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Canadians who purchased WestJet airline tickets prior to the COVID-19 pandemic may soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief, as the airline has announced that it will provide refunds to some customers whose flights were cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We are an airline that has built its reputation on putting people first,” WestJet president and CEO Ed Sims said in an emailed statement. “We have heard loud and clear from the travelling public that in this COVID world they are looking for reassurance on two fronts: the safest possible travel environment, and refunds.”
WestJet’s refund policy will reportedly take effect on November 2. It applies to flights that were cancelled by WestJet and Swoop as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WestJet Claims It’s the First Airline in Canada to Offer COVID-19 Refunds
According to WestJet, it is the first national airline in Canada to issue refunds to customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Air Canada disputes this assertion and says it has been reimbursing refundable tickets since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CBC News states that both Air Canada and WestJet began offering refunds in June to some passengers whose flights originated outside of Canada, but not to those whose flights originated in Canada.
Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations reportedly state that airlines that are unable to provide customers with a reasonable alternative itinerary must provide refunds “paid by the method used for the original payment and to the person who purchased the ticket or additional service.”
However, the Canadian Transportation Agency stated in April that the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic made vouchers a reasonable alternative to refunds. Airlines in Canada have not received financial assistance from Ottawa.
Who Is Entitled to a WestJet Refund?
Not all WestJet customers will receive refunds, according to WestJet’s website. Customers who cancelled their flights on their own or who purchased basic fares will reportedly not be entitled to a refund.
Richard Bartrem, WestJet’s vice president of corporate communications, told McLaughlin On Your Side that customers who purchase basic fares must acknowledge during booking that the tickets are non-refundable.
“Those people who bought a basic fare recognized, at the time, that they were buying a fare that came with certain restrictions and as a result also came with a lower price,” Bartrem reportedly said.
WestJet says it will begin contacting eligible customers starting on Monday, Nov. 2. The airline notes that customers will be contacted in chronological order of cancellation, starting with flights that were cancelled at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WestJet estimates that it will take up to nine months to process refund requests.
Passenger rights Gabor Lukacs said this timeframe is “ridiculous” and excessive. He also argues that WestJet’s refusal to issue refunds for basic fares is a violation of consumer rights.
“It doesn’t matter whether it was a business class elite fare or a basic fare, they have to refund it equally,” Lukacs says.
Hours after the Oct. 21 announcement was made, a WestJet spokesperson reportedly reached out to McLaughlin On Your Side to say that basic fares would also be included in the refunds and an update with this information would be posted on the WestJet website.
At the time of publication, the WestJet announcement had not yet been updated to include information about refunds for basic fares.
Class Action Lawsuits Say Flight Vouchers Aren’t Good Enough
COVID-19 has caused massive disruptions in the travel industry. The airline industry in Canada has reportedly lost billions of dollars due to grounded flights and border closures implemented during the pandemic.
Most Canadian airlines have offered travel vouchers that are redeemable for two years to passengers whose flights were cancelled. Angry consumers have begun taking legal action against airlines for failing to offer refunds for the cancelled flights.
Both WestJet and Air Canada are facing at least two airfare refund class action lawsuits filed on behalf of passengers seeking refunds for the airline tickets they can no longer use due to COVID-19 restrictions.
A Vancouver woman who booked a WestJet flight to New York in April says she is entitled to a refund under the terms of her ticket purchase.
What do you think about WestJet announcing it will begin to process refunds? Are you waiting on a refund from a cancelled flight due to COVID-19? Tell us your story in the comment section below!
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13 thoughts onWestJet to Provide COVID-19 Refunds Amid Class Action Lawsuits
My husband and I are Americans living in Michigan. Through Expedia we scheduled a round trip from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Calgary in July of last year: first by Delta to Atlanta, Georgia, then to Toronto, and then by WestJet from Toronto to Calgary. Our return trip was to the us from Calgary to Atlanta, and by Delta from Atlanta to Grand Rapids. The whole round trip had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. For some reason, WestJet has ownership of the tickets for the entire trip. We have been informed that to use our credits, we can only book TransJet flights—which don’t even go to Grand Rapids! The event for which we scheduled our original flight has been canceled, and we now have no reason to fly to Calgary—and we can’t afford to spend time in a hotel in quarantine. We’d like to use our credits to fly within the US.
WestJet cancelled my return flight home from Costa Rica in March 2020. Both my husband (who stayed at home while I travelled) and I tried to change my ticket to a flight that still existed, without success. I still needed to get home, so I bought another WestJet ticket. The next day THAT flight was cancelled. So I was out two tickets and WestJet still left me without a way to get home. I flew home with American Airlines who automatically rebooked my flights if they cancelled any of the legs of my trip (4 rebookings!). They Excelled. WestJet did not.
I was robbed by WESTJET and I have evidence to prove it, how do I get involved with this class action lawsuit. When the pandemic hit I got stuck abroad due to COVID19 trying to find a way out I had to travel to the other side of the island. I indured a lot, being stuck down there for months and WESTJET cancelled my flights back 7 times. Thank god I got back with air Transat/aircanada they robbed me $360.00 and kept deducting and lying saying I used air travel when I was in 14 day isolation in Canada in my room, they said I would get travel credits for now but then literally robbed me of everything because I called in after receiving an email from them few days later yup I’m robbed by WESTJET! So horrible to indure all this amongst other losses #injustice
I had a Westjet flight booked for June 11 from Toronto to Las Vegas for a business conference, which was cancelled. When Canada shut it’s borders and restricted travel between Canada and US I waited and waited for Westjet to cancel the flight, but they did not, so I went ahead and cancelled the flight myself. Now I’m screwed because I cancelled the flight, not Westjet. This is Westjet screwing us over due to a technicality.
My family and I purchased 3 tickets YYZ to YVR and return for May 2020. Our flights were all cancelled by Westjet because of COVID. They only offered travel credit at first but later allowed refund. I found out in January 2021 and applied for refund through the travel agency Flightnetwork we booked our tickets through. My husband’s tickets were refunded but my ticket and my daughter’s tickets were denied refund.
I have been trying for 4 months since January 2021 to get a refund through Flightnetwork and Westjet but am not getting anywhere.
What can I do?
I was told I didn’t qualify because I did not cancel 45 days in advance. I cancelled 2 days before our flight because of talk about everything shutting down this was March 17/20. I have contacted Westjet repeatedly and because you can’t really talk to anyone with any authority you get no where. I am now 65 yo and am not planning on getting in another plane but they won’t give my money back. I won’t recommend them to anyone because the pandemic is not my fault, just give me my money and I’ll go away.
same thing happened to us, we cancelled days before we were supposed to go to TO and then they put the ban. we would have been stuck in TO if we would have went. Westjet says they wont refund because we cancelled. just garbage people. they do not care about their customers.
Myself and my husbands trip to Jamaica was planned for March 20 2020, and I still haven’t received my money back. Just got rewards points.4 other people we were going with got there money back.
I had to cancel a flight with WestJet due to my Dad being hospitalized, and my Mother subsequently was hospitalized, they both passed away. WestJet offered a credit voucher however, I cannot travel due to COVID and I am immune-compromised. Do I have any rights to a refund in the same manner the ticket was purchased given the exceptional circumstances?
I have a flight that was cx in April and I was sick with Covid then too, I just got a credit until Apr 2021, would like a refund as I can still not fly safely Apr 2021
I had flights cancelled by Westjet/Covid and initially they refused me payment as well. Later on that changed though, and I did get my money and westjet rewards refunded. (but it was months later)