WestJet strike: Why you may want to think twice before changing a flight

Air Passenger Rights president Gabor Lukacs urges people to not 'be a pushover' and know their rights before accepting offers WestJet is providing as a pilots strike looms.

WestJet says it is offering “additional flexibility” to air travellers ahead of the potential strike action by the airline’s pilots to provide “peace of mind.”

But a consumer advocate is cautioning passengers about accepting the offer.

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents approximately 1,600 flight crew at WestJet and its subsidiary Swoop, issued a 72-hour strike notice Monday to the airline’s management and the federal government. The strike action will begin at 3 a.m. Eastern (1 a.m. Mountain) on Friday unless a deal is reached, the union said.

With the strike looming, WestJet issued its own statement on Tuesday offering options to passengers looking to change or cancel their flights or WestJet Vacations if booked between May 15 and May 21, applied to all potential fares.

Among the options are a $0 one-time fee waiver offered for changes or cancellations.

For those who decide to change their destination, the airline says the customer would pay any difference in fares, but a refund would be made if customers decided to cancel the booking altogether.

But Air Passenger Rights president Gabor Lukacs warns these offers may not be as beneficial compared to what passengers could receive and they should be aware of what rights they already have.

“It’s really a way of trying to convince passengers to not avail themselves of their rights. You may want to do this if you think that it will be less stressful for you, but WestJet is trying to game the system,” Lukacs said in an interview with Global News.