WestJet strike grounds flights at YYJ during busy BC Day long weekend

The BC Day long weekend travel nightmare many had feared has arrived.

Approximately 4,400 WestJet flight attendants walked off the job overnight after the airline and CUPE Local 8125 failed to reach a new collective agreement.

The strike forced WestJet to suspend its scheduled Boeing 737 and 787 flights during one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer.

The work stoppage took effect at 11:01 [.m. PST on Saturday, August 1st.

The disruption is being felt at Victoria International Airport, where multiple WestJet flights, including services involving Calgary, were listed as cancelled Sunday.

YYJ remains fully operational, but passengers with WestJet bookings are being told to check their entire itinerary online or through the airline’s mobile app before leaving home.

“If your flight has been cancelled, do not come to the airport,” the Victoria Airport Authority said in an advisory.

WestJet Encore flights operated using Q400 aircraft continue to fly, as do codeshare flights operated by the airline’s partners.

Across the country, WestJet had cancelled approximately 615 flights through Tuesday as of Sunday morning, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

The airline says roughly 250,000 passengers have already had their long weekend travel cancelled, with that number expected to grow if the strike continues.

CUPE 8125 President Alia Hussain said negotiators worked until the last minute but WestJet’s offer “did not go far enough.”

The union says compensation for work completed before takeoff and after landing remains a major issue, although it is also seeking improvements to wages, scheduling and other working conditions.

“We are on strike because we believe we deserve better,” Hussain said.

“We are ready to go back to the table to settle.”

WestJet publicly released details of its final offer Sunday, describing it as transformational.

According to the airline, the proposal included a 13% wage increase effective October 1st, followed by increases of 2.5% in each of the following three years.

It also included retroactive wage payments to January 1st and a new premium for all duty hours that WestJet says would be equivalent to an additional 12% salary increase.

The proposal also contained higher meal allowances, scheduling changes, maternity leave top-ups, a flexible part-time program and an additional week of vacation for employees with 25 years of service.

The two sides remained apart Sunday, although WestJet said it believes an agreement remains within reach.

Passengers whose flights are cancelled will be notified by email or text message. WestJet says it will attempt to rebook affected travellers on its next available flight, including flights operated by other airlines, or provide a refund to the original form of payment.

The airline has also extended its flexible travel policy through August 6th, allowing passengers who have not yet had their flights cancelled to make a one-time change or cancellation without an additional fee.

Under federal passenger-protection rules, labour disruptions are considered outside an airline’s control. Airlines must attempt to rebook passengers within 48 hours.

If that is not possible, passengers may choose between a refund or alternate travel arrangements at no additional cost, although compensation for inconvenience is generally not required.

There is currently no timeline for WestJet’s regular flight operations to resume.