Flight rescheduled 48 hours later - wait for compensation or make a claim?
May 19, 2023, 11:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 747
Flight rescheduled 48 hours later - wait for compensation or make a claim?
I was booked to fly today on Westjet from LAS to YVR then YVR to YXT (two of us traveling)
Due to the potential upcoming strike my flights today were canceled, then the strike was averted at the last minute.
Yesterday afternoon I got an email from Westjet stating that today's flights were rescheduled to Sunday. This would have me arriving home 48 hours late. The email gave me two options: accept the change or cancel the flights for a refund. I chose to cancel and made other plans to get home.
I understand I am owed something like $1000.00 per person due to being rescheduled 48 hours later than my original booking. But I also understand that Westjet will try their best to weasel out of their obligation and will probably just refund me the fare for the flights home (and this won't be much of a refund since I used a companion ticket voucher on this booking).
My alternate flights home today cost $1287.40 for LAS to YVR, plus 50,000 Aeroplan points for YVR to YXT, plus the Aeroplan booking fee.
How to proceed? Just wait and see what Westjet gives me? Send them a letter demanding the thousand bucks per person owed? Or await a probable upcoming class action lawsuit?
Due to the potential upcoming strike my flights today were canceled, then the strike was averted at the last minute.
Yesterday afternoon I got an email from Westjet stating that today's flights were rescheduled to Sunday. This would have me arriving home 48 hours late. The email gave me two options: accept the change or cancel the flights for a refund. I chose to cancel and made other plans to get home.
I understand I am owed something like $1000.00 per person due to being rescheduled 48 hours later than my original booking. But I also understand that Westjet will try their best to weasel out of their obligation and will probably just refund me the fare for the flights home (and this won't be much of a refund since I used a companion ticket voucher on this booking).
My alternate flights home today cost $1287.40 for LAS to YVR, plus 50,000 Aeroplan points for YVR to YXT, plus the Aeroplan booking fee.
How to proceed? Just wait and see what Westjet gives me? Send them a letter demanding the thousand bucks per person owed? Or await a probable upcoming class action lawsuit?
May 19, 2023, 11:59 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: YYJ
Posts: 4,136
If you cancelled for a refund, I don't believe you are owed compensation under APPR as their obligation to you ends with the refund.
Further, Westjet has this note on their compensation claim page:
Believe refund was the right call, but that no further compensation is owing.
Further, Westjet has this note on their compensation claim page:
Under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPRs) a labour disruption within the carrier or within an essential service provider is considered outside of air carrier control. As a result, any disruption in travel plans due to work stoppage or strike are not eligible for compensation.
May 19, 2023, 3:46 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE, HH Gold, Marriott Titanium, National EE, Sixt Platinum, Hertz PC, AVIS PC
Posts: 1,907
If you cancelled for a refund, I don't believe you are owed compensation under APPR as their obligation to you ends with the refund.
Further, Westjet has this note on their compensation claim page:
Believe refund was the right call, but that no further compensation is owing.
Further, Westjet has this note on their compensation claim page:
Believe refund was the right call, but that no further compensation is owing.
As for compensation, I agree, once you accept a refund and move on, you're past the point of seeking compensation.
Ron.
