Threat of strike at WestJet

[shorne]

The pilots at WestJet recently voted to go on strike in mid-May if they haven't succeeded in negotiating a new contract. I have a flight on WestJet in late May and certainly do not want to miss it.

 

How likely are problems, and is there anything practical that I can do to avoid them? I would not have taken WestJet at all, but on this particular itinerary it was far more convenient than any other option.

 

[rodndonna]

6 hours ago, shorne said:

The pilots at WestJet recently voted to go on strike in mid-May if they haven't succeeded in negotiating a new contract. I have a flight on WestJet in late May and certainly do not want to miss it.

 

How likely are problems, and is there anything practical that I can do to avoid them? I would not have taken WestJet at all, but on this particular itinerary it was far more convenient than any other option.

 

 

If it is for a cruise, have you booked through the cruiseline? That would be ideal, but doesn't sound the case since you are asking.

 

Without knowing where you are going to and from, can't really help ways to avoid the potential strike. 

 

I would expect things will be resolved before the Canadian long weekend in May (not like Westjet can affford any more bad PR these days), but no guarantees of course.

[Fouremco]

One option would be to purchase a refundable flight on Air Canada. If West Jet flies, you cancel and get your money back from Air Canada. If West Jet is on strike, Air Canada will get you there and back and you won't miss your cruise. Yes, a refundable flight will cost more, but it beats missing your cruise.

[Milhouse]

I have a flight on WS in early June.

 

In the event of job action, as a default I'm not going to expect to get much help from Westjet.  If I do, I'd consider it a bonus.  I would expect their contact points to be swamped.  And I suspect they would invoke some kind of force majeure clause.  

 

My plan is to keep an eye on the results during key dates in the negotiations and respond accordingly.  I'm guessing there would be a few days notice if flights are going to be cancelled but can't say with certainty.  Backup options we're considering are a combination of:  Getting WS to put us on one of their partners that fly where we're going like Delta, Air France, KLM, etc; buying a one way ticket on another carrier; or using some our Aeroplan points for a one way reward with the hopes that the issue gets resolved by the return leg.  If it doesn't, we'll go through the same song and dance but there would be less on the line than missing our sailaway.  

[shorne]

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I booked the flights myself.

 

Refundable flights are indeed expensive, and in this case Air Canada doesn't have good routes (otherwise I would have taken Air Canada in the first place), but I may have to get a refundable flight just for safety.

 

Yes, the airline would try to pass this off as force majeure. A court might or might not agree, but in practice that decision long after the fact wouldn't help us to get to our destinations.

 

Apparently this dispute arises from demands that pilots everywhere be paid on the same terms as those stationed in the US. The CEO said that they could get US wages only by moving to the US and accepting everything else that goes with living there. Although not generally inclined to favour management in these matters, I have to agree.

[xcell]

If Westjet wins, AC is will be next....

Edited April 22, 2023 by xcell

[rodndonna]

15 hours ago, shorne said:

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I booked the flights myself.

 

Refundable flights are indeed expensive, and in this case Air Canada doesn't have good routes (otherwise I would have taken Air Canada in the first place), but I may have to get a refundable flight just for safety.

 

Yes, the airline would try to pass this off as force majeure. A court might or might not agree, but in practice that decision long after the fact wouldn't help us to get to our destinations.

 

Apparently this dispute arises from demands that pilots everywhere be paid on the same terms as those stationed in the US. The CEO said that they could get US wages only by moving to the US and accepting everything else that goes with living there. Although not generally inclined to favour management in these matters, I have to agree.

 

 

Worth reading this article (I am not impact but was curious as to what our rights are and insurance implications).

 

https://milesopedia.com/en/guide/pilots-strike-rights/

 

[shorne]

10 hours ago, rodndonna said:

https://milesopedia.com/en/guide/pilots-strike-rights/

 

 

Thanks for that. Mine are international flights, so the Montréal Convention (which in most countries supplants the old Warsaw Convention) applies. Having rights and enforcing them, however, are different things, and I agree with someone above that it would likely be difficult to reach WestJet in the event of a strike by pilots.

 

I also agree with the author that a strike should not be considered force majeure: that's for natural disasters, wars, and the like. As your article points out, however, in some circumstances it is so considered.

[3CanadianBears]

We have flights on WJ booked for May 20th to Vancouver, cruise leaving May 21st.  As a backup, I've booked refundable flights with Porter.  Expensive, but fully refundable and made us feel better to have a backup plan.  We'd prefer WJ - always do, hopefully the issue is resolved without strike action though I hear from someone who works at WJ that the pilots are quite determined in their demands.   

