WestJet pushes back start date for Medicine Hat; causes cancellations

Local couple has flights to Calgary cancelled; offered $116 voucher instead

If you were planning on flying with WestJet this summer, you may find yourself re-booking fairly soon.

The company’s flights from Medicine Hat to Calgary were supposed to start on May 31, but have now been pushed back to June 22.

One local couple was set to fly from Medicine Hat to Calgary, then to Florida on June 2 to celebrate finishing their masters of education programs, but have now been left looking for other ways to make their trip work.

“We saw these fights from Medicine Hat to Calgary, then to Florida for only $340, and it was too good of a deal to pass up,” said Hatter Kristina Segall. “I booked the flights probably about a month ago. I got an email yesterday (Wednesday) from WestJet saying I needed to call them, and after about 40 minutes on the phone they confirmed they have cancelled all flights until June 20.”

Segall says WestJet did not offer much in terms of a reason to why the flights were cancelled, WestJet declined to comment to the News on the delay, but did send out a release to media.

“The delay comes as Pacific Coastal continues their work in order to be fully able to meet WestJet’s operational requirements,” the release said.

Lauren Stewart from WestJet headquarters in Calgary told the Lethbridge Herald the partner air service “underestimated the required time to receive approvals from Transport Canada.”

Segall says she was unable to re-book flights because she had hotels and cars booked with non-refundable Air Miles.

“Other than a full refund, WestJet offered a $116 voucher to use on a flight within the year on another trip, which we may not even be able to use,” she said. “We’re going to have to drive to Calgary, stay in a hotel, get parking and then drive back to Medicine Hat. It’s just unfortunate for us, because I probably wouldn’t have booked it if it weren’t for Medicine Hat — I guess it really was too good to be true.”

WestJet’s release says it is contacting all people impacted by the changes.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Hatter Kristina Segall (right) and friend Jacie Brusky have their picture taken at the Hogwarts Express at Universal Studios in Orlando. Segall says her flight from Medicine Hat to Calgary with WestJet has been cancelled, with WestJet cancelling all flights out of the city until June 22.