WestJet overhauling schedule as Omicron, weather ravage airline
BNN Bloomberg
WestJet Group Inc. is taking approximately 15 per cent of flights out of its daily schedule until the end of January due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, extreme temperatures, and staffing shortages.
WestJet Group Inc. is taking approximately 15 per cent of flights out of its daily schedule until the end of January due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, extreme temperatures, and staffing shortages.
"Over the past 72 hours, we have seen a significant increase in delays and cancellations impacting our business," said Harry Taylor, the airline's interim president and chief executive, in a statement Thursday afternoon.
"We find ourselves no longer able to predictably resource our planned schedule due to Omicron impact and have made the difficult decision to consolidate approximately 15 percent of scheduled flights through to January 31, 2022," he said.
In a subsequent email exchange, WestJet Spokesperson Morgan Bell noted WestJet is currently operating approximately 450 flights per day and that as of 11am ET Thursday, 71 flights had been cancelled.
Taylor acknowledged the flight disruptions experienced thus far have been "immensely challenging and frustrating." He added that "every effort" is being made to consolidate flights in the least disruptive way possible.
WestJet said it will offer a full refund to passengers whose flights are changed or cancelled by the airline where the new itinerary is altered by 90 minutes or more, or when at least one stop was added.
