WestJet employees have put a pause on their job action, but Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is cautioning travelers with bookings on the airline that their flights might still face disruptions. A tentative agreement was reached in the contract dispute between WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) early on Monday after the cancellation of several hundred flights. YVR mentioned that it will take some time for WestJet’s operations to return to full service. On Monday, there are 21 scheduled WestJet flights departing from Vancouver, while 49 others remain canceled, as stated by YVR. WestJet Encore flights were not impacted by the situation.
Flight attendants from WestJet went on strike on Sunday to advocate for compensation for the hours they spend not flying but assisting passengers or waiting for delayed flights to depart. Some WestJet passengers encountered the repercussions of the disruptions on Monday, with Tran Thai from Edmonton sharing that his flight was canceled. To rebook, he mentioned having to fly from Vancouver to Victoria in the evening and endure a 16-hour layover before catching a flight back home.
The specifics of the tentative agreement have not been disclosed by WestJet, and CUPE members will still need to approve the deal for it to be implemented.
