Westjet changed my flight Just now........

Unfortunately I can't help you.
I just wanted to say that this really should be illegal. It's basically a contract and the airlines should be forced to honour it.
It takes a lot of planning and expenses for most of us to book a flight somewhere. Changing the date of a flight really screws up those plans. Simply being able to cancel isn't acceptable as like the OP says, costs go up significantly.

It's ridiculous that the airlines can get away with this as often as they do

Ignore the whole, "your flight is confirmed". It's just telling you that if you're happy with the new itinerary, you don't have to do anything. There is obviously not going to be an option to refuse the change, as they don't have an alternative for you.

Your options are limited to three things. Given they made this change just outside the 14-day window for compensation, you are not eligible for any. You may either ask to be re-accommodated on another flight, you can request a refund, OR you can just keep the new flight/bump the returning on the 2nd.

Re-accommodation to another flight:
- By law, they must book you on their next available flight within 9 hours of the initial scheduled time. I'm assuming they don't have any, as that's a low-frequency route, in which case:
- They must book you on any other carrier from CUN-YYZ, even if it's on a competing airline. I see that Sunwing, Swoop, and Air Canada all have flights on the 3rd. When you call them tomorrow, ask to be put on the one of your choosing. The front-line agent will tell you they are unable to do so, citing WestJet's "policies"; if they refuse, you can ask to be transferred to "guest support" and reference the APPR (see quote below). You may also cite their OWN tariff, that says exactly the same thing (see second quote).
- I highly recommend you record the phone call you have tomorrow, as this can be used as evidence later, if you do need to have extra costs covered. WestJet's "policies" do not generally allow their agents to re-book passengers on other airlines, which is in complete contravention of the APPR.
- If they refuse to re-book you on another carrier, you can choose to re-book the flight yourself, and then sue WestJet in small claims court later to recover the cost, or lodge a complaint via the CTA.
- In general, WestJet is VERY stingy on paying for ancillary costs stemming from delays. Given the timeframe, they are NOT required to pay for any meals/expenses incurred as a result of this delay, and they will refuse with almost 100% certainty.

https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/publication/f ... ns-a-guide

Large airlines must book the passenger on the next available flight that is operated by them, or an airline with which they have a commercial agreement. The new flight:

May take any reasonable route out of the same airport to the passenger's final destination; and
Must depart within nine hours of the departure time on the passenger's original ticket.
If the airline cannot meet this obligation, they must book the passenger, as soon as possible, on a flight operated by any airline on any reasonable route out of the same airport to the passenger's destination. This may mean buying a ticket for the passenger on a competing airline.

If the airline cannot provide the reservation from the same airport within 48 hours of the original departure time, the airline must book the passenger as soon as possible from a nearby airport. They will also have to transport the passenger to that airport, free of charge.

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/legal/tar ... ernational

(a) The Carrier will provide alternative travel arrangements free of charge to ensure that Passengers complete their itinerary as soon as feasible. The Carrier will provide a confirmed reservation on the next available flight operated by the Carrier or on a flight operated by a Carrier with which the original Carrier has a commercial agreement, if the next available flight is travelling on a reasonable air route from the airport at which the Passenger is located to the destination that is indicated on the Passenger’s original ticket, and departs
within nine (9) hours of the departure time that is located on the original ticket.
(b) If the Carrier cannot provide such a confirmed reservation, the Carrier will provide a confirmed reservation for a flight operated by any Carrier travelling on any reasonable air route from the airport at which the passenger is located that departs within 48 hours of the departure time that is indicated on the original ticket.
(c) If the Carrier cannot provide such a confirmed reservation, the Carrier will provide transportation to another airport that is within a reasonable distance of the airport at which the Passenger is located and a confirmed reservation for a flight that is operated by any Carrier on any reasonable air route from that other airport to the destination that is indicated on the Passenger’s original ticket

Refund:
- You can request a refund and make your own arrangements. Flights are surprisingly cheap (~$275) for being so close to the date of departure.

Keeping the new flight/bumping to the 2nd:
- Alternatively, you can keep your new flight and just bite the bullet, or also shorten your trip by one day and leave on the 2nd instead. These might be the easiest solutions, to be honest. All the other solutions listed above may result in months of headache for you if they don't end up re-booking you elsewhere, just so you're aware. You could always check with your travel insurance provider, but I don't think schedule changes this far out would tend to qualify for coverage.

Shaner wrote: ↑ Unfortunately I can't help you.
I just wanted to say that this really should be illegal. It's basically a contract and the airlines should be forced to honour it.
It takes a lot of planning and expenses for most of us to book a flight somewhere. Changing the date of a flight really screws up those plans. Simply being able to cancel isn't acceptable as like the OP says, costs go up significantly.

It's ridiculous that the airlines can get away with this as often as they do

I agree there needs to be stiffer rules. Our laws in Canada are very lax, and allow airlines to get away with this all the time without penalty. Maybe not "forced" to honour it, but making sure there are consequences for doing this stuff to people. A 14-day window leaves minimal options to the traveler.

