The WestJet strike didn’t just affect Canadian travellers. Many travel advisors across Canada scrambled over the long weekend to assist the more than 100,000 passengers whose plans were disrupted by the strike by nearly 700 airline mechanics
Travel advisor advocacy group ACTA should “make whole” both the customers and travel advisors impacted by the walkout, which saw more than 800 flights cancelled during one of the year’s busiest travel periods.
“We’ve heard from many of our members about the extreme difficulties they’ve faced in rebooking clients and securing appropriate compensation. The situation has placed an undue burden on travel agencies and travel advisors, who have worked tirelessly to assist affected travellers,” ACTA said in a statement.
“Although we appreciate the difficulty WestJet faced over the last few days, ACTA believes that when airlines face operational issues within their control resulting in cancellations, they should take full responsibility for all aspects of their customers’ bookings and make their customers whole for any losses incurred.”
In ACTA’s eyes, that means “fair compensation for travel advisors who have spent countless hours managing these disruptions on behalf of their clients. Their time and effort should be recognized and compensated appropriately.”
The advisor group says it is committed to working with all parties involved to improve policies and procedures that protect travellers, travel agencies, and travel advisors during unforeseen disruptions. “We will continue to push for solutions that ensure fair treatment for all parties involved in these challenging situations,” the ACTA statement concluded.
WestJet Offers Sale Prices In Strike’s Wake
The day after the mechanics strike ended, WestJet announced a sale with 30% off select base fares to 95+ destinations with discount code: 4G6Y4PQ. The offer is valid for online bookings on westjet.com. The savings are valid for travel beginning July 9 through February 16, 2025, and the sale ends today, July 3, at 11:59 pm MT.
