Anyone else stuck in FL?

lorenni

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Westjet downsized our plane yesterday for our direct flight home from Miami to TO and I and my 7 year old got bumped to a connecting flight on United today.

Trying to make lemonade of the lemons, I and DH (me from deck four and him from TO) made some quick phone calls and we went back to our pre-cruise hotel and spent a day at the beach.

Westjet got our names wrong so we couldn’t check in (we did finally manage it after an hour on the phone and some QT with an agent at the airport this AM). They told United that DS was born in 1987 so he was given seats by himself on both legs. He’s 7.

Luckily our BMO rewards card is going to cover $500CAD of expenses related to the trip disruption. Because Westjet isn’t covering anything. Not even the checked bag fee on United. The $500 will cover the hotel and the bag fee. Everything else (taxis and meals) is on us. Surprisingly, hotels are in high demand during spring break. :/

I’ll never understand an algorithm that chooses to bump a frequent flyer (with status) in a foreign country with a minor...but this frequent flier may soon be reconsidering my habit of choosing Westjet over AirCanada for all of my business travel. I totally get that having the Boeings grounded was out of their control - but every mistake they made after that they get to own 100%.
 
Just so you know, Air Canada and WestJet had to make choices. Apparently a bunch of domestic flights were cancelled to cover the sun destinations when they took that Boeing plane out of commission. So while this sucks, it is extenuating. I hope things go well for you and you get home safely.
 
Luckily WJ replaced our Max 8 with one of their older 737-800's for our return leg from MX. Same seating capacity so no one was bumped. There were several other US airlines bumping passengers at the Cabo airport, probably also related to the Boeing grounding. I understand that both AC and WJ were scrambling to get passengers home from March break, hard to do when flights to sun destinations are fully booked. The partial shutdown for the fire at Pearson yesterday afternoon must now be causing them paroxysms!
 
Westjet got our names wrong so we couldn’t check in (we did finally manage it after an hour on the phone and some QT with an agent at the airport this AM). They told United that DS was born in 1987 so he was given seats by himself on both legs. He’s 7.

Luckily our BMO rewards card is going to cover $500CAD of expenses related to the trip disruption. Because Westjet isn’t covering anything. Not even the checked bag fee on United. The $500 will cover the hotel and the bag fee. Everything else (taxis and meals) is on us. Surprisingly, hotels are in high demand during spring break. :/

I'm glad your finally getting home. And yes, it was out of their hands, but those costs should NOT come out of your pocket that your needing to get home. I realize they are scrambling to get thousands of people home. But...those people also paid that carrier to get them home. But you SHOULD NOT have to have extra expenses to pay for ( or you should be reimbursed at least ) for the inconvenience. It is their business, wthout paying customers, they don't have a business or means to pay employees - period. This situation could make or break a carrier right now.

Those mistakes made with your son is on them. The wrong names...again that is on them. It is the little things like this when your already stressed about the situation, make it even worse. I'm a make lemonade out o lemons gal too...but stupid little mistakes like that, frustrate me and add more stress. But then again...this is just mho :rolleyes1 lol
 


I'm glad your finally getting home. And yes, it was out of their hands, but those costs should NOT come out of your pocket that your needing to get home. I realize they are scrambling to get thousands of people home. But...those people also paid that carrier to get them home. But you SHOULD NOT have to have extra expenses to pay for ( or you should be reimbursed at least ) for the inconvenience. It is their business, wthout paying customers, they don't have a business or means to pay employees - period. This situation could make or break a carrier right now.

Those mistakes made with your son is on them. The wrong names...again that is on them. It is the little things like this when your already stressed about the situation, make it even worse. I'm a make lemonade out o lemons gal too...but stupid little mistakes like that, frustrate me and add more stress. But then again...this is just mho :rolleyes1 lol


This exactly - I get that people had to get bumped. But you would think first it would be those not going home (ie those who have a place to stay in miami) or those who have only adults in their party.

But then to add the stupid mistakes on top of that so we couldn’t check in and had to get to the airport super early and then run to connect flights and beg to switch seats, etc. just made a tough situation much worse for no good reason. Finally at Pearson after 11 hours on planes and at airports. With a train and subway ride until we get home. But at least we are home.

Until tomorrow morning when I fly to MTL for work...
 
If you’re WestJet Gold or Platinum, call the special support number that only shows up in the app. Ask them for assistance, you’ll usually have better luck than on the main customer service number.
 


If you’re WestJet Gold or Platinum, call the special support number that only shows up in the app. Ask them for assistance, you’ll usually have better luck than on the main customer service number.

Sadly only Silver - and not sure I’ll stick with them to make the next level after this experience. As it is I go against company policy every time I fly Westjet instead of Air Canada. They’ve not given me much of a reason to stick around.
 
I wouldn't be so quick to think AC is any better than WJ. All airlines have their faults. My daughter was extremely sick on a flight home from a cruise and the flight stewards were of zero help.
 
On thinking about this, isn't WestJet required to provide you with the hotel and food vouchers, since the problem was theirs, not an act of God? Maybe someone else has more knowledge about the air disruption laws.
 
Interestingly, no, they do not HAVE to compensate at all. From the Montreal Convention (the current "law of the skies"):
You are not entitled to compensation if you were denied boarding due to “operational or safety reasons” requiring:
  • replacement of the aircraft with one of a smaller capacity; or
  • leaving seats empty due to weight/balance restrictions on an aircraft with 60 or fewer seats.

That sounds like this is the situation.

Otherwise, the requirement for a delay started in the USA is:
400% of the fare to the next stopover, up to a maximum of US$1,350 (delay of over 4 hours)

https://airpassengerrights.ca/en/
 
On thinking about this, isn't WestJet required to provide you with the hotel and food vouchers, since the problem was theirs, not an act of God? Maybe someone else has more knowledge about the air disruption laws.
I thought so too.
 
We were flying home from SNA via SEA to YYJ on Tuesday and the flight was overbooked and they were asking for 4 people to take a later flight. I have a hunch that it was caused by the West Jet passengers that had been moved to the flights when the Boeing Max planes being grounded and the shuffling of people and planes. Delta was offering a gift card and hotel expenses for those willing to fly the next day and a gift card for those will to take a later flight that day. DH & I said no as I had worked hard and booked early to get 8 of us on those flights together (5 adults 3 kids). We paid for a seat class to pick our seats and checked in early. I might have considered staying if they had been offering CASH, not a gift card. Especially since as of September Delta will no longer be flying out of YYJ.
 
On thinking about this, isn't WestJet required to provide you with the hotel and food vouchers, since the problem was theirs, not an act of God? Maybe someone else has more knowledge about the air disruption laws.

It isn’t Westjet’s fault. It isn’t Air Canada’s fault. Canada pulled the safety certificate of the aircraft.
Thy had zero choice.
The airlines obligation is to get you where you’re going and they did as best I can see.
 
While I understand that the governement (rightfully) grounded those planes, I hold the airlines responsible because they bought them. And as they started seeing issues, they did nothing to swap them out before spring break and before the ban.
 
I don't know anything about seeing issues ,but were there something of concern it's the captains call to call an aircraft mechanical. And swap them out? A full schedule and only so many planes ? Where do they pull them from?
 
I don't know anything about seeing issues ,but were there something of concern it's the captains call to call an aircraft mechanical. And swap them out? A full schedule and only so many planes ? Where do they pull them from?
Can't go to Avis airplane rental.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Latest posts

Top