What about travel back to Canada...I thought WJ was being proactive.
 

Situation...folks are snowbirds...spend winters in PHX.
WJ flight home is for May 1, 2020.
However many insurance companies are saying no "pandemic coverage" past Mar 25.
So mom dutifully spends 2 + hrs. on hold only to have WJ tell them they couldn't re-book because the flights are only cancelled until Apr. 30, so they are outside the no charge re-booking window.

How is this BS possible?

The CTA set the period from 13 March to 30 April as the exemption period for APPR protection, I expect if/when they extend this period, WestJet will also extend their re-book period to match: https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/import...uring-covid-19

Hopefully....
 

......................

Honestly that is WestJet behaving in an irresponsible way. The direction from the Government of Canada as been to all Canadians to return home to Canada immediately while commercial options are still available. If there is still any space available WestJet should make it available for these people return.

Perhaps Westjet is being unresponsible - but saving a change fee and not proceeding with a change isn't exactly responsible behaviour either.

It can't be that older (I presume 65+) are remaining out of the country in order to avoid a change fee. Once the dust settles, perhaps submit a customer service request for a refund or voucher for the change fee, but that is far downstream.

Agreed.

I think we all know it is extremely unlikely WestJet will actually operate the flight the customer is booked on per its original scheduled being difficult about changing it poor form.

The passenger should get home as soon as possible. In a situation like this they find Alaska or one of the US airlines offers the best alternative to WS. Even if it cases a bit more my perspective in cases like these have always been not to reward the airline that is being difficult.

How much can the fee be to make taking this risk even conceivable? The folks should leave.

They are...and are flying on AC because of Westjet's BS.

Was an entirely new itinerary on AC less expensive than WS change fees? Seems amazing.

WS doesn't appear to be offering any flights from PHX until the last part of April. AC has immediate $185 flights.

Ron.

Which is weird, you would have expected WS codeshares operated by Delta to at least pop up.

Yes....
 

...when you added that they would charge the change fees plus the fare difference it was quite a bit more.
Total o/w for AC PHX-YYZ was under $400.00 for both of them.

Mom is so PO'd I don't think they will ever fly WJ ever again.

May not have the option - if they go poof. However, given typical consumer behaviour when it comes to airfares if and when Westjet returns to the skies and offers fares $1 cheaper than AC they'll get plenty of bookings.

I would disagree. I usually shop at Lowe's, fairly loyal customer. They did something that PO'd me, likely would have cost them a $1.15 to make it right. They chose to waste my time. It was a good year until I was willing to set foot in one of their stores. I spend an extra 10 minutes to drive to Home Depot instead.

I stopped flying United for 3 years because they PO'd me. Discovered by good Delta and Alaska was. To this day I fly them as a last resort. About 10 years ago, WS did something that PO'd me and it was a good 5 years before I was on one of their aircraft again. It does happen.