 

Thanks for the link with the rights for travelers in the case of a strike. 

[shorne]

The union has given notice of the intention to go on strike on 19 May 2023 at 3:00 Eastern Time. WestJet has responded by locking the pilots out.

 

Just now I booked a fully refundable ticket on a different airline. I cannot accept the risk of a cancellation rooted in WestJet's administrative problems/failures. I wish that I hadn't used WestJet in the first place. Tomorrow I intend to call Westjet and request a refund for the outbound flight.

[3CanadianBears]

@shorne Please come back with an update if you are able to speak with someone at WestJet. I am holding off cancelling our Saturday flight with WestJet as I don't want to loose any money with a cancellation.   Would appreciate hearing how you make out with the refund.   Thanks. 

[bookbabe]

Got an email from WestJet this morning about the situation, even though we don’t have any flights booked at the moment.  They have a website where they say they will post updates.

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/guest-updates

 

 

[3CanadianBears]

@bookbabe - thanks for that link.  Waived fees for cancellation etc. for flights booked on specific dates.  Full details here: Guest Updates | WestJet official site

 

[shorne]

Thank you for the link. Right now the offer to cancel flights without penalty is good only for flights being taken up to 21 May. Mine is a few days later…

 

I shall hold out for now, in hope of taking the flight on WestJet and cancelling the other one for a full refund. I'm not happy with WestJet, but its flight will be more convenient if it takes place on schedule.

[xcell]

I wonder if the westjet strike is driving up the prices for other flights.  My AC flight to orlando is almost double of what it was a month a go.

[bookbabe]

Today’s email.  The two links shown in the screenshot are:

 

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/flights/status

 

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/guest-updates
 

 

 

 

[3CanadianBears]

Thanks for the update.  Funny, we have a flight booked on the 20th, but I have not rec'd any email. Holding off cancelling until Friday with fingers crossed that they settle, though that doesn't seem likely based on your email. 

[shorne]

One thing that I shall say as a lawyer who is familiar with the relevant legislation: the «offer» to let the customer cancel the ticket without charge isn't much of an «offer» at all. That's the least that WestJet must do. If you ask them to cancel your ticket, however, you may let them off the hook for greater obligations. Cancelling the ticket would be a favour to them, rarely one to you.

 

[Milhouse]

Strike/lockout averted?

Toronto Star Fri May 19 ~1:30am ET:  WestJet, pilots reach 11th-hour deal as strike averted

 

Global:  WestJet and its pilots reach 11th-hour deal to avoid strike: Union

 

And the Panthers win after 4 OT periods.  😃

 

 

[Milhouse]

Westjet tentative agreement announcement:

 

[bookbabe]

Agreement reached email that came out this morning.

 

 

[Alberta Quilter]

I'm very happy that a tentative deal has been reached but, I wonder, what would happen if the pilots reject the deal in their vote?  Would the whole timing conditions for a new strike notice start all over again?  I think there was a 30 day notice, then a three day notice…I didn't pay a ton of attention to that so could have some of that wrong. 
 

I'm trying to determine if a flight in early June will still be safe, if the pilots should reject the deal.  Of course, I really hope that the pilots accept the new deal and then we all can relax until the next union threatens to strike.
 

 

[Milhouse]

3 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I'm very happy that a tentative deal has been reached but, I wonder, what would happen if the pilots reject the deal in their vote?  

The rank and file not voting to ratify is always a possibility.  But my sense is that they are aligned with their bargaining committee.  However, I am curious how the gap was bridged when the WS CEO said the divide was massive Thursday morning.  

 

We're flying to Rome for our cruise out of Ravenna in three weeks.  I was going to watch for our flight to be cancelled first because Aeroplan showed enough seat availability to Europe  (particularly to London) so we didn't have to fret while waiting it out but we'd likely have to fly out early than originally planned.  A few extra days in Europe isn't going to hurt. 🙂  We could then get to Rome/Italy by a LCC flight or train if we couldn't get WS to rebook us on a partner.

[3CanadianBears]

• I am watching the WJ flight departing Vancouver late this afternoon, non-stop to Ottawa. Arrives after midnight.  Once I see that is not cancelled, and is in the air, I will feel better about the aircraft being in Ottawa for our early morning flight to Vancouver tomorrow.   Fingers crossed!  I have not yet cancelled our "back up" flights. 

[shorne]

WestJet hasn't sent me any e-mail, despite knowing how to reach me.

 

I'm glad that the strike seems to have been averted, but are we out of the woods yet? WestJet cancelled more than 200 flights yesterday and today. Probably everything will be in order in time for my flight a few days from now, but for the moment I am not going to cancel my refundable ticket on another airline.