet said in a statement Monday that "further cancellations will be required over the coming days." It noted the following day that it had "taken significant strides" to resume normal operations, with 125 of WestJet's 180 fleet active across the airline’s network.
The Calgary-based airline said part of the challenge it faces is that its aircraft are parked at 13 airports across Canada, and in several cases, the crews need to be transported to the aircraft for retrieval.
But unlike disruptions during the labour stoppage, Gabor Lukacs, president of the Air Passenger Rights advocacy group, said WestJet is to blame for the travel woes Tuesday. He said it's reasonable for the airline to take up to 24 hours to ramp back up, but not much longer.
"When they park those planes across the country they still park them in a way that they know where they will be picking them up from," he said.
"That grace period has long passed. WestJet now has to deliver. If they're not able to deliver, that's fully within WestJet's control and it is not a safety issue. It's just not managing their business well."
For flights cancelled post-strike, Lukacs said WestJet is responsible for providing meals and accommodation, up to $1,000 in compensation, plus rebooking a flight that departs within nine hours of the original departure time on the carrier's network or that of its competitors.
"If they don't do it, the passenger can go out, buy a ticket for themselves, and then they can get a judge to order WestJet to pay up," he said.
On Tuesday, some WestJet customers were informed of a brief window to purchase discounted flights.
An email advertised a promotion to save up to 30 per cent on travel between July 9 and Feb. 16, 2025 when booking by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. The carrier said the deal applied to more than 95 destinations.
In May, WestJet Encore reached a deal with its pilots to narrowly avoid a potential strike.
Air Canada customers are also hoping to sidestep a potential labour stoppage amid stalled negotiations between that airline and the union representing its pilots.
The Air Line Pilots Association, representing more than 5,000 Air Canada pilots, said last month the two sides are not close to a deal despite a year of contract talks, including close to six months of voluntary mediation.
The union had said it would request help from a federal conciliator after leaving the voluntary process on June 15.
The Canada Labour Code stipulates the federal minister of labour has up to 15 days to appoint a conciliator, after which a 60-day period of talks begin. If no deal is reached in the talks, there’s a 21-day cooling-off period before the union could be in a position to strike.
— With files from Christopher Reynolds in Montreal
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6562861.1720110688!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Trying to sell or buy a home this summer? What a realtor says you should know
In the first few weeks of summer, the real estate sector is experiencing an upturn marked by more housing inventory, a Canadian realtor says
What you need to know about a possible LCBO strike on Friday
Ontarians could see long lineups at LCBO stores across the province today as customers prepare for a possible strike that will close all LCBO locations for the next two weeks.
Nathan's hot dog eating contest: Bertoletti eats 58 hot dogs to claim Mustard Belt, Sudo wins 10th women's title
Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago has won his first men’s title at the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, while dental hygiene student Miki Sudo of Florida has won her 10th title.
No Frills grocery stores drop 'multi-buy' offer
As receipts tick ever higher for Canadians at the grocery store and shoppers continue to search for savings, one Canadian grocer has ended a perceived deal.
Victoria and David Beckham recreate their wedding day photos 25 years later
The British power couple got hitched in 1999, fusing the worlds of fashion and football forever. While their marriage has endured 25 years later, the pair have come to regret some of the minor details of their big day.
Hurricane Beryl churns toward Mexico after leaving destruction in Jamaica and eastern Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl ripped off roofs in Jamaica, jumbled fishing boats in Barbados and damaged or destroyed 95 per cent of homes on a pair of islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines before rumbling past the Cayman Islands early Thursday and taking aim at Mexico's Caribbean coast. At least nine people were killed.
Son asks court to sell B.C. home he co-owns with his mother, despite her objections
A B.C. judge has ordered the sale of a Surrey home despite the objections of the woman who lives there, who owns it jointly with her son.
Will Justin Trudeau step down, or stay on? Survey shows what Canadians think
A majority of Canadians think Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will stay on to lead his party in the next election even as his approval ratings are still extremely low, a new poll suggests.
Ottawa landlord left with hefty bill after tenant trashes rental property
A landlord in Ottawa is facing thousands of dollars in repairs after his tenant left his only rental property damaged and disorderly.