'This is unacceptable': Calgary passengers stranded for several hours amid WestJet flight cancellations

Labour action from WestJet pilots was avoided just hours before the 3 a.m. strike deadline Friday, but disruptions to the airline’s network are leaving some Calgary passengers stranded for several hours or days at the airport.

Labour action from WestJet pilots was avoided just hours before the 3 a.m. strike deadline Friday, but disruptions to the airline’s network are leaving some Calgary passengers stranded for several hours or days at the airport.

WestJet Group and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) which represents WestJet and Swoop pilots, have reached a tentative agreement.

The end of a looming strike threat is good news for those who weren’t impacted by the 39 WestJet flights cancelled in Calgary on Thursday, but no love is lost for those who had their vacation itineraries ruined.

“This is unacceptable, absolutely no airline should be allowed to leave their customers hanging like this,” said Andrea Hamilton.

Before leaving her hometown of San Francisco, she learned that her connecting WestJet flight from Calgary to Rome would be cancelled.

Hamilton said she was assured by a WestJet gate agent that there would be no disruptions and she would be placed on a different flight, but she received no support once she arrived in Calgary.

“There wasn’t even a representative at the international desk, no one was there to help us, we got stonewalled everywhere by supervisors.”