I keep giving WestJet more opportunities but this was my experience on April 16. We’re extremely disappointed with how our travel day was handled.
We booked this trip as a package that included direct flights, which was an important factor in our decision. When we looked at booking flights separately, direct options were significantly more expensive, so we specifically chose this package to avoid a long and stressful travel day.
The morning of our trip, we were notified that our direct flight was cancelled and we were rebooked on a connecting itinerary through Vancouver. This added significant travel time and stress right from the start.
Our flight from Calgary to Vancouver was then delayed, leaving us with an extremely tight connection. We had no time to stop for food and had to rush through the airport just to make our next flight. After boarding, we were held on the plane for an additional 30 minutes due to timing restrictions, which only added to the frustration.
We had eaten breakfast at 5:00 AM and did not arrive at our destination until 8:00 PM. After landing, we then waited approximately an hour for our luggage, followed by another 30 minutes waiting for our shuttle, plus the drive to the hotel. By the time we checked in and found our room, we had been traveling for roughly 15 hours and were extremely hungry and exhausted.
To make matters worse, there was only one food option available upon arrival, which was closing shortly after we got there. We were fortunate to make it in time, but after such a long day with no proper meals, this was far from acceptable.
The $15 meal voucher provided did not reflect the reality of airport pricing and barely covers even a basic meal, which added to the frustration.
We understand that delays and changes can happen, but this situation was handled poorly from start to finish. The minimal compensation provided did not reflect the level of inconvenience we experienced.
Overall, this was a very frustrating and disappointing start to our vacation, and not the experience we expected when booking.
Recommendation: Book with another airline