Thank you very much @Phonophoresis for taking the time to share this.

You have given me much to think about.

Very much appreciated.

ElaineB852835 wrote: ↑ Thank you very much @Phonophoresis for taking the time to share this.

You have given me much to think about.

Very much appreciated.

No problem - happy to answer any other questions. Please re-read the quoted sections for the APPR/WestJet's tariff in my above post. I mistakenly quoted the wrong parts initially. They should be correct now, applying to a "within carrier control" situation. There will be no excuse for WestJet to make this any other classification this far out.

Per the above, I am not sure if the APPR applies given that you're not within the 12 hour window so it's not a delay or cancellation. WS has given you notice of a schedule change with over 14 days' notice.

2. Types of flight delays and cancellations

When a flight is delayed or cancelled (including before the day of travel),

EU air passenger rights also allow the airline to do the same with 14 days' notice.

Do let us know the outcome.

thriftshopper wrote: ↑ Per the above, I am not sure if the APPR applies given that you're not within the 12 hour window so it's not a delay or cancellation. WS has given you notice of a schedule change. EU air passenger rights also allow the airline to do the same with 14 days' notice.

The APPR only passes the following time-limited responsibilities onto the airlines:
- Compensation is owed if a delay occurs within 14-days, depending on magnitude of delay
- Meals/accommodation/transportation are owed if within 12 hours, also depending on the magnitude of delay
- Some tarmac delay stuff, which is usually irrelevant

All the other rights/responsibilities afforded to passengers have an indefinite timeframe applied to them. In this case, the OP still has rights to be re-accommodated/re-booked on other airlines, or to receive a refund.

Delays, cancellations, schedule change, etc. is just all a debate of semantics. They may try and fudge around with those words to confuse people, but effectively, the OP's flight WS XXXX no longer exists on Apr 3rd, and therefore this is a cancellation in the eyes of the law.

Phonophoresis wrote: ↑ Ignore the whole, "your flight is confirmed". It's just telling you that if you're happy with the new itinerary, you don't have to do anything. There is obviously not going to be an option to refuse the change, as they don't have an alternative for you.

Your options are limited to three things. Given they made this change just outside the 14-day window for compensation, you are not eligible for any. You may either ask to be re-accommodated on another flight, you can request a refund, OR you can just keep the new flight/bump the returning on the 2nd.

I just wanted to say that I find your posts are very helpful and informative. You are putting in a tremendous amount of work as a random person to help others with their problems. Thank you.

Same for my NYC trip. Changed the times and dates! How is that even allowed? I have stuff booked, the fuk you mean you changed my flight?

Westjet rep told me a year ago that they have very low priority in airports. Something about airline seniority so their flights get bumped a lot. My flight got bumped 4 times and I booked 4 months ago.

I received my "call back" from Westjet late this evening--though ironically the guest support office had just closed down for the evening. As it turns out, the mysterious Westjet CUN-YYZ flight for April 3 has been re-instated! The WS rep switched my reservation back to my 1st choice, Sunday, April 3. It's very odd, when I looked at the WS website Saturday afternoon and earlier today (Sunday) there was no flight showing for CUN-YYZ on Apr. 3--yet, this evening--it reappears. How does that happen???

The earlier post above by @Phonophoresis was incredibly helpful. It gave me the confidence to request clarification--and the quoted sections above were invaluable. And thank you @thriftshopper for your encouragement and direction.

"Westjet Shirley" managed to resolve my concern:

a) I have my original itinerary intact, departing April 3.
b) She even booked me an aisle seat close to the front of the plane.

ElaineB852835 wrote: ↑ I received my "call back" from Westjet late this evening--though ironically the guest support office had just closed down for the evening. As it turns out, the mysterious Westjet CUN-YYZ flight for April 3 has been re-instated! The WS rep switched my reservation back to my 1st choice, Sunday, April 3. It's very odd, when I looked at the WS website Saturday afternoon and earlier today (Sunday) there was no flight showing for CUN-YYZ on Apr. 3--yet, this evening--it reappears. How does that happen???

The earlier post above by @Phonophoresis was incredibly helpful. It gave me the confidence to request clarification--and the quoted sections above were invaluable. And thank you @thriftshopper for your encouragement and direction.

"Westjet Shirley" managed to resolve my concern:

a) I have my original itinerary intact, departing April 3.
b) She even booked me an aisle seat close to the front of the plane.

Glad to hear it's all been resolved, and you didn't have to resort to fighting with them.

Taking a look at the flight, it looks like the flight only has 1 seat left on it, which means the flight never ceased to exist, but it was full (and therefore won't show up on the booking page), and you were bumped off of it for some strange reason.

Speculation, but some scenarios that may have happened:
1) They were playing around with equipment swaps, and changed the type of aircraft, leading to some people getting bumped... then decided to move it back for some reason.
2) They overbooked the flight as a result of schedule changes/consolidations
3) Someone messed up and bumped you off by accident - this has happened to me before...
4) Bumped you off for crew
etc.

Enjoy your trip!