WestJet apologizes after B.C. travellers stranded at airport overnight with no food, hotel vouchers
Posted February 28, 2025 7:52 am.
Last Updated February 28, 2025 10:21 am.
WestJet is apologizing after a series of delays and cancellations left passengers stranded at an airport and confused about what to do and where they would stay.
Sheila Karrow was among travellers whose flight out of Calgary was delayed four times because of a crew issue on Feb. 16 before finally being cancelled in the overnight hours, leaving them stuck in the airport.
“We were all kind of bewildered,” she said. “There were a lot of elderly people there, too.”
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!She says they were told to collect their baggage and they’d be met by airline representatives with hotel and food vouchers and details on rebooking.
Except Karrow says there was no one there.
“We find our way up to baggage, we’re standing there, and there was no one there to meet us,” she explained.
“People were picking up their luggage. They didn’t know where to go or what to do. Some people were booking their own hotels. Some people were calling trying to get through to WestJet, and never got through,” she said.
“There was a couple that I found out who had been waiting for an hour and a half to two hours and never did get through.”
Karrow says she spent the night on a bench, and it was the next day before she was notified of her rebooking.
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“They rebooked me on a flight on the next day, at dinner time, to go to Kelowna, and then I would have to be there overnight, and then the next day, a flight back to Nanaimo, so a two-day delay,” she explained.
She and a few others booked flights on another airline, spending more than $700, for which they’ve been promised reimbursement.
WestJet is apologizing, blaming a crew issue for the cancellation.
“We sincerely apologize to guests travelling on WS3299 for the inconvenience they experienced on their travels from Regina via Calgary to Nanaimo,” the airline said in a statement to 1130 NewsRadio.
“We can confirm that WS3299 was initially cancelled due to unscheduled maintenance which was required for safety. This cancellation ultimately had downline impact on the Calgary to Nanaimo flight WS3103 as the same crew was to operate that section.
“Unfortunately, due to the timing of the cancellation (after midnight) the standard automatic process was not able to email food and accommodation vouchers.”
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