Vancouver Airport officials are warning travellers that WestJet has started to cancel flights Thursday morning.
This move comes as a pilots’ strike could start Friday morning at 2 a.m. PT if an agreement is not reached between the union and the company.
Airport officials are telling passengers with WestJet to check the status of their flight before coming to the airport.
WestJet is advising passengers whose flights have been cancelled to not come to the airport for assistance, and to instead check its guest updates website for the latest information.
Flight schedules and overall operations at YVR are otherwise not affected according to airport officials.
WestJet pilots on Monday issued a 72-hour strike notice to the airline’s management and the federal government, starting a final countdown for walkouts as contract talks drag on.
The union warned job action could include grounding all WestJet-owned aircraft and “effectively shutting down operations.”
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Gabor Lukacs, president of Air Passenger Rights, said if a traveller’s flight is cancelled due to a strike, the current laws in Canada classify that as being out of the carrier’s control.
“Which is somewhat surprising, if not absurd, given that WestJet may itself be locking out its employees,” he said.
Lukacs explained that for passengers to be correctly compensated, WestJet must either cancel the flight or if the strike goes ahead, it is assumed the flight can’t take place. Then, the passenger must give WestJet some time to rebook them on the next available flight within 48 hours.
In the event of a strike, Lukacs said, and WestJet flights are not available, WestJet must purchase a ticket for the passenger on a competitor’s airline.
“If WestJet is refusing to do so, or they’re not reachable, then, rightfully concluded, they are not fulfilling their end of the bargain, you can go and buy a ticket yourself and then make WestJet pay for the expenses,” Lukacs explained.
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