The country's second-biggest carrier says 16 aircraft, or 10 per cent of its fleet, remain out of commission nine days after the tempest rained down golf ball-sized ice pellets.
Frustrations are mounting among WestJet passengers impacted by almost 250 flight cancellations since Monday night's fierce summer storm in Calgary. The airline said Wednesday that 10 per cent of its fleet is grounded, but as Sarah Offin reports, it's the communications failure that's creating chaos for travelers trying to decide what to do next.
After assessing the damage, the airline says sourcing specialized equipment and materials to complete repairs and inspections will take several weeks. WestJet says it has cancelled more than 600 flights since Aug. 5, with 50 trips per day on average now being called off and more than 20,000 customers affected.The Calgary-based company says fewer flights will be scrapped as planes return to service later this month, but that it shares passengers’ frustration over the impact of the storm.
The airline says it is facing “very high volumes” of calls and emails as it works to help passengers rebook or opt for refunds. Experts say airfares will likely rise in the short-term due to the diminished flight capacity following the hailstorm, which also damaged the Calgary airport’s domestic terminal and four planes at Flair Airlines and Cargojet.The economy’s fine, but you’re not getting ahead: Welcome to the ‘me-cession’Mortgage payments holding up, but other debt arrears rising: StatCan
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